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Shooting Split Shots…with a Small Dome Port
We’ve had a few articles on our blog in the past discussing split shots. Also known as “over-under shots”, split shots include both the underwater and above-water environments. They can be a fantastic way to add to landscapes, megafauna, and more. For this, they’re definitely one of my favorite types of underwater images. But, do these shots require out-of-reach gear?
One piece of advice in capturing split shots is often, “use a giant dome port.” But most people shooting underwater pictures don’t have giant dome ports. They’re hard to travel with, expensive, and usually reserved for at least APS-C sized cameras.
So, can you shoot split shots with a small dome, on a smaller camera?
Yes! And in this article I’ll describe my experiences shooting splits with a relatively small dome on a micro 4/3 camera.
Background: my gear
I’m a marine biologist by training, and most of my work has focused on the coral reef habitats of the Red Sea. For a look into what that looks like, check out this blog from earlier this year.
During my master’s degree, I surveyed habitats up and down the eastern coast of the entire Red Sea, which required a lot of travel in small boats. It also included a lot of travel in general – and space was at a premium.
I run two underwater imaging systems, one large, and one small. The larger one is a Canon setup – during my MSc it was a Canon 5DIV, and now it’s a Canon R5. (You can also catch my thoughts on the R5, here.)
On my research trips, the small setup – an Olympus EM1 II in a Nauticam housing – was the better choice. While this setup is much more portable than the 5D or an R5, there are tradeoffs. One of them is the size of the dome port. For wide angle, I use an Olympus 8mm fisheye, with a dome port that’s around 110 mm. The Canon’s dome port? Around 250 mm.
So, can you shoot split shots with a small dome?
In short: absolutely.
There are a few advantages to a large dome, and in my experience, there’s a bit more room for error.
But, the smaller dome actually has its own advantages for split shots. Here are some thoughts about small domes and split shots.
Advantages of small dome ports for split shots
1. The greatest advantage of a small dome is the size and weight when swimming at the surface
There are many scenarios you might want to take a split shot. Maybe you’re hanging off the side of a boat or other platform. Maybe you’re standing in shallow water, like in a sandy nearshore lagoon. Or, maybe you’re swimming or floating in a BCD at the surface.
In some of these scenarios, physically holding up a large, heavy rig is difficult, and in some cases, even impossible. This is where the small dome absolutely wins. One use case, for example, is filming diver entries – capturing a split shot as the diver hits the water.
With certain types of BCDs, floating on the surface with an inflated BCD and positioning a large camera for a split shot is a real challenge. But with a small, light rig, it is WAY easier.
2. Ability to get closer to your subject
Another benefit to a small dome is being able to get the lens physically closer to your subject. For example, the closest focusing distance of the Olympus 8mm 1.8 fisheye is ridiculously small. It can focus on things within a few inches of the lens.
This means that with a small dome port, things that are touching your dome port can be in focus. The Canon 8-15 F4 fisheye can also focus quite close, but the distance inside the port is a bit larger, and the overall size of the dome can prevent you from fitting the camera in many of the same angles.
Also for this reason, if I’m shooting Close Focus Wide Angle in very confined spaces, I opt for a smaller dome port. Capturing close focus wide angle images in nooks and crannies in the reef, under ledges or overhangs, and in other constricted spaces can be impossible with a 250mm dome port, but doable with a 110mm dome port.
3. Depth of field
This isn’t really due to the size of the dome, but rather the size of the sensor of the camera that we use with smaller domes – but with split shots, a shallow depth of field (small F number) is not usually what we want. We want the under- and above- portions of the image to, ideally, be in focus for as much of the image as possible. With a micro 4/3 camera or a compact, there is greater depth of field than with larger sensor cameras – in this case, an advantage.
4. Water spots
This is a somewhat untested hypothesis, but I have found that I have fewer water droplets and weird water patterns on my small domes than on my large ones. This could be because there is a lot more surface for water to form droplets on a large dome, or because if you’re using soap or something to coat your dome, there’s a greater chance of missing a spot with a larger one.
Disadvantages of the smaller dome
Wave action and clean lines
If the surface of the water you’re working in is chopping, it can be a real challenge to get clean water lines with smaller domes. The larger surface area of the large domes handles greater surface disturbance than that of the smaller dome.
The shape and “cleanliness” of the water line in a split shot is critical. With larger domes, it’s easier to nail that clean narrow separation between water and sky. That being said, the whole point of this article is to illustrate that this is totally possible with little domes, so read on for some tips to achieve that clean line.
Can you tell the difference?
Some of these images were shot with a 250mm dome, some with a 110mm dome.
The following images were shot with either the left or the right setup. Which is which? Answer key at the end!
So, hopefully I’ve convinced you that split shots are possible with smaller domes on smaller cameras. Next, here are some tips to nailing them with a small setup.
1. Shoot a LOT
There’s a lot of folks who grumble about the “spray and pray” method of photography. I.e., taking a thousand pictures and hoping by chance one will turn out. But, truthfully, there are some situations where taking a lot of images in sequence to land the one perfect shot just makes sense. In my experience, split shots, especially in choppy surface conditions, is one of those cases.
The fact is that waves are unpredictable, and it’s difficult to predict how your waterline will look as you fire the shutter and surface water impacts your dome port. So my approach is to work out my scene, figure out my lighting requirements, camera settings, etc., and then fire off bursts of 10-20 shots in rapid succession as the waves rise and fall.
The result is a much higher chance that the unpredictable wave action will yield a few good wave lines in your series, with the rest of the scene remaining the same.
And, this approach also lets you evaluate what you want out of your wave line – straight? Curved? Choppy? Different lines communicate different feelings to the image – chaotic, calm, powerful, etc.
2. Cushion the wave
There’s a bit of an art to taking split shots with small domes, but once you’ve had a bit of practice you’ll get the hang of it.
I like to try to “cushion the wave”. What I mean by this is, while shooting, to move with the surface action in a way to avoid the wave “slapping” your dome port and to keep the water line in the middle of your frame. This can all be quite daunting at first; keeping your image composed properly, maintaining the right buoyancy, and rising and falling with the wave – while you fire the shutter.
But, give it a try. If you’re shooting split shots at the surface with any wave motion, try to rise and fall with the waves, keeping your dome port in the correct position. Imagine you’re trying to “catch” the water on your dome port as gently as possible, if that makes any sense.
3. Practice in shallow water where you can stand
Many techniques take practice, and split shots are no exception. Try to practice making split shot images in easy conditions – like in a sandy lagoon in shallow water or in a pool.
This can help you get a feel for how water lines change based on your positioning, before you’re in more difficult conditions. Change your settings, keep the camera in Manual, and see how the images change from shot to shot. This kind of practice will make a huge difference in your results, even after just a few sessions.
4. Experiment with and without strobes
There are some times when strobes can be incredibly useful for split shots, and some where they can hurt you. So, experiment with both types of shots at different times of the day.
One of my favorite scenes is a sunset split shot – and for this, strobes are usually pretty important. The underwater portion of the image will be significantly darker than the above water portion, and the strobes bring back the underwater scene. The image below, for example, would not be possible without strobes. Either the reef would be completely dark if I exposed for the sky, or the sky would be completely blown out if I exposed for the reef.
In other settings, strobes would be unnecessary or even hurtful. In clear, shallow water near the surface, in bright ambient lighting, you probably don’t need strobes. And, if you’re swimming with marine life like whale sharks or dolphins, strobes will only slow you down. In the case of some sensitive species, strobes are not allowed at all.
So, try ditching the strobes if you’re in bright surface conditions with good viz.
In this case, I usually switch to Aperture Priority mode, instead of Manual mode. I set my aperture and ISO based on the scene, and let the camera calculate the correct shutter speed for the exposure. Just make sure that your ambient conditions are bright enough to support a fast enough shutter speed – many shots have been ruined by slow shutter speeds in Aperture Priority mode underwater.
If you’re worried about this, you can also shoot in Shutter Priority mode – but I like to keep creative control over my depth of field and just carefully monitor myself shutter speeds.
5. Don’t overdo it
Sometimes, especially early on in our journey with split shots, we try to turn everything into a split shot.
It’s a cool technique, and non photographers in particular are usually impressed by it. But sometimes a split shot just isn’t necessary. Ask yourself, “why do I want both land and water elements in this image? Does it add to the image?”
Sometimes adding an uninteresting sky element just for the sake of creating a split shot takes the emphasis away from your subject, detracting from the whole.
In these cases, think carefully about what you want to show, first in terms of your subject matter, and then in terms of the rest of the scene. If you have time, you can always shoot both versions, and pick which you like more, later.
OK. Now you’ve really convinced me. What are my options for smaller domes?
These days, there are dome port options for pretty much every type of camera available – from GoPros to Full Frame cameras.
If you have a compact camera and an underwater housing, there is probably a dome port solution for you.
Usually this is in the form of a wet lens. (Ran has a couple great articles on wet lenses, check them out here, and also here. )
Wet lenses usually screw onto the front port of your housing, via one of several different mounting types. Ran’s article goes into nice detail on those options, in the first link above.
There is, however, a bit of confusion on wet lenses vs dome ports. Wet lenses have optical elements, and also “domes” in the case of wide angle wet lenses, while dome ports are just glass or acrylic domes that your camera’s wide angle lens sits inside.
Check out some of these wet lenses for smaller cameras:
KRL-01 67mm Wide Angle Lens w/ Dome for 24mm
This is a great wide angle lens and dome solution for compacts up to micro 4/3 sized cameras. It will mount on any 67mm thread (again, if you’re confused about mounting wet lenses, check out Ran’s articles linked above!) and provide a 145 degree fisheye image. A great solution for 24mm lens compacts like the TG6.
Inon UWL-H100 with Dome Unit
Inon has been making wet lenses for quite some time, and this is another popular wet lens / dome solution. This is also a good illustration of the difference between a wet lens in general and a dome port – this package includes the wet lens, which converts the image to wide angle, and the dome, which wet lens sets inside.
The UWL-H100 when paired with the dome gives you a 130 degree field of view, and is also compatible with any 67mm thread mount. A great choice for compact and micro 4/3 cameras as well.
Even GoPros can work with wet lens and dome combinations.
Inon – Inon UFL-G140 SD Semi-fisheye Lens with SD Front Mask for Hero 8
This combination from Inon is one of many solutions that allow you to mount a wide angle, semi-fisheye wet lens onto a GoPro. You could be off and running with your split shots!
These are just a few options. Check out all of our wet lenses, here.
Thanks for reading! If you’ve made it this far, check out the camera and domes used in the “test images” above, and see if you could tell which camera was used for each image!
Answer Key
Image 1: Canon R5, Nauticam Housing, 250mm dome, 16-35 2.8, no strobes.
Image 2: Canon R5, Nauticam Housing, 250mm dome, 16-35 2.8, no strobes.
Image 3: Olympus EM1 II, Nauticam housing, 110mm dome, 8mm 1.8 fisheye, 2x strobes.
Image 4: Olympus EM1 II, Nauticam housing, 110mm dome, 8mm 1.8 fisheye, 2x strobes
Image 5: Olympus EM1 II, Nauticam housing, 110mm dome, 8mm 1.8 fisheye, no strobes
Image 6: Olympus EM1 II, Nauticam housing, 110mm dome, 8mm 1.8 fisheye, 2x strobes
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