It’s an item of equipment that can make or break your photographic abilities underwater by limiting or creating your vision whilst underwater. I have been through many masks over the 16 years I have been diving, most during the 11 years as a Dive Instructor as they broke quicker or simply got lost. I have been shooting UW photos for 7 years now and have tried out a few masks in that time. ALl were used here in the Cayman Islands and so I had good clear tropical waters with lots of Sun. I have to say that one of my favourites I don’t have anymore and can’t buy anywhere locally was a freediving mask with a mirrored lense.
I think we all know that we want to have as little space in the mask as possible, less air = less equalising, less change in focus, and you can get your eye as close as possible to the viewfinder of the camera. So we want a Low Profile Low Volume Mask.
Also .. A black skirt is essential to keep the light out. If the light comes from behind you and in the sides of your mask then you may getglare which makes it hard to see down the viewfinder or even an LCD screen.
Of course go for the normal qualities of Comfort and Fit. Going with a small mask can make the nose area or forehead area painfull for some people, so when you try it on .. see if it feel tight or if any hard areas may squeeze your nose of forehead. I always use a Slapstrap for comfort as my strap will always fit and it works with my longer hair well.
Although I suggested the polarised mirrored lense of the Freediving mask earlier I think that was a personal thing. And I must say in the past few years the two masks that have stood out are my two current masks which I look after .. or cling onto no matter how broken they seem ! These two masks are the Cressi Sub Horizon and the Oceanic Shadow. What are your choices for favourite dive photo mask ?
isn’t the second one your mask? Compare the photo I found here:
I agree on the black cover to make you look best into a viewfinder.
I actually have used the Cressi Big Eyes for ages. Which makes me
look ugly as a model but improves my photos.
actually, if some divers would care about that a bit more, it would be possible
to make it a bit more glamorous just a thought, I think we need more
blink, blink in diving … dive with style
you mean “bling bling” .... and i agree .. I have always said .. esp when i was an instructor
the most important thing in diving is looking cool. Any instructor who says otherwise is a
lier. I say this as the only reason guys become instructors is to get chicks .. so of course
looking good is essential !
And Lars .. yes that could be a bit wider. There used to be, i don’t know if there is anymore
but there used to be a Mini Shadow and a Regular Shadow. The mini shadow was invented
for girls, but actually ended up being a better fit for most people, and was the one i had.
I try to dive with style as much as possible, but sometimes coming up with a mask of mucous seems to diminish it just a bit. For some reason people do not find it appealing.
Perhaps it is time to to make a new speciality course - anyone can take photos or video or dive Nitrox and lessons are not really needed for that, but diving with style is something that needs addressing. Of course there is the inherent ability to look good no matter what, but that escapes me right now
Giles, I think you may be right about the width - I have heard something about that.
The mask I use all the time is about 5-6 years old or so - I will see if I can dig up my newer one to compare them (somehow misplaced it right before this last trip, and kept my fingers crossed that the old one held up, which it did.)
Also since you are an instructor, I have a vote in for you as the teacher of picking up chicks underwater but do not let my wife know I signed up for your course
Mhhh,… I think diving with style was addressed in a very nice photo book that
appeared this year and guess who has a very prominent appearance in it as
international super-model
#### boy ... check out your coordination .. chrome plating everywhere .. chrome rim on the mask .. chrome regulator .... titanium (shiney) Suunto Stinger ..
was that a dive in a pool just for fun ... ?
Ok .. I will do a UW style course .. it’s not pretty though.
You all know the divemasters we think are so cool when we go on vacation .. shave every 3 days .. hair uncut ... red blurry eyes .. clothes are years old ( I still have 12 year old tshirts) faded shorts ... probably no shoes ... but boy we know how to pull off the glamour underwater.
#### boy ... check out your coordination .. chrome plating everywhere .. chrome rim on the mask .. chrome regulator .... titanium (shiney) Suunto Stinger ..
was that a dive in a pool just for fun ... ?
Giles
Hi ...
Nice things ...
Scubapro mask “frogeye”, late seventies ... bought on ebay, 1 Euro ...
Scubapro regulator ... seventies too ...
ok, Stinger isnt the correct age ... but my Omega ploprof is at service ...
Was a pooldive in a german indoor-center called Monte-Mare ...
10 meters deep, but funny to test equipment
just forgot about this one.. thanks for reminding us Andi!
