Dive Cameras

For serious underwater photography, this kit includes the Sea & Sea DX-2G camera in it's own custom housing that's rated to a depth of 180' or 55 meters. It features a large 2.7" TFT LCD monitor that makes framing underwater easy and fun and because the camera has manual as well as program exposure modes you have complete control of balancing the available light to strobe light.

The large buffer allows you to shoot 5 consecutive images with a 3 sec write time in raw mode. This feature coupled with exceptional macro capability of a 1/2", makes the DX-2G functionality and performance close to an SLR without the bulk, hassle and weight.

The YS-27DX strobe is designed for multipurpose underwater photography, providing spread and power for subjects that range from wide-angle to macro. It has nine different light level settings, a pre-flash cancel mode, and is an ideal slave sub-strobe. It has endurance for a full day's shooting without changing batteries, and a speedy recycle time for shooting a rapid series of images.

Product Features

12.1 effective megapixels (1/1.7-inch CCD). High image quality with low noise and rich smooth gradation range that lets you capture perfect underwater images from highlights to shadows

Large, high definition 2.7-inch LCD monitor with 460,000 pixels. Vivid and bright display that lets you see even the finest details in the picture. The monitor features a wide angle of view (160° in any direction) and high contrast, and offers excellent visibility underwater

24-72mm, 3.0x optical zoom lens that demonstrates excellent optical qualities for any lighting situation and focal length

Capable of RAW image photography. A newly-developed image engine and enlarged buffer memory allow you to take up to 5 continuous shots in RAW mode. The recording speed has improved to 3 seconds

Up to three individual settings of the My Setting function allow you to customize recording settings to your preference. This is convenient to assign frequently used functions to these customized settings

Check out all dive cameras here.

This is SeaLife's Top Seller - Includes Wide Angle Lens and Digital Pro Flash

Sooner or later, divers get fed up with ever-present backscatter and realize that adding an external flash is the way around it to produce the brightest, sharpest, most colorful underwater pictures. The DC1000 Pro includes the camera, wide angle lens and Digital Pro Flash in a lightweight travel case.

Quick shutter response for fast action photography. Long lasting lithium battery for all day of diving. Automatic focus from 2" to infinity. Large format continuous video recording with sound. Depth tested to 200ft. Fully rubber armored for shock protection. 1-year warranty covers the underwater camera and flash accessory.

Set the camera to Ext Flash Auto mode for automatic exposure control with the Digital Pro Flash, resulting in vibrant colors and reduced backscatter. The Ext Flash Manual mode offers advanced UW photographers manual aperture and shutter speed controls.

Review all underwater cameras here.

The bain of underwater photographers, backscatter can ruin a perfect shot. Even when you can't see it, don't take the chance cause it's there just waiting to catch you off guard.

For those new to shooting pictures underwater, backscatter is what looks like snow on all those wonderful pictures you took while diving. The more obvious cause is when silt or sand particles get stirred up like when you're near the bottom, or swimming through tunnels, caves, swimthroughs, and especially wrecks. It occurs because the flash reflects off the particles.

But the real problem is when the water appears clear. Fact is, water is never completely clear - there are zillions of tiny particles suspended and mostly invisible to the naked eye. And with camers having ever more resolution, the backscatter problem just gets worse.

Just look at this wreck shot to see what I'm talking about. This happened despite good viz due to the tiny particles in the water. These may be organic or non-living, but either way cause difficulty.

The reason is because the bright light from a strong flash aimed directly at the subject can catch these particles and be reflected back, which will blow the shot. It looks like snow due to the halo effect around each particle. And the closer the particle, the larger the snow.

This snow or backscatter can often be eliminated or reduced by preventing the flash or strobe(s) from firing directly at the subject. One way is to use a flash diffuser to soften and disperse the light from the camera's built-in flash and lower its intensity.

Another way is to disable the cameras built-in flash and use an external strobe, or strobes, that can be positioned above or to the side(s) of the subject. This way you get the illumination desired, but since the light doesn't come from directly in front of the camera, it gets reflected somewhere else.

Find resources in the Underwater Camera Store

This great underwater shot of a banded coral shrimp was sent to me from Bob Millsaps in Roatan, Honduras. The small image doesn't do it credit but you can see it fullsize here.

He's got a lot more Roatan photos here, plus all the info to introduce you to the island, as well as details on things to do, and places to stay. Check it out.