Hey Tom, thanks for all the great content! I just set up my Canon R5 with a 50mm 1.8! it’s not my go to lens but I figured it’s a good place to start learning from.
Hey Bobby, thanks for your message and encouragement... appreciate... mate the R5 with a 50mm is great place to start, The 50mm is one of my favourites for shooting surf action and portraits.... the next lens to aim for is a super wide to go beneath the surface or for split levels... enjoy the journey! water photography just keeps providing the gold!
Great comments that can be applied all over . Getting an image is one thing but being part of the experience , feeling the emotion and still getting image . Top drawer ...
@@dreamlifephotography Totally, just happy and privileged to be at the beach and in the water as often as possible, getting something to keep at the end of it makes it even better. Enjoying your webinar now, thanks, good content.
Hello friend, I can not agree more, any objective can give a good photo with its differences but the one that really makes us get fully into the action is the wide angle. It makes us adrenaline and I enjoy as much or more than surfing. a hug and thanks for your videos
hi tom. The information you pass on here is so helpful and effective - so thank you very much Great video and stills - it's always fun to see your videos . I shoot with a tokina 10-17 fisheye lens - the results are good and there is still something to learn with proper technique.
Thanks Arik appreciate your encouragement very much! the fisheye lenses are so great, especially underwater. Best thing about water photography is that no one us will ever stop learning! thanks again for tuning in
Great stuff Tom! That Canon 15-30 looks so sharp and crisp, I've noticed my Nikon 17-35 doesn't look anywhere near as good so I just stick to the 15mm fisheye 😊👍
The straight 15mm lens is super nice, most of these wide shots were taken with the 8-15mm fisheye. Hopefully will have a housing soon to try out my new 15-30mm lens
Great video mate!!! One question, I am a photographer and passionate by the sea, do you prefer full-frame cameras or a crop sensor to surf photography? Barrels, underwater. Cheers
Thanks for your message mate, appreciate it! great to hear you are into ocean and surf photography. I think both full frame cameras and crop sensors have their place. When shooting underwater and inside barrels I prefer full frame as this will give you a wider lens angle which is what you mostly want for this. Full frame cameras generally have a better dynamic range (with less noise and grain) The crop sensor cameras are great for extending long lenses when shooting from the beach. Many crop sensors have faster motor drives too which can be an advantage. To wrap up both formats will produce professional results. Learning how to use the camera is far - far more important than the type of camera you use.
If you were to decide between one lens between the 12-24, 16-35, or 14mm prime for shooting a combination of shooting waves (inside and outside of barrel), underwater fish/turtles, boogie boarders riding waves, which would you choose? Obviously there would be above and below water and trying to decide on one of these wide angle lenses. I have the other end covered with a 24-70 and 70-200. Thanks for the video, I have been watching all of yours!
Hey Brian, thanks for your kind words and support mate. Yeah wider the better for "inside / out" of barrels. All of your suggestions would work, but if you are using that lens mainly for water work personally I would go for the 12-24 or the 14mm prime. The 12-24 will give you a bit more variation over the prime. But 14mm is a great focal length. Every water photographer needs a wide I reckon. What camera system are you running?
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly Tom and for the thoughts. I don’t yet have a wide angle lens and have really been wrestling with which lens to get before I purchase Aqua Tech gear. I am going to go with the Edge, but of course I need to know which lens i am going to use before purchasing the ports. I am a Sony shooter and I shoot an A9ii. Love it for sports photography (I do a lot of baseball and basketball).
@@bquinn722 nice! the Sony setups are so good. All 3 of your option will serve you well in the surf. The 12-24 looks great, Im a Canon shooter so I can't personally vouch for the difference in quality between your options. The zooms are more versitile when shooting on land, so maybe they would be better for your overall kit. The Edge housing are amazing. If you use the code AF-TOMWOODS-AUS you can get a 10% discount which will save you a few hundred dollars or more. Exciting times!! water photography will definitely add a new dimension to your photography journey
Everyone is telling me to go with liquid eye water housing but what would you recommend is the best housing to make sure you don’t flood your camera with water?
Well I've used Aquatech housings almost daily for more than 20 years and they have never leaked... cameras always been well protected. Im sure Liquid Housings are great too, but i have not used them myself. Whatever you choose the main thing is your techniques or practices when using the housing, nearly 100% of leaks with good quality housings are user error, so a good education and understanding is the key to never drowning your camera.
Hi Tom, Would the 16-35 mm versatility make it better as a first Lens? 16 mm for very tight situations / 35mm if you can't quite get so close. Is the trade-off in optical quality and weight worth it?
Yes for sure, I think the 16-35mm is a great lens to have. These days there is no real trade off in quality.... the Canon and Sony 16-35's are optically excellent and you are right... having the ability to zoom a bit helps in some situations. I use the 15-35 RF canon lens now, and in the water I most use it at 15 or 16mm but on land I am always going to 35mm for certain photos, So definitely rate having the ultra wide zoom
Hey There Rodrigo, thanks for your message! Yes the 7D is a great action camera (I am assuming you have a water housing as well?). The 50mm lens on the 7D translates to around 85mm so you will need to be a little further back from your athlete than the standard 50mm but this combo will be great to get started. I would suggest looking at a super wide angle lens for your next purchase, something like the 10-20mm lens would be good for the 7D
Really good video! greetings from the Canaries. I am just starting into surf action photography, and i will order my first water housing soon. What do you think work best with the Canon 80D? For which 50mm lens should i go?
thanks so much for your kind words and message! I have been using Aquatech housings for nearly 20 years and they have been so solid and perfect for what I do. They make a base housing for the 80D which are very affordable for the quality. I would use their standard flat port for the 50mm lens. Link to the housing is: aquatech.net/collections/water-housings-canon/products/base-ii-housing-kit-for-canon
Hello Tom Now that the Canon R5 Mark II has arrived and is getting very positive reviews, do you know how long it will take aquatech to offer a housing for it?
@@dreamlifephotography I'd be interested to hear your opinion of the r52 in the water if you're planning on that soon. Well the reviews feel like they're coming daily but there is no information to assist people in its use for our application in our unique environment. Will One battery be enough? Will it require the battery grip (2 batteries )which will then require a larger housing size? Is the wider dynamic range in the shadows and dark areas of c-log 2 really that handy and our environment? I'd only trust your review, all the others feel to me to be about the technology but not the experience. Something to consider mate
@@AWilliamsfilm Personally I will be sticking with the R5 for now, I don't see the benefit of swapping up cameras every 5 minutes. The original R5 does everything I need and more really, so it might be a while before I get the mark 2 but I would guess it will perform as good but if you already have the R5 and are happy I would suggest investing in lenses over another camera, depends where you are at
Do you recommend lens and or camera image stabilization for in water shot? I'm getting a Fuji XT3 (no in camera stabilization) and I want to pair it with a 16-55 t2.8 (no image stabilization) Thoughts please and thanks in advance
thanks for you question! I reckon image stabilisation is handy but having said that I shot WITHOUT camera or lens stabilisation for literally decades and got super sharp images. So it's definitely not a deal breaker. Image stabilisation is more for hand holding when using slower shutter speeds. Most water and surf action you have high shutter speeds to freeze the subject, so the image stabilisation is pretty much irrelevant. So your Fuji setup will be more than good enough to produce epic water photos. I wouldn't worry about the Image stabilisation too much at all.... happy shooting!
Sorry for the late reply on this, I only just saw the comment today. I would suggest looking at the 10-22mm canon lens, or if you have a bit more budget then the 8-15mm fisheye lens. Thats the one I use for under water, split level shots and in the barrel type images. Investing in the lenses is a good choice because they really do last a long time unlike your camera bodies. I still have a 20mm canon lens that is working great that I purchased back in 2001. You may have already got the lens by now. Let me know which one you decided on if so, Cheers Tom
@@byronetmedia Oh you mean setting the aperture at 1.4?? is that right? if so I would be using a much wider aperture for this type of shot, something like F5.6 to F8 this will give you a greater depth of focus
Hey Tom, thanks for all the great content! I just set up my Canon R5 with a 50mm 1.8! it’s not my go to lens but I figured it’s a good place to start learning from.
Hey Bobby, thanks for your message and encouragement... appreciate... mate the R5 with a 50mm is great place to start, The 50mm is one of my favourites for shooting surf action and portraits.... the next lens to aim for is a super wide to go beneath the surface or for split levels... enjoy the journey! water photography just keeps providing the gold!
Great comments that can be applied all over . Getting an image is one thing but being part of the experience , feeling the emotion and still getting image . Top drawer ...
For Sure Paul - always about the experience or the journey. thanks for your comment
Great video, love this (increasingly rare)attitude, that the experience not the product is the motivation and enjoyment. Spot on mate!
Oh thanks so much for your comment mate. Really appreciate the feedback. Yeah for me I try to make it all about the experience
@@dreamlifephotography Totally, just happy and privileged to be at the beach and in the water as often as possible, getting something to keep at the end of it makes it even better. Enjoying your webinar now, thanks, good content.
Hello friend, I can not agree more, any objective can give a good photo with its differences but the one that really makes us get fully into the action is the wide angle. It makes us adrenaline and I enjoy as much or more than surfing. a hug and thanks for your videos
Oh thanks so much !! really appreciate your message and your virtual hug!!
hi tom. The information you pass on here is so helpful and effective - so thank you very much
Great video and stills - it's always fun to see your videos .
I shoot with a tokina 10-17 fisheye lens - the results are good and there is still something to learn with proper technique.
Thanks Arik appreciate your encouragement very much! the fisheye lenses are so great, especially underwater. Best thing about water photography is that no one us will ever stop learning! thanks again for tuning in
Epic video mate. thank you
Yew! so stoked you like it Kris, appreciate the feedback!
Great stuff Tom! That Canon 15-30 looks so sharp and crisp, I've noticed my Nikon 17-35 doesn't look anywhere near as good so I just stick to the 15mm fisheye 😊👍
The straight 15mm lens is super nice, most of these wide shots were taken with the 8-15mm fisheye. Hopefully will have a housing soon to try out my new 15-30mm lens
Great video mate!!! One question, I am a photographer and passionate by the sea, do you prefer full-frame cameras or a crop sensor to surf photography? Barrels, underwater. Cheers
Thanks for your message mate, appreciate it! great to hear you are into ocean and surf photography. I think both full frame cameras and crop sensors have their place. When shooting underwater and inside barrels I prefer full frame as this will give you a wider lens angle which is what you mostly want for this. Full frame cameras generally have a better dynamic range (with less noise and grain) The crop sensor cameras are great for extending long lenses when shooting from the beach. Many crop sensors have faster motor drives too which can be an advantage. To wrap up both formats will produce professional results. Learning how to use the camera is far - far more important than the type of camera you use.
50mm on a full frame and a 30mm on an aps-c
If you were to decide between one lens between the 12-24, 16-35, or 14mm prime for shooting a combination of shooting waves (inside and outside of barrel), underwater fish/turtles, boogie boarders riding waves, which would you choose? Obviously there would be above and below water and trying to decide on one of these wide angle lenses. I have the other end covered with a 24-70 and 70-200. Thanks for the video, I have been watching all of yours!
Hey Brian, thanks for your kind words and support mate. Yeah wider the better for "inside / out" of barrels. All of your suggestions would work, but if you are using that lens mainly for water work personally I would go for the 12-24 or the 14mm prime. The 12-24 will give you a bit more variation over the prime. But 14mm is a great focal length. Every water photographer needs a wide I reckon. What camera system are you running?
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly Tom and for the thoughts. I don’t yet have a wide angle lens and have really been wrestling with which lens to get before I purchase Aqua Tech gear. I am going to go with the Edge, but of course I need to know which lens i am going to use before purchasing the ports. I am a Sony shooter and I shoot an A9ii. Love it for sports photography (I do a lot of baseball and basketball).
@@bquinn722 nice! the Sony setups are so good. All 3 of your option will serve you well in the surf. The 12-24 looks great, Im a Canon shooter so I can't personally vouch for the difference in quality between your options. The zooms are more versitile when shooting on land, so maybe they would be better for your overall kit. The Edge housing are amazing. If you use the code AF-TOMWOODS-AUS you can get a 10% discount which will save you a few hundred dollars or more. Exciting times!! water photography will definitely add a new dimension to your photography journey
Everyone is telling me to go with liquid eye water housing but what would you recommend is the best housing to make sure you don’t flood your camera with water?
Well I've used Aquatech housings almost daily for more than 20 years and they have never leaked... cameras always been well protected. Im sure Liquid Housings are great too, but i have not used them myself. Whatever you choose the main thing is your techniques or practices when using the housing, nearly 100% of leaks with good quality housings are user error, so a good education and understanding is the key to never drowning your camera.
Hi Tom,
Would the 16-35 mm versatility make it better as a first Lens?
16 mm for very tight situations / 35mm if you can't quite get so close.
Is the trade-off in optical quality and weight worth it?
Yes for sure, I think the 16-35mm is a great lens to have. These days there is no real trade off in quality.... the Canon and Sony 16-35's are optically excellent and you are right... having the ability to zoom a bit helps in some situations. I use the 15-35 RF canon lens now, and in the water I most use it at 15 or 16mm but on land I am always going to 35mm for certain photos, So definitely rate having the ultra wide zoom
I have a Canon 7D and a 50mm 1.8 STM. Is it a good equipment to begin on Surf Photography?
Hey There Rodrigo, thanks for your message! Yes the 7D is a great action camera (I am assuming you have a water housing as well?). The 50mm lens on the 7D translates to around 85mm so you will need to be a little further back from your athlete than the standard 50mm but this combo will be great to get started. I would suggest looking at a super wide angle lens for your next purchase, something like the 10-20mm lens would be good for the 7D
@@dreamlifephotography thank you 👍🏽
Really good video! greetings from the Canaries.
I am just starting into surf action photography, and i will order my first water housing soon.
What do you think work best with the Canon 80D? For which 50mm lens should i go?
thanks so much for your kind words and message! I have been using Aquatech housings for nearly 20 years and they have been so solid and perfect for what I do. They make a base housing for the 80D which are very affordable for the quality. I would use their standard flat port for the 50mm lens. Link to the housing is: aquatech.net/collections/water-housings-canon/products/base-ii-housing-kit-for-canon
Hello Tom
Now that the Canon R5 Mark II has arrived and is getting very positive reviews, do you know how long it will take aquatech to offer a housing for it?
I don't know exact dates but I would say it will be very soon. I can definitely ask for you now and get back with a response if they know
@@dreamlifephotography thank you very much!!!
@@AWilliamsfilm The team are aiming for early October, so you won't have to wait that long
@@dreamlifephotography I'd be interested to hear your opinion of the r52 in the water if you're planning on that soon.
Well the reviews feel like they're coming daily but there is no information to assist people in its use for our application in our unique environment. Will One battery be enough? Will it require the battery grip (2 batteries )which will then require a larger housing size?
Is the wider dynamic range in the shadows and dark areas of c-log 2 really that handy and our environment?
I'd only trust your review, all the others feel to me to be about the technology but not the experience.
Something to consider mate
@@AWilliamsfilm Personally I will be sticking with the R5 for now, I don't see the benefit of swapping up cameras every 5 minutes. The original R5 does everything I need and more really, so it might be a while before I get the mark 2 but I would guess it will perform as good but if you already have the R5 and are happy I would suggest investing in lenses over another camera, depends where you are at
Do you recommend lens and or camera image stabilization for in water shot? I'm getting a Fuji XT3 (no in camera stabilization) and I want to pair it with a 16-55 t2.8 (no image stabilization)
Thoughts please and thanks in advance
thanks for you question! I reckon image stabilisation is handy but having said that I shot WITHOUT camera or lens stabilisation for literally decades and got super sharp images. So it's definitely not a deal breaker. Image stabilisation is more for hand holding when using slower shutter speeds. Most water and surf action you have high shutter speeds to freeze the subject, so the image stabilisation is pretty much irrelevant. So your Fuji setup will be more than good enough to produce epic water photos. I wouldn't worry about the Image stabilisation too much at all.... happy shooting!
Thanks for the answer and thanks for the amazing service you provide.
@@maximusfivehundred6264 pleasure mate, stoked that it helps some fellow photographers out there!
I have a canon t7i, what lens do you recommend to get started? Tnks
Sorry for the late reply on this, I only just saw the comment today. I would suggest looking at the 10-22mm canon lens, or if you have a bit more budget then the 8-15mm fisheye lens. Thats the one I use for under water, split level shots and in the barrel type images. Investing in the lenses is a good choice because they really do last a long time unlike your camera bodies. I still have a 20mm canon lens that is working great that I purchased back in 2001. You may have already got the lens by now. Let me know which one you decided on if so, Cheers Tom
is 50mm 1.4 a good lens than 50mm 1.8
The 1.4 version is considered a better lens for quality then the 1.8 but the 1.8 does perform extremely well for its price point
@@dreamlifephotography thanks tom but im talking about in terms of like upgrading from the 1.4 will i get better results in sharpness?
@@byronetmedia Oh you mean setting the aperture at 1.4?? is that right? if so I would be using a much wider aperture for this type of shot, something like F5.6 to F8 this will give you a greater depth of focus