Use a flash when snorkeling?

[deladane]

I just bought a new digital camera that came with a hard plastic waterproof case. Does anyone know if it is better to use the flash when taking underwater photos while snorkeling? Or should I turn the flash off? I don't want the flash the glare off the hard plastic, but I'm not sure if there's enough natural light underwater to see the coral and fish. I asked on the photography boards, but they suggested I ask for opinions in the snorkeling boards too :)

[The Flying Pirate]

I just bought a new digital camera that came with a hard plastic waterproof case. Does anyone know if it is better to use the flash when taking underwater photos while snorkeling? Or should I turn the flash off? I don't want the flash the glare off the hard plastic, but I'm not sure if there's enough natural light underwater to see the coral and fish. I asked on the photography boards, but they suggested I ask for opinions in the snorkeling boards too :)

 

It will depend on the clarity and depth of the water. For most shallow water snorkeling you won't need the flash. You might want to check, many of the new digital cameras have an "underwater" mode to use while snorkeling/scuba diving.

[MPM]

I am by no means an underwater photo expert, but I have taken many pictures with a standard "point and shoot" digital camera in an underwater camera case. Have you seen the dedicated flashes on a true dive camera? They are infinitely more powerful than a built in camera flash, and do a great job of bringing out the color that is lost the deeper you go. My best success has been no flash in lots of sunlight. It is amazing how much sunlight will penetrate clear water. The good news is that with a digital camera you can experiment, and see the results instantly.

[10X]

In the water are lots of items, floating suspended at various depths that you can and can not see. Think of sand stirred up in the water. Each of these things, animal, vegetable, mineral, will act as a reflecting point when using an onboard dedicated flash. The light from the dedicated flash goes straight out and the reflections come straight back, and your picture will look like you took it in a snow storm.

 

When diving and doing underwater photography, I used a flash attachment that could be angled such that these reflections were not directed back at the camera. The resultant picture was clear and "snow" free.

 

My recommendation is that you turn off your onboard dedicated flash for snorkeling and take your pictures with whatever available sunlight that you have.

[deladane]

Thanks for the suggestions! No flash it is! :)