Fishing Digital Photography

[Driftless]

Digital Fishing Photography

This photo was taken on my Canon G10 on scenery mode.

Photos by: Len Harris

Written by: Len Harris

Modern technology has really changed fishing photographs. The old style

film type cameras have been replaced by the new Digital Generation of cameras.

There are many digital cameras to choose from. Hopefully after you read this story

you will be a more informed consumer.

The best digital cameras are the SRL models. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex

Best doesn't always mean the best for taking fishing photos. Most SRLs are large

and cumbersome and are NOT handy for stream side. Most decent SLRs are every

expensive and are VERY sensitive to any amount of water on them. You have the ability

to change lens with a SLR. But just picture this scenario: You have just caught a huge

trout and it is gasping for air because you have it out of the water. You have just been

taking scenery photos and the lens you have on is not the correct lens. You put the

trout back in the net and reach to your camera bag to change lens. Your hands are

slimy due to handling the trout. You grab your new lens and drop it a couple times because

you are in a hurry. The trout is trashing in the net and you are hurrying to take off the other

lens and put it on and get that lens cover off the new lens. You have caught my drift by now.

I am not going to bring up the nightmare of dropping your 2,000 dollar SLR in the water. Most

insurance companies don't cover water damage. So now that we have dismissed the DSLR as

a viable option we will move on.

The point and shoot digital is the way to go. In the world of more is better there are many ranges

of megapixel cameras. Any thing over a 5 megapixel camera for the causal photographer is

unnecessary. If you have aspirations of writing and having your photos published some day, a

10 to 14 megapixel camera may be in order.

Back to the more is better mentality. Don't go buying a camera with all the bells and whistles.

Owning a camera is NOT a competition. The more simple the camera is the better when you have a

fish flopping and gasping for air. Those bells and whistle just make that camera an expensive status

symbol that you don't know how to use.

The old camera crowd always wants a view finder. Some of the new digitals don't even have view finders.

Answer my simple question please? If you have a 2.5 inch LCD viewer on your camera and you have a tiny

view finder there also...which option is easier to see your work in and which is more efficient on the stream?

New underwater cameras need some fine tuning. I am doing research currently on under water cameras.

There are lots of variations out there. The newer ones do NOT have retractable lens covers and the lens are tiny.

The camera lens are exposed to the elements and it is not very big to begin with. Any scratch or imperfection in the

lens and your expensive underwater camera is TOAST.

There are a few musts when you are looking for a good all around digital camera.

It must have a retractable lens cover. Don't get one that has a lens cover you have to clip on and off.

Clipping on and off when in a hurry or having wet hands is not good. Get a waterproof case for your camera.

A wrist band is also good to keep from dropping the camera. A good close-up setting (macro) is a must.

Skinny and sleek may look good but is really a pain to handle with wet slimy hands. Get a camera that fits in to a vest or coat pocket easily. Extended life batteries and a spare battery are a good choice when fishing in cold conditions. Keep that extra battery in an inside pocket so the cold doesn't drain the battery. Get a memory card with lots of space. Unload your memory card after each use and put a date on the file for later look up.

There are many good brands of digital point and shoot cameras. I have owned four Sonys. One of them was a

Sony DSLR. I sold it 2 months after purchase. It was too cumbersome and had too many bells and whistle. It was general pain to run.

I do not own a under water camera but that will change soon. Most of my photos now a days are taken on my

Canon G10. It is the top of the line point and shoot camera. It is 14.3 megapixel. Have fun with your digital camera

and shoot MORE photos than you think are necessary. You can erase photos if you don't like them and it didn't cost you a dime.

Shot on auto mode with G10.

[Sherpa]

Good info. I really enjoy all of the pics you post on here. Please keep it up.

[borg0196]

I have used both the Canon D10 and Pentax Optio W60 (underwater cameras), for started underwater cameras both would be a great option. You do have to watch to make sure that the lens does not get scratched, but other than that its point and shoot. The cameras do great work on their own.