Camera Suggestions

[TedJ]

Mares,
I have been a Nikon shooter all my life. My wife has been an Olympus shooter all her life. I bought the Olympus 5050/PT-015 this past February and I bought her a new to her old Nikonos V. How's that for irony.

These days I shoot topsides with a Nikon N80. When Fuji converted the body to the S2 I thought I would be set, however, the cost was beyond what I wanted to spend. I'm waiting fo the Nikon d70 to come out and see if it will be a good u/w alternative. Meanwhile, the 5050/pt-015 is a very nice resonably priced alternative.
TEdJ

One of the reasons I posted this was to indicate what we did on the digital vs film issue. At today's prices the Olympus 5050/PT-015 combination is about $650 and the Nikonos V, used on eBay about $350 or new about $550. Then add a strobe, tray, etc to each and you have about the same investment. We are both very pleased with our choices.

As Dee has said many times, I am a diver first who happens to take pictures as is my wife. And now I hope we can return to assisting our friend, MaresMan, in selecting the type of gear that will make him happy and satisfy his interests in underwater photography.
TEdJ

 

[DesertEagle]

Whatever you do, use the right tool for the job.

Instead of the usual film vs digital debate, I would be asking myself if I want to shoot wide angle or macro. If you want macro first then digital is a no brainer. The results you can make with most digicams and housings can be spectacular.

As for wide angle, either film or digital is going to require a wide angle lens and a strobe. I hate to say it, but you shouldn't have to photoshop your files to remove too much blue background. That means that you either are not getting close enough or are not lighting your subject properly. This reminds me of the times until a few years ago when you would see advertisements for camera "packages." The package would have a Nikonos V, 35mm lens and strobe. That setup would only be useful for fish portraits or head and shoulders photos. It was a shame that the average beginner would spend over $1,000 and end up with blue photos. One one trip I lent a lady my Sea & Sea 16mm wide angle adapter for her Nikonos. My friends and I made sure she understood that you have to get real close and voila- her photos were great.

Use the right tool!

 

[10X]

Yesterday I was at my LDS, buying some gear and signing up for a photography clinic in preparation for my upcoming trip to Hawaii. (17 days and counting). I own and Olympus C5050 and a PT-015 housing. Although I have taken a few pictures locally, I wanted to be fully prepared for Hawaii.

By chance, the Fuji rep came in the store while I was there. He was loaning a Fuji Finepix F700 and a Fuji underwater housing to the dive shop owners for their upcoming trip to Roatan. He wanted them to try it out. This is a 6.2 MP camera that sells for less than $400 on eBay (I found this out later). The rep said the camera would cost less than $500 from the LDS and the housing about $189.

We took some pictures, outside in the snow and underwater in the LDS pool. The pictures are fantastic, to say the least. If I did not already own my C5050, I would own this camera before going to Hawaii. I've never seen such quality, except from my 35mm.

The camera is shirt pocket size and the housing is less than half the size of the one for my C5050. The camera uses the Olympus XD picturecard for memory and Fuji is working on increasing capacity of this card. The rep said the goal was for a 8GB card in two years. The reason they wanted the capacity is because the camera is also capable of full video footage (30 frames per second, the same as a standard video camrea) You can literally record over an hour's worth of video on the 8GB card when it becomes available.

The camera also has a slave mode for an external flash.

I am trully amazed at this camera and I'm having a hard time talking myself out of buying one right now.

Food for thought!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TedJ]

I went to dpreview to find out about the camera and it says that the F700 is a 3.1 megapixel camera. Is this a new offering or am I not looking at the correct camera?

Also I think I read yesterday that Fuji announced a 2g xD card for sale soon.

 

[Cudabait]

Mares Man,

I was in same situatioin a few months ago, about the same time Dee was moving from 4040 to 5050. I'm more diver than shooter. However have been pointing and shooting for many years. I finally decided to go online and ended up with a new Sealife 3.3 digital with advanced housing. Got closeup & macro lens, strobe & 256MB chip. It'll do digital zoom and video. So far it has been just right for my needs. Take it on trips and for use when I'm not doing something like spearfishing in the gulf. I have less than $900 total investment.

regards,

 

[10X]

TedJ,

Try this link for info on the F700.

http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/digitalComparisonGuide.jsp

 

[DesertEagle]

The F700 is a 6.2 megapizel camera but... What you really have are 3.1M big pixels with 3.1 small pixels next to them. This helps the camera produce better tonal range. My guess is that it would be great for portraits. dpreviw and cnet.com both said that the camera is good but not really an equal to the C5050 or Coolpix 5400.

FYI Canon is going to come out with a whole range of new digicams in the next couple of months.

 

[DawgPaddle]

I have a Sony DCR-TRV900 Handycam and am curious if anyone has used one of these with the underwater camera housings. I do love photography, but must admit that I'm a novice at best. I've not yet taken any underwater photo's but would love to in the future.

I'v seen so many camera's and cases on Ebay but have no clue what's worth a flip.

 

[TedJ]

I have a Sony DCR-TRV900 Handycam and am curious if anyone has used one of these with the underwater camera housings. I do love photography, but must admit that I'm a novice at best. I've not yet taken any underwater photo's but would love to in the future.

I'v seen so many camera's and cases on Ebay but have no clue what's worth a flip.

Well ask away. We're all here to help.

 

[alcina]

Not more Canon choices!! I need to buy another one in Feb (while I am in the US) and now I am going to fret that "if I only would have waited".

I still can't decide what I need versus what I want....