Here is a nice little Orange Water Ladybug sitting on a Tubularia hydroid polyp from Komodo. OM-1, 30 macro, 2 x Fotocore GTM strobes, AOI

Here is a nice little porcelain crab, (Porcellanella triloba, I think) from Komodo

Here is a nice little banded pipefish from Komodo. As always, AOI/OM-1/2 x Fotocore GTM strobes, 30 macro lens

Hey everyone!
I’m a young independent photographer currently studying photography, and I’m also really into freediving. I’ve been wanting to combine these two passions for a while and start shooting underwater, especially portraits of people underwater.
I’d particularly love to photograph freediving competitions, or simply take pictures of the people I dive with (buddies, training sessions, etc.).
The main issue is equipment. My main camera is a Panasonic Lumix S5, but the underwater housing for it costs almost as much as the camera itself. As a student, that’s simply way beyond my budget at the moment.
So I’m looking for more affordable ways to get started in underwater photography. I’m open to pretty much anything, whether it’s digital or analog (film photography). I’m not necessarily looking for professional-level equipment right away, just something that would allow me to experiment, learn and start developing my underwater photography.
Would you recommend getting an older camera with an affordable housing, starting with a compact underwater camera, trying film photography, or going down another route entirely?
I’d love to hear about your experiences, recommendations and any budget-friendly setups you might have used to get started!
Thanks in advance!

Down in Aruba.

I'm pulling the plug and upgrading my sonya6000 in seafrog housing and I'm torn between the a7rv and a7v.

I need to take professional quality fish photos for a project I'm working on. I also shoot surfers for funsies. A friend who is a pro underwater photographer (shoots surf and marine life) strongly recommended me the a7v for the sensor and fps - saying its 100x better, for sure. But I still feel like I prefer the a7rv for the resolution, especially coming from my current camera with 24mp. I also feel like the burst rate on the a7rv is good enough for me but maybe I am naive.

Please give me some other considerations and help me make the call. I need to know if I should go with my heart or listen to my pro friend who definitely knows more about cameras all around than I do. I also like to shoot videos of marine life and surfers so the video specs are important to me too, and with that I think the a7v may be worth considering more...

Also I'm leaning toward buying an ikelite 200dl housing for either camera but if there are better or comparable versatile options please share! I want one housing for everything (because I am actually poor!) that is depth rated to at least 40m and is light enough to be in somewhat heavy surf, turbulent conditions.

Bought GoPro 13 black for a French Polynesia cruise.
I can’t open the battery/card compartment with just my fingers. AI says not to use tools to preserve seal.
What do people do?

I’ve been trying to use my strobes to create negative space and finally nailed it in this photo of a Sharp Nose Puffer fish in Utila.

Would this be a good photo to crop 1x1 or is it better visually to include the sponges / corals around this red sponge?

An emperor shrimp on a sea star. Imagine spending your entire life on the bottom of a sea star.

Basically my use case is I'm more of a tech diver than an underwater photographer, but Ill bring my divevolk or gopro to capture some cool stuff. Looking through my old photos I realize how really not great they are, because I'm using my tech navigation torches which really aren't meant for photo/video. Orcatorch makes the flexdive, a video and spotlight that can be mounted on a goodman handle for use as a primary tech light, but also has a wide flood/video mode and the light can even be mounted as a video light on a tray. I'm really trying to avoid the use of a tray, because I think it adds more complexity to my photography setup than I'm interested in putting into it, but I'm wondering if the use of the orcatorch flexdive as a video light on my Goodman handle might give me my personal value point on what I'm willing to carry with me to get some decent hobby photo/video. I know I'd have to hold the camera in 1 hand and then angle the flexdive at 45. Rather going this with tray arms I would do it with my own single left arm. Thoughts?

Today I found several things. The link between camera and strobe works perfectly once you totally obscure the diffuser from ambient light. Othgerwise it won't no matter what you do.

How do you do it if you have succeded? Electrical tape on the outside or paint on the inside removing it?

Any help much appreciated.

Nice little upside down jelly from a dive in Komodo

OM-1/AOI/2 x Fotocore GTM strobes, 30 macro lens