Advice needed GoPro Hero 3 Black vs Canon t2i

[theu1991]

i was offered a trade involving my gopro hero 3 black and a friend's canon t2i

i won't be able to get in the water until at least the summer time, and i've been wanting a dslr

would it make sense for me to make this trade, then purchase a meikon underwater case for the canon on ebay? i wouldn't have the money to spend on a casing in the ikelite price range

... or do you think it's just better to wait until black friday and try to find a camera comparable to the t2i for cheap?

thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions

 

[kelemvor]

If it was me, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Assuming you've got the cash to get the underwater housing for the Canon, that is. The t2i isn't the best DSLR in the world but it is a real DSLR. It's going to run you a few hundred bucks for that housing, but if you learn how to use the camera you should be able to get some very good results from it in both still and video modes.

The only negatives I can think of are:
1. DSLR is more fragile than gopro
2. It has a greater learning curve due to how flexible a DSLR is vs a gopro.
3. Photography can be addictive and expensive

 

[theu1991]

thanks for the quick response.

the casing is only around $450 on eBay. not too bad in comparison to what most housings go for.

quality wise, is it safe to assume that the t2i will produce better pictures and videos than the gopro?

 

[James R]

The housing is only part of the equation. You will still need light (eg strobe(s)) to get good or great images. Those will need sync cables, arms, clamps, etc.

 

[theu1991]

The housing is only part of the equation. You will still need light (eg strobe(s)) to get good or great images. Those will need sync cables, arms, clamps, etc.

right now i wouldn't be able to get strobes. i would probably be able to buy some later on, although i'm usually freedive so the setup would probably be best if i didn't have a ton of equipment to handle underwater

 

[James R]

Hmm for free diving, I think a GoPro may actually be better.