do you need a flash when taking underwater pictures?

Question

I am going on my honeymoon soon and we are going snorkeling and want to take pics underwater. but all i can find is disposables (that is what i want) that have no flash do i need one? and where can i find a underwater disposable camera that will give me good prints? please any advice will be great

i will be in St Thomas if that helps. i believe we will be near honeymoon beach

Answer 1

If you are snorkeling, you probably do not need a flash camera. Typically up to about 20 ft. down the sun will provide you with the light you need to capture the colors. If you go deeper, the colors of the coral and your snorkeling buddy will appear black and white.

If you are going so deep, which would be irregular for snorkeling, then you may consider renting a camera from a dive shop with a flash. I would say if you are going to do this, rent a motion picture camera with lights. You will be given a tape of your journey and can watch it on your TV and copy it onto a disk or VHS tape. The cost is more, but you will be very happy with the results and you will have the event in motion.

I did this at Stingray City in Grand Cayman and the memories with motion are priceless. I think the camera cost about $50 but to have that captured forever is something you will cherish forever. It just depends on where you are going, what you are photographing and how important the images are to you.

Answer 2

Sun light will penetrate the upper 10 feet or so of the water if it is clear and will provide all the light you need. A flash is required to return the colors of sun light that are filtered out at deeper depths. In clear water like where you are going that would be close to 100 feet. In murky water like that off the coast of California it could be as shallow as 30 feet.

The flash on a camera (i.e. disposable) is not really necessary for snorkeling and taking pictures.

If you are really serious about your pictures you can get a water tight housing from Ikelite called the Aquashot that you put a disposable camera inside and a strobe can be mounted on an extension arm off the housing.

http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/aquashot.html

Answer 3

You won't need a flash if you are in a bright zone of water, but I think b/c fish are sensitive to light and other foreign objects, they don't make disposables with flash.

Answer 4

if its in a dark spot

Answer 5

if it's dark!!