Canon G9 in Lembeh

[Adriaan557]

Oops forgot to say: G9 rules, and looking forward to the trip report!!!

 

[Mel Moncrieff]

I used the Ikelite wide angle and bought the Ikelite flat port to be able to go to 20mm. No other adapters needed, but I am going to use an Ikelite DS 125 strobe with diffuser to cover 20mm. I'm taking it out to Catalina Island for the first time this weekend. I'll let you know how it works.

Mel

 

[drandazzo]

Great photos. I will be staying at that resort in November for a week.

 

[BrianMayes]

I used the Canon G9 in the Canon housing with the modification to attach an Inon UCL-165M67 macro lense as shown by a gentleman named Brian here DIGIDIVER :: View topic - Canon G7, G9 housing (WP-DC11, 21) - DIY 67mm Lens Adapter.

On the macro topic, if I were doing things over again I think I would buy one of the available lense attachments rather than screwing a step up ring to the front of the Canon housing. This would allow me to remove to entire thing underwater, which I can't do with the attached step up ring (as described in the reference link above). The problem is that if I don't zoom about 15%, the ring is visible in pictures as shown below. While an interesting effect, I don't want it all the time. This effectively limits all shots at the widest zoom.

An excellent set of photos and report from Banon.

I've done this modification twice now with 62 to 67mm stepping rings from Jessops & Kood and in both cases I got absolutely no vignetting from the ring even when the lens is at it's widest with no zoom. So with the macro lens removed (not screwed on), 35mm equivalent wide angle shots can be taken with no problem, as these shots show.

With macro lenses fitted there is some vignetting from the lens and so you need to zoom slightly, but using the optical zoom does give you greater working distance, and you would be daft not take advantage of the optical zoom when shooting macro anyway.

I've updated my DIY mod instructions and moved them over to the more active Wetpixel board. Here is a link

My tip for focussing when using the G9 with macro lenses, is to let the auto focus work on the subject, then press the shutter halfway to lock the focus, then move the camera in and out slowly until you get the focus sweetspot where you want it. If the subject has eyes, you nearly always want these to be sharp and in focus. Latest examples of my macro work with the G9 and this modification, plus up to two stacked Inon UCL-165 lenses can be seen here

 

[Mel Moncrieff]

Thanks for some great pics and info Banon. I just got back from Bonaire with my G9 and shot mostly wide angle with the Ike wide angle wet lens. Here's the link to my pics:
bonaire_608 Photo Gallery by Mel Moncrieff at pbase.com

I'm off to Fiji next, just ordered a 67 mm 4T closeup filter. Will have to see how that works and try some macro.

Mel

 

[xariatay]

Hi! Brian, your wonderful photos taken using the Canon housing & without any external strobe "sold" the G9 to me! Thanks for your generous sharing! Glad u r on this board. ;-)

 

[Kevster]

I was in Lembeh in Jun , 2nd time using my G9 with canon housing.
I definately agree with most of the points you made in your post.

The G9 does hunt for focus when using a lot of zoom. This is the norm for most P&S cameras. It is always better to use manual focus and then move camera back and forth until you hit the sweet spot. For pigmys i set manual focus , about 25% zoom , then set focus point to about 5-10 cm. I got some decent results.

i too am tempted to go the DSLR route but as you point out i would much rather spend the $$ on dive holidays rather than dive/photo gear.

(Also regarding F numbers. I do not think you can compare f numbers from P&S to DSLR. I am sure i read somewhere that DOF at F8.0 using a P&S does not = DSLR.)

 

[FlyingKiwi]

Brian,

Depth of field is governed by three factors:

(1) distance of camera from the subject [further away = more depth];
(2) aperture [smaller aperture = more depth];
(3) focal length of the lens [shorter focal length = more depth].

Point and shoot cameras have a much smaller sensor than DSLRs and therefore the focal length is much, much shorter, so what you gain on aperture you will lose on focal length.

I do a lot of macro work, both above water and below, and my experience is that P&S cameras actually have more depth of field than DSLRs.

Below is a link to a bunch of shots from Lembeh Strait taken in May using a Canon 5D and a very short (50mm) macro lens. Most of these aren't really macro shots, the critters are quite large and shot from a distance, but near the bottom you'll see how little DOF there is on the nudibranch photo:

h ttp://ww w.richard-seaman.com/Underwater/Indonesia/Lembeh/Highlights/index.html

(the board didn't allow me to post the URL, so I couldn't link to it).

The nudibranch is typical of DOF for the 5D and 50mm.

If you want to change to a DSLR then don't do it for DOF unless you get good evidence that it'll be better than the G9. Focusing with live view on a G9 is something most DSLR users would kill for - using the tiny view screen is very awkward. Of course a DSLR will give you faster focus and less noise, particularly in dark photos.

Richard.

 

[Gudge]

Also regarding F numbers. I do not think you can compare f numbers from P&S to DSLR. I am sure i read somewhere that DOF at F8.0 using a P&S does not = DSLR.

You are absolutely correct. While the exposure at f8 for any given shutter speed will be the same whatever camera you are using, the depth of field will be considerably different. A digital compact at f8 will have much greater depth of field than a dSLR at f8. Here's one of the best explanations I've read on this subject:

wrotniak.net: Depth of field and your digital camera

 

[giriwil]

nice shots!!! Realy good because you posted the originals pics!!!