Advice on underwater camera?

[arno]

Hi ScubaBoard,

I own a Canon Digital Rebel and see there are UW housings for it for around $1000. I assume I would have to add strobes to it? Or would the built-in flash be usable?

Anyway, I think I'm looking for a cheaper and smaller solution (easier to travel with). I'm thinking of the Casio Exilim EX-Z40 with its EWC-40 UW housing. The cost would look to be around $600.

Questions:

1. Is the tradeoff between size and quality between my Rebel and the Exilim worth it? Opinions?

2. How does the flash of the Exilim perform? Any experience? There's a flash diffuser sold with the enclosure. Does it help?

3. Other recommended equipment for <$1000 for a beginner UW photographer? Other questions I should ask myself to narrow down the choices?

Cheers,
Arno.

 

[Gilligan]

1. You already have a DSLR camera, correct?
2. None of the point and shoot prosumer cameras can match its picture quality.
3. Ikelite shows a suggested retail price of $1200. for the housing.
4. The internal flash cannot be used with it.
5. If it were me I would put the $600. towards the DSLR housing and not buy the point and shoot camera/housing.
6. The internal flash on the point and shoot camera is only good to about 2 feet on macro shots. Over time it won't satisfy you and you will be faced with getting an external strobe for it. That's when you will likely wish it was for the Rebel.

 

[ChrisM]

Agree wth Gilligan. Ikelite ($1200 list) Aquatica ($1569 list) and Sea & Sea ($1995) have D300 housings. On top of these prices, add ports and sync cords. Cannot use internal flash, will need strobe(s). Picture quality? Will be better with the DSLR. As far as good pics? as an admitted beginner, it's what's behind the lens rather than the camera that determines a good pic. I've seen crummy pics from the 6 MP D300, and great pics from a 3 MP Oly 3040.

Housed DSLRs are definitely not compact. Travelling with them is not easy

You won't be able to house and strobe the D300 for less than $2000. If you cannot spend that now you might consider a point and shoot. I'd look for a used Oly 5050 and 015, although they are getting hard to find.

YMMV, my .02 etc

Chris