Any experience using standard camera ($100-$200) without external flash?

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Coldwater_Canuck

Contributor
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Location
Seattle or Ontario
# of dives
25 - 49
Hey, so before I started diving I purchased the Canon A590IS. It's nothing special, cost like $150 new or something, but gives awesome pictures and has more features than I'll ever end up using.

I've seen those Ikelite camera cases (which will probably cost me twice as much as the camera itself :shakehead:). They sell an optional external flash (which is another $400) which I can't afford at this time.

For people who have used any similar camera (just a everyday camera in the $100-$200 range), can you actually get decent pictures without buying the external flash? Also, please let me know if you're in coldwater (where "colourful" means green and brown and visibility stinks) or somewhere with better visibility. If you have any example pictures, I'd love to see them.

I really want to take some pictures when I'm diving, and I love the camera I have now, but $300 is steep for a plastic case, and the flash is out of my price range right now. So before I buy it I'd like to know what to expect.

Thanks for any help,
Graeme
 
Can you? Yes...this is from an A570IS w/Ikelite housing. However, this was in crystal clear water during the daytime so I lucked out with lighting. For many situations, the strobe will be very helpful.

littledeviljb.jpg
 
canon A series cameras have been a long time favorite here. i'm currently using a canon A570is with an ikelite housing & inon strobe. here are photos from my last dive Diving Anilao in October - DOR by request - a set on Flickr

that said, i used to have a canon A95 which i dove with for four years. 3 years of which i shot with no external strobe. here is one of my sets MV Anilao Photo Workshop - August 2006 - a set on Flickr

so basically you can expect to have tons of very good photos :D
 
Those pictures look great, so I have no doubt my camera will be able to handle it. I'm still not sure if purchasing it without the strobe would be worthwhile though. Jonix, your pics without the strobe look awesome, but for me this is bright: http://www.advanceddivermagazine.com/PhotoG/jraw/jr0005.jpg
in other words, I won't have the same natural light you do there.

This camera has a flash, and I'll have an underwater light I can shine, but I'm still not sure if it will be enough. Eventually I'd love to buy the strobe, but for now the $300 case is about all i could get.
 
we dive warm water so i offer no excuses :D

with the internal flash (max 6ft more or less at full power) and canon housing only you're best bet is to shoot macro. wide angle will be a problem really except when shooting at shallow depths where you'll have enough light to play with.
 
I have two 570IS with both the Canon DC12 housing and the Ikelite housing and yes, you can take pics without the strobe, the strobe however adds a lot especially with the wet lenses I use. Good luck, to bad Canon was stupid and changed the 590IS button positon enough it would not fit the 570IS houisngs.

N
 
I have had alot of luck with a Canon digital p&s in a Canon housing. You should be able to get plenty of really good pictures without a flash with a little practice and by utilizing the manual white balance.

The only problem is once you get into underwater photography, things can get really expensive really fast.
 
Cool to hear so many people using similar models while diving.

I guess I'll probably buy the casing an maybe in a year or something get the strobe. I've seen the model sold on various sites, all have it for exactly $285. Any recommendations on the best place to buy (or if there's any cheaper way?)


The only problem is once you get into underwater photography, things can get really expensive really fast.
Haha well I just want to be able to have some pictures to remember myself and show people after my dives. I'm hoping to avoid making photography a core part of my diving (because I can definitely see it costing a bundle and no matter how good your equipment is, coldwater pictures just don't look that great).
 
You can most certainly get by without an external strobe. Both of these were taken with my Canon A95 in a Canon WD-50 housing without an external strobe. It's a fun setup to dive with taking good macro but significantly less cumbersome.

Splendid%20Toad%20Fish%20-%20small.jpg


Flamingo%20Tongues%20-%20small.JPG
 
ah stop making me jealous with those colourful pics :)

But seriously everyone, these look awesome. I'll reluctantly buy the thing (it just seems soooo expensive) and at a later date I'll buy the strobe to improve things.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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