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Anonymous
ITT: Caves
Also, can anyone suggest a good camera for cave photography, i.e. one that is water-resistant, shock resistant, and takes quality photos in low-light conditions?
Spelunker here, and I'm currently in the market
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D70sCamera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop 7.0Maximum Lens Aperturef/4.0Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern802Focal Length (35mm Equiv)22 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2007:08:05 12:11:42Exposure Time1/400 secF-Numberf/5.0Exposure ProgramManualExposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceFine WeatherFlashFlash, Auto, Return Not DetectedFocal Length15.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width600Image Height399RenderingNormalExposure ModeManualWhite BalanceManualScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlLow Gain UpContrastSoftSaturationNormalSharpnessNormalSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Anonymous
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeOLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.Camera ModelC7070WZCamera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop 7.0Maximum Lens Aperturef/2.8Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2007:08:05 11:55:44Exposure Time3.2 secF-Numberf/4.0Exposure ProgramManualISO Speed Rating100Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length5.70 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width600Image Height450RenderingNormalExposure ModeManualWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlLow Gain UpContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormal
>> Anonymous
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Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon PowerShot A95Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop 7.0Maximum Lens Aperturef/2.8Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2007:08:05 11:45:14RenderingNormalExposure ModeManualWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardExposure Time1/200 secF-Numberf/3.5Lens Aperturef/3.5Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternFlashFlash, Compulsory, Red-Eye ReduceFocal Length7.81 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width600Image Height450
>> extermin8tor
seriously any slr, or a good point and shoot like the fuji s5700 (I have a s5600 and I've gone spelunking in Victoria, Australia lots before) although the flash and iso sensitivity is crap, the photos are all right~.

However for good results like posted, I'd recommend a Nikon D40, they cost 630AUD here, thats like 500USD or so.

Or get that pentax camera thats waterproof and stuff (point and shoot though).

There is also the Fujifilm Big Job (yes thats it) its 10m drop resistant, completely waterproof, has a flash and is about 6MP.
>> Blackadder !!bSWRwu/NqzQ
If you have off-camera flash you can paint a scene with it during a long exposure.
>> Anonymous
>>106481

???

Post examples.
>> Blackadder !!bSWRwu/NqzQ
>>106482

http://www.flickr.com/groups/longexposure/discuss/72157600134127238/
http://www.dazecoop.co.uk/25-08-2007/night-photography-with-flash-guns-coloured-gels

You can do it with a decent torch and coloured light too. That first one lit up the tower nicely. A cave should work well for it, it's not like the rock is moving much during the long exposure (I hope).

Play around with it and you might have some fun controlling or making your own light to suit you.

I hope the post works this time. I've had to try twice thanks to mysterious errors.
>> Blackadder !!bSWRwu/NqzQ
>>106524

http://www.bertholdsteinhilber.com

That guy use this idea to great effect in some of his shots too.
>> Anonymous
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I usually take my Canon s410 point and shoot caving because it's cheap and I don't care if I break it. The zoom/focus mechanism is full of grit from mud and it hardly works anymore.

I've taken my D200 a couple of times, but usually not into really wet caves because of the mud. I've tried using a dry bag housing, and it works OK but makes the camera more difficult to handle. Overall the D200 is fine as long as I'm taking my time and am more focused on photography than caving. It's too much of a hassle to keep it out of mud holes or waterfalls when I'm leading.

The most important thing for quality cave photography is lighting. Multiple slave flashes are a very good thing to have. Don't plan on long exposures or tripods unless the trip is just for photography and you have people to help carry gear and set up. You can expect to have to focus by scale and hyperfocal method, headlights generally don't provide enough light for AF or to focus manually through the viewfinder.

Depending on what kind of pictures you want to take and your budget, here's what I would recommend: For general photo on caving trips, any point and shoot digital with a good flash. For advanced photography on a budget, a rugged film SLR, several cheap non-dedicated flashes with slaves, a 24mm or wider lens, and a lot of practice. For advanced photography with a sizeable budget, a rugged DSLR (Nikon D200, D300, D2, D3, etc), several slave flashes, and the widest lens you can get your hands on. Lens speed isn't too important, since you'll probably want to stop down to f/5.6 or so for depth of field anyway. No matter which way you go, expect it to be very hard on your camera. If you do a lot of cave photography, you can expect to destroy equipment rapidly. Even weather sealed cameras and lenses don't like being soaked in mud, smacked into rocks, or dragged on the ground- and that is not avoidable.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeNIKON CORPORATIONCamera ModelNIKON D200Camera SoftwareVer.1.00Maximum Lens Aperturef/4.0Sensing MethodOne-Chip Color AreaColor Filter Array Pattern684Focal Length (35mm Equiv)15 mmImage-Specific Properties:Horizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2007:12:30 19:10:59Exposure Time1/400 secF-Numberf/8.0Exposure ProgramAperture PriorityISO Speed Rating100Lens Aperturef/8.0Exposure Bias-1 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo FlashFocal Length10.00 mmRenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardGain ControlNoneContrastNormalSaturationHighSharpnessHardSubject Distance RangeUnknown
>> Jeremo !iKGMr61IHM
What's your budget? cause that will determine everything.

We should include a sticky. If anyone wants 'What do i buy advice' they NEED to include a budget.
>> Anonymous
Pentax K10D
>> Anonymous
I'd suggest you... ask a cave photographer!

Or maybe you'd prefer to spend a bunch of money based on the advice of chronically masturbating perverts who come here because its one stop shopping for their two loves... futa porn, and bad photography.
>> Anonymous
>>106535
Pentax is a shitty system with NO LENSES lol
>> Anonymous
>>106644

No lenses at all?

That's just silly

K10D > you
>> Anonymous
I second the K10D... water-resistant, built like a tank... just get a good prime and whatnot (there are PLENTY out there)
>> Anonymous
Fujifilm f45fd (and other models in the f# series) are by far the best P&S cameras for low light shooting. They're also much cheaper than an SLR, so it isn't a tragedy if you wreck one.
>> Anonymous
>>106667
Just what I hear. About the no lenses thing.
>> Anonymous
>>106475
Is a canon EOS 300D fine too?
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>107905
Yes. And those are old enough that they're cheap, too, which is a bonus. Not as nice as the 350D/XT or 400D/XTi, but I'm guessing the extra not-afraid-to-break-itability of it would outweigh the features of its more expensive brethren.