SP550 Underwater?

[ReefHugger]

I am thinking of the SP-550 and PT037. Can anyone offer a review? How is the picture quality (e.g. the SP350 is said to be a little soft)? A previous thread said that macro was useless because of the hunting. Is this a constant problem? Is the dual stabiliser effective? Does it work at w/angle? Can the PT037 accept accessory wet lens? Any other housings around?

 

[Gilligan]

If you are referring to the SP550UZ, I did a little research on this camera;

1. Ikelite will not be making a housing for this camera. They gave me no reason as to why. Perhaps it is because of the length of the lens port that would be required to accommodate the 18X zoom.

2. There are no wet mount lenses for it that I am aware of.

3. The 18X zoom feature is basically useless underwater and the void that would be left between the housing lens port and the lens when the lens is zoomed out would likely make a wet mount add-on lens impossible to use.

4. IMHO, I don't think the SP550UZ is a good choice for an underwater camera.

 

[jigo]

i've done five dives with the sp-550uz. I have yet to be fully familiar with it but will try to answer your questions.
1. super macro is useless but underwater macro mode is ok as long as you dont extend the zoom too much. i also raised sharpness and tweaked white balance. Gilligan is right. the 18x zoom is useless since camera wont be able to focus at depth.
2. i dont understand what you mean by it working at an angle. sorry.
3. check out diver vision. they have there a close-up lens adaptor for 67mm for the pt-037 housing.
4. i love the wide angle but am still having problems with what seems to be a reflection of the lens on the inside of the port. will post pics in the photo section for critique when i get the time.

you may want to check out pics i took with the sp-550uz/pt-037 at jamesloyola.multiply.com. the 7 latest albums were taken using this camera with just the internal flash. hope this helps

 

[ReefHugger]

Thanks for both of your responses. Between the two, I think I see a problem that would be a disqualifying feature for the SP550 for me. One of the main attractions of this camera was the 28mm wide angle lens. But as Gilligan points out, at the 28mm setting the lens is recessed in the housing port, hence the reflection mentioned by Jigo. Perhaps this is why Ikelite is not supporting it. Jigo, I would suggest that you may have to telephoto some, in order to avoid the reflection. This would then make the 28mm unusable. Thanks again.

 

[Steve Lawson]

I bought the SP-550UZ after a lot of research and found that it's too big for U/W use (as it's housing). I have a Sea & Sea diopter, a 16mm conversion lens that I use and couldn't imagine shooting without. The PT-037 has a huge rectangular lens port that does not allow the use of a diopter lens, so I sold it and bought the SP-350. BTW, the only difference between the two is the lens, dual image stabilization (which I didn't find to be all that effective) and the cost.

Steve

 

[Gilligan]

ReefHugger are you opposed to purchasing a Canon camera?

Unless you require RAW the Canon A640 would make a good underwater camera. It is relatively inexpensive and has full manual controls. You have a choice between the Canon and Ikelite housings. The Ikelite housing is more expensive at $400. but has a 67mm lens port which allows you to add wet-mount lenses.

I will state that the macro mode has no zoom capability. It is fixed at wide angle which requires you to move the camera to and from the subject. Perhaps it is a cost cutting decision on the part of some camera manufacturers but I rely heavily on my Olympus C4000Z's zoom capability in the macro mode. But then again the 10 megapixels of the A640 allows you back away from the subject for better use of the internal strobe and to then crop the photo after the fact without losing a noticeable amount of pixels.

 

[ReefHugger]

Thanks for the input.
Steve - Would love to get your impressions of the picture quality of the SP350. Seen some pics on this site and they don't seem sharp and 'punchy.' Maybe I saw the wrong ones!

Gilligan - In fact I short listed the 640, 650IS, 720IS, G7 & even G9. I am awaiting the reviews to appear on the newer models, as I would really like to get some idea of low light focusing and shutter lag times (e.g. dpreview suggests that the Nikon P5000 is much too slow for us). I, also have some housing concerns especially with the G7/9 and the Ikelites. Is there any conversion for the Ike's bulkhead to accept Sea and Sea YS-110 (I already have it)? I may run other posts on the Canon Corner and the strobe sections.

 

[Gilligan]

Thanks for the input.

Gilligan - In fact I short listed the 640, 650IS, 720IS, G7 & even G9. I am awaiting the reviews to appear on the newer models, as I would really like to get some idea of low light focusing and shutter lag times (e.g. dpreview suggests that the Nikon P5000 is much too slow for us). I, also have some housing concerns especially with the G7/9 and the Ikelites. Is there any conversion for the Ike's bulkhead to accept Sea and Sea YS-110 (I already have it)? I may run other posts on the Canon Corner and the strobe sections.

If you mean Ike's trays, they are designed to take his strobe systems. Have you considered making your own tray? I am a firm believer in a dual handled tray rather than the typical left side handled tray which requires you to hold the tray in your left hand and work the shutter with your right hand. Perfect buoyancy may exist in a perfect world. I designed my tray so that I can hold my setup with only my right hand if needed and also operate the cameras zoom and shutter with my right hand at the same time. This leaves my left hand free for dealing with buoyancy issues should they occur, as they sometimes do.

If you are referring to the Ike housing, it comes with a diffuser and deflector. Your YS-110 may attach to the deflector. I am not familiar with the housing fiber optic connector on the YS-110. No doubt you can rig something that works.

My tray is HERE

 

[Gilligan]

ReefHugger you may want to take a hard look at the Canon G9. It has a 3" monitor which would come in real handy underwtaer. I can't keep up with all the camera releases but the G9 has RAW. Canon obviously yielded to all the criticism over their removing RAW from all their point-n-shoot cameras. The IKE housing is pending.

 

[ReefHugger]

Thanks Gilligan for your help. Please see my posting in 'flash dance' on my concern with G9 and others.