Beginner Camera Question

[iamsharkbait]

Wow. Thanks everyone for their timely response. Great advise so far. Can anyone tell me why they prefer Olympus over an equal Canon at the prices mentioned. I ask because all my digital experience is with either a Nikon or Canon camera. Thanks again. Headed to Chinchoro Banks in ten weeks. Hope to get all the kinks ironed out by then.

 

[alcina]

I don't think there is an overwhelming Oly bias. I'm not over the moon about any of Oly's offerings since the 5050 and that camera has some personality traits that are a bit finicky, too!

There is a current thread on the Oly 350 with lots of good info in it.

I personally love the Canons - I still use my A75 and teach with it, too. Even first timers seem to be able to get nice shots with only a little practice.

 

[iamsharkbait]

Thanks Alcina,
One quick question. Why is RAW so important. Like I said, I am a beginner.

 

[iamsharkbait]

Never mind, found it. Better controls within Photoshop. Anything else?

 

[Warren_L]

Thanks Alcina,
One quick question. Why is RAW so important. Like I said, I am a beginner.

Better control overall of the development of the image. One big advantage for me is not having to set white balance, as I can do that in photoshop.

 

[alcina]

RAW is a lossless format. It allows you, the photographer, to make the choices on things like white balance, exposure correction, sharpening, contrast, shadows etc instead of letting the camera decide.

In the simplest of terms - jpeg throws away information when you take the shot that you can never get back. RAW keeps everything, even stuff you don't know about, and that allows you to choose how it is processed. The better the original, the better the output.

Do I think it's a must have...yes and no. I think that cameras with jpeg only are perfectly acceptable and can produce some great images; but having RAW is really really nice

 

[TheNitroxinator]

Nitroxinator, A620 is a whole different sort of camera to the A520, check out dpreview and do a side by side comparison and see for yourself.

Jamdiver, take the below for what its worth. I've read it, the tone seems critical but I really didn't intend it to be, I'm just too lazy to edit it at this point. I think you made a good point on the A620 that I wanted to respond to.


I looked at the A620 before going with an A520. For what I intended, the lower cost of the A520 outweighed the better quality of the A620. I have no doubt that the A620 would be superior to the A520. To me, though, the real issue is, as an underwater photographer, what do you intend and what are you willing to spend? I know a lot of divers that just aren't interested in anything more than see it - point -autofocus-shoot. Post process? Nah, too difficult. External stobe? Too bulky. Plan a shot? Takes away from the diving experience. And the list goes on - and they will always wonder what's the point in spending more than the minimum. There's already a thread on "Questions to ask an instructor before taking their photography course", and it will eventually become a sticky. Anyone want to split off an additional thread, "Questions you should be asking yourself when you decide to purchase a camera, and what you should be asking yourself before you take up underwater photography"? There are probably a lot of potential beginning photographers lurking this thread that would benefit.


Just as a point of reference, I started diving based on the idea that I was going to use it as an outlet to create artwork (mission accomplished). I had a camera and an underwater case before I'd even finished my openwater certification, even knowing that I couldn't use them on my openwater dives. I suspect this put me in a rather extreme minority of beginning divers.


I didn't mention it, but I would go with the S80 and the Ikelite housiong, even never having used the S80 underwater or topside, simply based on the specs. That does not mean that I know that its a good beginner camera. I acknowledge that I am by no stretch a beginner photography, I have a bias towards higher end equipment (case in point, I ordered the Sony HC1 over the weekend, can't wait to get THAT underwater). I rate as one of those photographers and soon to be videographer that, realistically, started over the deep end and it was probably never a hoobby, it has always been an obsession. I thought about opiniating, and then reconsidered and stuck with specifying information about the one camera in the list that I had specifically used.

 

[iamsharkbait]

Thanks again everyone. Nitroxinator, what are the glaring differences between the A520 and S80(besides the wide angle lens and the megapixels) that made you say the specs would sway you in the direction of the S80.

 

[TheNitroxinator]

what are the glaring differences between the A520 and S80(besides the wide angle lens and the megapixels) that made you say the specs would sway you in the direction of the S80

The lens and the megapixels are the camera specs that I'd go with. The CCD might be a bit better, I really haven't looked that closely at that (noise and all). But, the camera and housing are a package deal. In your first post, you had:

Canon S80(with Ikelite Housing)

The Ikelite housing has a lot of accessories for it (tray(s), 67mm or bayonet lens ring, ...). There's probably some doohickeys you could use to add on lenses to the Canon 520 or S80 housing, but at that point you're paying extra and if you pay enough extra you might as well have gotten the sturdier Ike housing to begin with. I figure the Ike housing and an S80 would have a lot of life to it, just like my C5050Z and Patima housing have had. When you outgrow the basics, you start adding accessories. My feeling is that, if you start with the A520's lower resolution, a serious beginner would eventually want to upgrade when they move past being a beginner, and the Canon housing isn't setup as well for expansion (although it can be expanded).


Now, as a bit of a funny thing, a buddy of mine is going to the Carribean on a trip. He just wants a simple and small camera, knowing he's seen and photographed pretty much everything he's going to see there. So, just today, he asked about borrowing my A520 or Nikon Coolpix 5600, as opposed to lugging his C8080 with strobe. Well, there's a reason why there are so many models out there, one size does not fit all.

 

[alcina]

there's a reason why there are so many models out there, one size does not fit all.

Say it loud, Brother!!