Underwater Cameras

In 1856, Irish ornithologist and botanist, William Thompson was the first known person to have taken pictures underwater using a camera mounted to a pole. The first underwater color photos were taken by W.H. Longley and Charles Martin in 1923.

Since then, the art of underwater picture taking has advanced beyond what was ever thought possible. In 1957, Jean De Wouters and Jacques-Yves Cousteau built the Calypsophot camera, which was later produced by Nikon as the Nikonos.

Today, swimmers and scuba divers can capture the rare beauty of fish and marine mammals, as well as coral reefs, submerged caves and landscapes, and even shipwrecks with a variety of miniature underwater digital cameras now on the market.

Even with major improvements over the years, photographers still faced the problem of extreme loss of color and contrast when taking pictures far below water. Water quickly absorbs the longer wavelengths of the sun, so subjects further away appeared colorless. To minimize this result, get as close to your subject as possible and use a wide-angle lens or macro lens. You can also use a flash to fill in the missing colors.

There are basically two ways to take underwater photos. The first is by using a waterproof camera such as the Nikonos. While this series has now been discontinued, you might still get your hands on one through an auction site or yard sale.

The other system is achieved by using a traditional film or digital camera inside a watertight underwater housing. Various housing are now available that fit well with specific cameras and are made so you can easily access your camera’s features. There are also connectors so you can attach external flash units. It is wise though, to use a digital camera where you can get many more frames than with a 35mm roll of film.

Be aware that there may be optical issues when using a watertight housing around your camera. The image may be distorted when using a wide-angle lens. To solve this problem, use a dome-shaped or fish-eye port, both of which are usually available from manufacturers. As well, some digital cameras have smaller lenses, so get a housing with supplementary optics. There is also the problem of backscatter where the flash reflects off dirt or plankton in the water. To avoid this effect, position the strobe light or flash away from the plane of the camera so that the water directly in front of you is not lit up. You may need to use jointed arms and attachments to do this properly.

Underwater cameras have a multitude of uses besides scuba diving ventures and scanning diving locations. They are also used commercially by the fishing industry to locate crabs, lobster and fish. As well, fishermen can scan the water for structures, schools of fish and also record their adventure. Some charter companies also use underwater video systems to record fishing or whale watching activities.

Environmental studies are vital these days and an underwater camera is ideal for surveying current underwater conditions. Well, mine and pipe inspection is another area where these cameras can be used. In particular, the Delta Vision camera, which is very compact and has LED illumination that works well in dark, small spaces.

This type of miniature video camera can go down 1,000 feet by cable. It can also be hooked to a standard downrigger so sports fishermen can look backwards at their bait while fishing. It can also be towed for high-speed fishing with an HST accessory up to 12 knots.

Deep Blue offers three types of underwater color video cameras that broadcast video of under the water back to the surface to be monitored in real time or recorded for later viewing. This rugged model can withstand direct hits from rocks, cables and other debris.

A camera called a SplashCam can be used to search large areas that may be unsafe for divers. This particular model is used most to search for victims of foul play or drowning in lakes and rivers. Generally, it includes a 200-ft. cable, a small LCD monitor, batter, a digital video recorder and a GPS overlay unit.

The PerfectView CSMarine video system is used for underwater observation, keeping track of fishing nets and finding various other treasures. Boat owners and harbormasters use them to visually inspect the underside of their craft.

Delta Vision offers an industrial grade color underwater video camera suitable for pipe, tank and well inspections as well as environmental monitoring, commercial fishing and swimming training. It also allows for a 1,000-foot cable for lowering the camera into the water. This system, which includes a virtually indestructible camera housing and military grade cable is priced from $900 and up.