I’ve been practicing my underwater photography, with a EWA-Marine bag, the largest one they make, which allows me to insert any sized SLR, with room for a flash on top. Instead of mounting a flash I mount a PocketWizard radio transmitter, with a motor drive cable, and keep a second transmitter in my vest pocket (in a ziplock bag). This allows me several options, including submerging and leaving my camera underwater, either near my feet, to allow for leading fish back and forth in front of the lens, while firing away, or, leaving a camera mid-stream while I stand on a bridge or shore waiting for fish to swim past.
On stream, I typically shoot a D300 above water, in aperture priority mode, while my D200 goes underwater, with every setting on fully automatic, including ISO. Initially I hoped my 17-55 f/2.8 lens would be my underwater workhorse, for various reasons, but it really didn’t work out as well as desired. The slightest pressure on the front of the lens, including swift current, pushed the lens in, and my preset for 20mm would go tight, to 55mm, leaving me with bits and pieces of fish. So, I bought a dedicated lens for this type of photography, a Sigma 10-20 f/4. When the front of the lens is pushed in, it does the opposite of a Nikon, it goes wider as opposed to tighter. I like to leave it set at 15mm to diminish wide-angle lens distortion.
I think the biggest advantage of EW-Marine bags is the relatively low cost when compared to dedicated customized housings, including the ability to insert a variety of cameras and lenses without having to purchase individual ports and domes, as well as being able to insert a radio transmitter. The biggest negative is having a 77mm flat glass port, which really is not conducive to over-under shots. Perhaps someday, I will dunk my head and peer through the viewfinder to achieve nice over-under shots, because my spraying and praying has not worked out all that well. That said, I often like to fish alone, and I have found it much easier to capture pleasing fish photos underwater, than above water, by myself using the transmitter.
the photos below were shot from bridges, while my camera was left mid-stream
One more tidbit, the PocketWizard motor drive cables have a switch on them, which allows for keeping a cameras internal workings constantly energized, including continuous focus, metering, etc. Last fall I spent a couple of enjoyable hours watching small Kokanee swim past my camera in a clear Sierra stream. It was during the second hour that waves of migratory fish swam past, while I stood on the bridge happily clicking a transmitter, thinking I’d hit the jackpot. Well, I have to admit, I was bummed, upon realizing the battery in my D200 had lost power and it didn’t fire during the most opportune times. I won’t do that again! Now I’m looking forward to returning to this beautiful steam in late September when the Kokanee run, and plan to secure 16” of tippet to the top of the bag, with a red marabou streamer attached. I know from previous experience that these fish will savagely attack red streamers and I would love to capture this underwater.
