Canon G12 help

[Coldwaterdiver77]

I just got a new Canon g12 and I absolutely love it. I want to get a good setup for underwater photography, any recommendations on what case, strobe, lenses, filters, ect i should buy?

thanks

 

[smellzlikefish]

I used a G12 with Canon housing and Fantasea Nano strobe for a number of months and liked it so much that I was inspired to replace it with a Canon DSLR setup. My only complaints about the housing were that it didn't attach to the hotshoe for TTL strobe capability and I couldn't find any lenses that fit with the housing. Admittedly, I didn't look very hard for the lenses.

 

[Coldwaterdiver77]

for the case im thinking about going with ikelites

 

[Manow]

Based on my experience with Ikelite, I'd do some research on the model housing you are looking at. Real users will tell you about issues or problems. Good Luck.

 

[BluewaterPhoto]

I think the Ikelite housing is very well made. Eric Aubort won several places in the So-cal shootout with his Ikelite G12 housing. I'd get the Ikelite over the Canon housing for sure.

The only downside is that is it a little bit large, if you can afford the Recsea G12 you won't go wrong. - Scott

 

[loko2dive]

I stopped by Reef Photo & Video in Ft. Lauderdale yesterday to look at the Fisheye Fix G12 and the Ikelite housings, the Ikelite is huge next to the Fisheye Fix. I liked the way the Fisheye Fix felt in my hand, so that's what I took home with me along with a Nauticam tray, clamps and arms. They also hooked me up with a LCD hood for the Fisheye Fix, the Recsea you can't use a LCD hood. Another reason I didn't go with the Recsea (I only looked at pictures online, not in person) is that the buttons aren't labeled, they have a sticker on the top left side. The Fisheye Fix are engraved next to the buttons. The Fisheye also has a cover/attachment that goes over the flash lens for using 1 or 2 strobes, the Recsea looks like it just has a hole in the flash lens. As for different lenses, I think they are the same, what fits on one fits on the other. Those are just some comparisons that I made before making a decision between Fisheye Fix and Recsea. As for the Ikelite housing, as soon as I looked at it next to the Fisheye Fix it was off the table and the Canon housing there's just too many complaints about leaking/ flooding, not a option for me.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Not to question Scott (as if!) but people win contests with the camera more than the housing. As usual, it will come down to your budget and ultimately what you enjoy shooting. A lot of folks knock the Canon housing but if it let's you afford a strobe you will get better photos (potentially) than the most expensive housing and no strobe own would.

If you have the budget to invest (a bit over $1K) it makes sense to start with a mid-level housing like an Ike and a decent strobe but you sort of are "stuck" w/ Ike strobes for full connectivity options. Not knocking their strobes, just that you need to use their brand on their housings for true TTL connections (an over-rated function but that is pure opinion ). If you can afford it, get a RecSea housing and one or 2 reasonable powered strobes (S&S YS-110A, Inon S2000 etc.) but now you are closer to $2K.

If you get a strobe you won't need a filter (more "opinion" but it does have basis in fact, at least for distances under 5' w/a stobe, or if shooting RAW--which of course my opinion sez you should always do!). As for wet lenses, the G-12 is an excellent macro camera that works great w/ many close-up lens systems like Dyron, SubSee or Inon etc. Due to the nature of the zoom lens and housing port though the camera is not that well suited for wide-angle work. WA lenses will vignette some at the widest focal length setting. If you have to zoom towards telephoto by even a nudge or 2 (to avoid vignetting) it kinda defeats the use of a wide angle wet lens. Doesn't mean they won't help at all, just that you are limited compared to say a Canon S-95. Oh and of course you'll need a way to hang all this stuff on the housing, so factor in an arm & tray set that will let you grow your system.

Before you get much further though, welcome to SB! There is a great search feature available here for previous threads and as you could guess, these questions have been raised before on all sorts of UW setups. You can really benefit from other people's experience, which is one of the main attractions of SB!. The G-11 uses the same housing etc. so, since it's been around longer, you may get more feedback by including it in your search. Have fun! // ww

 

[loko2dive]

Next I'm thinking about a Sea and Sea YS-110a strobe and a Light & Motions Sola 1200 video light.

 

[PatW]

I have been using a Canon G11 for over a year now with an Ike housing and an Inon macro wet lens.

The Ike housing works well. It has a hotshoe attachment for Ike Strobes.

The Inon macro wet lens is nice. To use macro in the G11, you have to go wide angle. That means you have to get really close to the subject. Getting close can spook a subject or you just might not be able to get that close without mashing the reef with your equipment. The wet lens allows you to use the longer end of the zoom for macro which gives you a reasonable stand off distance.

The major problem with the Ike housing is wide angle. They have a dome that restores the 28 mm of the camera instead of the 35 mm result you get by shooting underwater. I have never gotten the dome. I have found as many people have said that in underwater photography the closer the better. I understand that some of the pricier housings allow you to attach a dome that gives you a really wide angle result.

I would recommend using 2 strobes. If you use one strobe, it is all to easy to have incomplete coverage of the subject and/or a shadow behind the subject. Also, having two strobes off to the side has the effect of decreasing the apparant backscatter.

Of course, many people have problems with getting the optimal system because of $$$. People use the Canon housing and get excellent results with it.

 

[Cumbo]

I have a G12 and the Canon WP-DC34 housing. Some claim that they've had leak issues with Canon housings, but this is my second Canon housing (had one with my Canon Ixus 110 IS before) and I've had no such problems. The things that speak for the Canon housing are 1) price, 2) size and 3) weight. As I travel with the kit, I need it to be lightweight and small(ish). Other housings (correct me if I'm wrong) are both bigger and weigh more. Ikelite housing is huge compared to the one made by Canon.

I bought an Inon D2000 strobe to go with it. I would've probably gotten Inon S2000, but it doesn't have the modelling light. I've found it really useful, especially on night dives.