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Author Topic: underwater photography  (Read 3038 times)

coffeecashew

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underwater photography
« on: June 14, 2008, 06:33:04 am »

I will be photographing children underwater in a swimming pool with a Canon 5D SLR with Ikelite housing what would be the best wide angle lens to go for? Can anyone out there advise what would be the best size to go for?
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Fish_Shooter

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underwater photography
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2008, 02:54:27 pm »

Quote
I will be photographing children underwater in a swimming pool with a Canon 5D SLR with Ikelite housing what would be the best wide angle lens to go for? Can anyone out there advise what would be the best size to go for?
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There is no 'best'. Rectilinear FLs down to 20mm (on FF) are easier to optically accommodate. Wider and you need a really large radius dome such as super-dome (not avail for Ike AFAIK) as well as use a small aperture. You should use no wider than f/8 regardless. FE lenses are easier. There is a lot more and detailed info on the wetpixel site.
Tom
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Paul Kay

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underwater photography
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2008, 04:12:30 am »

The 'most-used' lenses on FF Canon for underwater use (for people shots) are the 17~40 and 16~35 zooms and then fixed focals in the 24~35mm range (Canon's 20 is not a very good lens underwater IMHO, the Sigma appears rated as better but I've not personally tried one)). As Tom says, its also very much about the dome port so you need to make sure that Ikelite build a dome set-up suitable for the lens you choose OR check what domes they produce and buy a lens accordingly. The set-up should optically align lens and port too.

My own favourite lens on the 5D is the 24/1.4L (which is expensive) and I generally use it with a +3 diopter behind a medium dome. It gives a very bright fast focus lens underwater but may be a little wide depending on what you are doing. You could look at the 24/2.8 and 35/2 as a cheap combination which will be usable behind a similar dome but again take note of Tom's comment not to use wide apertures or the corners will be soft. A Tom also says, do have a look at www.wetpixel.com for masses of information about underwater photography.
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coffeecashew

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underwater photography
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2008, 06:17:06 am »

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There is no 'best'. Rectilinear FLs down to 20mm (on FF) are easier to optically accommodate. Wider and you need a really large radius dome such as super-dome (not avail for Ike AFAIK) as well as use a small aperture. You should use no wider than f/8 regardless. FE lenses are easier. There is a lot more and detailed info on the wetpixel site.
Tom
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Thanks for that Tom!
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coffeecashew

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underwater photography
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2008, 06:18:58 am »

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The 'most-used' lenses on FF Canon for underwater use (for people shots) are the 17~40 and 16~35 zooms and then fixed focals in the 24~35mm range (Canon's 20 is not a very good lens underwater IMHO, the Sigma appears rated as better but I've not personally tried one)). As Tom says, its also very much about the dome port so you need to make sure that Ikelite build a dome set-up suitable for the lens you choose OR check what domes they produce and buy a lens accordingly. The set-up should optically align lens and port too.

My own favourite lens on the 5D is the 24/1.4L (which is expensive) and I generally use it with a +3 diopter behind a medium dome. It gives a very bright fast focus lens underwater but may be a little wide depending on what you are doing. You could look at the 24/2.8 and 35/2 as a cheap combination which will be usable behind a similar dome but again take note of Tom's comment not to use wide apertures or the corners will be soft. A Tom also says, do have a look at www.wetpixel.com for masses of information about underwater photography.
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Thanks for this! Extremely useful!
Sylvia
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01af

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underwater photography
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2008, 08:59:57 am »

The typical standard lenses for open-water UW photography are a 15 mm super-wide-angle (with a dome, on 35-mm format) and a 50 - 60 mm macro lens.

However shooting children having fun in a swimming pool is a different kettle of fish (pun intended  ). Most likely, you don't have a dome ... so I'd recommend a plain simple 28 mm lens behind a plane glass. Wider lenses used inside a UW housing with a plane front glass will give poor image quality near the frame's edges. However if you happen to have a domed front glass then use the widest lens available.

-- Olaf
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stever

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underwater photography
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2008, 11:34:37 am »

i do not think you will be happy with the results of a 28mm lens behind a flat port - anything wider than about 35mm will give nasties on the sides and corners behind a flat port (even if you're able to find a port that puts the glass very close to the lens.
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