Barebones DSLR or Fully Loaded "consumer" digital system??

[onbelaydave]

You left out a major item; at least a 1Gb CF card ! Otherwise sounds like a steal !!! Skip the 17-35 to start and just use the 60 macro. MUCHHH easier to get awesome shots including your fish portraits. The only thing it won't do is capture your Whale Shark shot, but it will do everything else .

 

[marpacifica]

Well in the end Opportunity made the decision for me. Was able to pick up the following from a fellow diver for less than I would have paid for a 5050/L&M set up.

mjh,

Where did you find such a deal? Classifieds on this forum or another forum???? I envy you considering I just dropped a prince's ransom for my S2 and Aquatica with all the fixins'.

Have a great time with your new rig!

 

[MCL00]

Mjh:

 

[MCL00]

MJH:

I would grab a 105mm lens and when you have the chance, pick up a 20mm. I have an F100 in a S & S housing. I started with the 60...but once I shot with the 105 and the 20, I rarely go back to the 60. If you have to chose just one lense, since youalready have the 17-35, I would suggest the 105. Plus, if anyone in the family needs portraits done, you already have the set up.

 

[mjh]

Onbelaydave: I have a 256 card. I am debating between a 1GB IBM micro drive and one of these new “portable picture storage devices” with 10-40GB drives. I know nothing about them and need to do serious research.

(anyone know how many pics a 1GB IBM micro drive can store? I know it depends on format. Not going beyond 8x10s; what format do you suggest for Nikon D100?)

For All: The 20th we leave for 12 days, 3 dives per day in Cozumel, oh yeah! To start I am looking for a lens that will take fish portrait - wife on deck of wreck, wife along huge sponge, wife… (must be flattering shots so I can keep buying gadgets). What lens would you recommend??

(was leaning to 17-35 simply because kit comes with all the attachments)

2nd I want a decent macro lens. Don’t need to capture the eye of the shrimp just happy to get the whole shrimp (that’s shrimp not prawn).

Marpacifica: Excuse the paranoia but I am getting a really good deal. Once I have goods in hand I will reveal my sources, but I know many people on this board also frequent the others.

 

[mjh]

Bigmike00 kit does not come with any lenses just the domes, gears, etc...

 

[clive francis]

The problem w/ your "dream" rig is that no single lens on a DSLR will give you the versatilty of a good "prosumer" digicam.

i have to disagree, i cant remember if it is on wetpixel or digideep, but they have a review with photo's using the stand 18 to 55mm lense and the quality of the photo's are unreal!

that lense covers the equivalent of 24 to 88mm which what you would roughly get with a WAL and standard lense of the 5050.

the review also said although it was a cut down version, they removed sensible stuff and it was pretty much the same camera.

i have the 5050 and was thinking of going for a rebel, mainly because of the lag, but after seing the D70 i might consider that as the shutter speed is even faster and the lense kit is something like 15 to 70 which covers a larger range.

 

[onbelaydave]

Onbelaydave: I have a 256 card. I am debating between a 1GB IBM micro drive and one of these new “portable picture storage devices” with 10-40GB drives. I know nothing about them and need to do serious research. >>>>>

<<<<<2nd I want a decent macro lens. Don’t need to capture the eye of the shrimp just happy to get the whole shrimp (that’s shrimp not prawn).

Stay away from the micro drives. They are mini hard disks. Would you flip your computers hard disk around or shake it around in camera bag or a bumpy boat (let alone get it wet !) Stick with a good brand of high speed CF they're solid state, no moving parts and I once had one of mine go through the wash several years ago. It's still working and I didn't even lose the shots on it !
Stick with the 60mm for your macro/portrait lens. With the 1.5X lens factor of your DSLR, it will be like shooting a 90mm lens; absolutely perfect for fish portraits and will do a true 1:1 macro. The 105mm, is a great lens in a film cam,my favorite actually for UW work, but is a bit long for a DSLR.

 

[onbelaydave]

i have to disagree, i cant remember if it is on wetpixel or digideep, but they have a review with photo's using the stand 18 to 55mm lense and the quality of the photo's are unreal!

that lense covers the equivalent of 24 to 88mm which what you would roughly get with a WAL and standard lense of the 5050.

the review also said although it was a cut down version, they removed sensible stuff and it was pretty much the same camera.

i have the 5050 and was thinking of going for a rebel, mainly because of the lag, but after seing the D70 i might consider that as the shutter speed is even faster and the lense kit is something like 15 to 70 which covers a larger range.

Will it do 1:1 macro ? If not you need another lens.

 

[clive francis]

Will it do 1:1 macro ? If not you need another lens.

of course it wont do a bloody 1:1 and neither will the 5050!

you would need a serious and expensive lens for a dslr to do that.

where did you see me say it would do macro?

did you read my post?

i said it covered nearly the same range as the 5050 and the WAL.

check digideep and wet pixel and you will see the photo's the guy took.

the macro's are 105mm so it isn't that far away and you can always add a diopter/s which is what i did with my 3040. a +1 gave me the same effect as a macro lens and it was a 1/10th of the price.