Canon G12 accessories and advice please

[Probably Narced]

Hey there scuba boarders!

Im hoping I can draw on your collective wisdom to answer a few questions. Im currently shooting with a Canon G12 in the WP-DC34 housing and I'm looking to upgrade my set up to include a strobe and macro wet lens. Following some online research Ive become attracted to the Recsea housing but I'm not able to find any stores that stock it.

Firstly Im looking for a store that sells this housing in Bangkok since Im currently based in Thailand.

Secondly if anyone can offer advice on a great macro wet lens, and strobe that is affordable but offers good image quality.

I am some what of a novice when it comes to underwater photography but after almost 3 months of shooting (and diving every day) with this camera I want to expand my options.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Interceptor121]

Do you want a macro option for your canon housing? You can buy a dyron 67 adapter for this very one you have
As lenses i only use inon an have had 4 different lenses without a single disappointment
There are indeed other options such as dyron that are cheaper or subsea that are really strong
What I like of the inon is the fact you can stack multiple lens and start with +6 which is not so hard to focus
It will also depend on what you can find where you are
The recsea housing for the G12 has specific adapters for 67 and bayonet mounts
I prefer bayonets however due the nature of the G12 and the lift weight of diopter a 67 mount would be just fine

 

[Probably Narced]

Id actually really like to find a store in Bangkok where I can compare at least some of my options, things like weight and how compact the cases and lenses are really matter to me since I have to carry my entire set up along with everything else in my backpack! I had not really considered using lens with the canon housing but I'm glad you brought it up. Ideally Id like to be able to switch from macro to wide angle on the fly rather than have to plan to shoot one or the other from the boat.

 

[Interceptor121]

I recommend you send an email to Scott at Bluewater photo. He has tested the dyron adapter for the canon housing for G12 with both macro and wide angle and has some example shots
Have a look at that before you commit to a more expensive item seems a good idea

 

[Probably Narced]

Interceptor thanks very much for your replies. Do you have any suggestions for an entry level set up with my existing canon housing? Id like to add a strobe and macro lens for a reasonable low price and then based off the results possibly upgrade my housing to a recsea. I understand the G12 in the Canon housing simply can't create true wide angle shots but I find it sufficient as a means to improve my composition, lighting and general skills underwater.

The change of heart has come about simply from adding up the cost of the recsea and lens and adaptors and strobes, I can't justify the considerable cost at this time, but with that said for preference any accessories I buy for my existing housing that can be carried over would be great.

Again of course I'm trying to resource all of this while in Bangkok, and would love to see any advice on a good store where I can handle the items in real life

 

[Interceptor121]

No problem

For your G12 both dyron and h2o tools produce an adapter that allows macro lenses with 67 mm thread

Dyron also produces diopters that can be used. Other options include Inon and subsea. I use Inon and find them outstanding however it will depend on what you can get where you are

Fantasea and h2o also produce a done for the G12 this is not a wide angle lens but cancels the water magnification so you get back the filed of view you have on land

For a strobe there are plenty of options I use a sea and sea ys01 as it has dsttl an works perfectly however inon have good options too find sea and sea sturdy and worry free

If you look in my Flickr galleries the st lucia set is shot with this strobe in DSTTL essentially wih that the strobe is basically something not to worry at all

One recommendation is not to save on trays and arms. I use ultralight with a two 5" segment arm on a tray with handle
I used to have locline but I can tell you there is a hell of a difference and those parts last forever

Ultimately this also depends on what you can get there in Thailand but you have now a shopping list

Gilligan regularly posts his G12 macros he has no diopters and an old sea and sea manual strive with a relatively short arm and the shots he gets are awesome

So maybe start with tray and arm and a good strobe the lenses you can add later

 

[Cumbo]

I recommend these adapters (I have #1 myself):

#1 Deeproof M67 Mount Base DC28/34 for Canon WP-DC28 / WP-DC34 #RM67-DC28/34
#2 Deeproof M67 Mount Base DC28/34 with CY Filter for Canon WP-DC28 / WP-DC34 #RM67-DC28/34-CY


A closeup lens review is here.


I have one Dyron 67 mm and one Dyron 77 mm closeup lens.

You can check out my
- Dyron 67 mm photos here: Flickr: Hectorrrrrrrrrr's stuff tagged with dyucl67ii
- Dyron 67 mm and 77 mm (stacked) photos here: Flickr: Hectorrrrrrrrrr's stuff tagged with dyrondyucl67iidyucl77stacked

 

[Probably Narced]

Well guys,

After a very frustrating few days spent on the internet followed by a few days of searching malls in Bangkok Im still unable to find in person a supplier of decent UW camera accessories (who knew, Thailand only gets some 30 million tourists a year). Anyway Im flying to the phillipines in a few days and have found a supplier of recsea housings in Manilla, they also sell sea and sea strobes.

Can anyone help me out and advise me on a great set up for the recsea that will give me both macro and wide angle options. Im a little bit interneted out but from my initial findings it would appear the recsea is compatible with a true wide angle fish eye in the Fisheye UWL-04. This is a very expensive lens how ever, does anyone have any experience with it and more importantly can you switch it underwater ? I can only imagine how sad it must be to set up for Macro for instance splash in and then have a half dozen whale sharks drift past!!

Anyway since I'm now in this for the long haul I will be investing in a recsea housing, strobe and am looking for recommendations on macro and WA lenses.

You guys have been great help so far

EDIT: its quite difficult to find decent information on these kind of items without walking into a store and talking to a sales assistant. I have no idea if these lens combinations with this housing will require adapters or not. I also can't find out if I will need cables to fire the strobe from the camera battery.

 

[Interceptor121]

The uwl04 can't be removed underwater sadly as it mounts a port adapter on the housing
The only set up you can change underwater is the fantasea pseudo dome however that is not a wide lens
Sorry!

 

[Probably Narced]

Thats awful news, Regards to arms for the strobe, what kind of lengths would you recommend?

Here is my current shopping list, look it over and see what you think. The goal is to provide me with a good WA and macro set up, Albiet one that I can only change on the boat I do most of my diving in tropical SE asian waters. usually at depths of around 18-12 meters. All of my shots thus far have used ambient light except in cases where the subject has been under a rock or some kind of closed environment like inside a wreck. Anyway without further ado here is my proposed selection.

Recsea g12 housing
Sea and Sea Ys-01 strobe
Inon UFL 165 AD fish eye lens
Inon UCL 165 macro lens

Arm and try to be decided. Is it worth stacking the macro lens for super macro? is that even possible? anyone have any suggestions that I may have missed an essential item? Im forced to make a trip for my visa this month anyway and Ive found a store in Manilla that can supply me with these items....but it will be a serious ball ache if I forget something haha.

feel free to check out a few of the shots I have uploaded thus far!


koh Tao - a set on Flickr

happy snapping all