Canon G9 with Housing Sea&Sea DC600

[jjacobsen22]

Already posted this in the Canon subforum - but i´ll try here as well..

Hello Guys,
I am a complete newbie in the art of underwater photography, and I am out to buy my first camera !!
I have narrowed it down to the Sea&Sea DC600 or Canon G9 with Housing, and I was hoping to get some advice from more experienced photographers on which one to buy !!
All input is much appreciated !!

 

[ce4jesus]

Right now the Canon seems to be the camera of choice for many newcomers. Its full manual control, hotshoe and RAW are things I think are pivotal to a good underwater experience.

1. Manual control - full control over aperture and shutter, white balance etc allow you more creativity underwater.
2. Hotshoe - doesn't seem all that big a deal but allows you to hardwire an external strobe. This means longer internal battery life for the camera and should minimize any fogging issues (no use of internal strobe means less heat)
3. RAW - allows you to use post-processing software to bring photos back from the exposure abyss and also helps bring color back in with a post-processing white balance adjustment. While some will argue this is possible with Jpeg as well, its so much easier in RAW.

 

[Narcd_dvr]

If you have the budget, get the G9+Ikelite housing and strobe. As Gary mentioned, the G9 offers full manual control, hotshoe and RAW. With the Ikelite housing and strobe, you get automatic TTL exposure. I have the Sealife DC500 + Digital strobe and after a year of using the setup, I find myself wanting to upgrade to a better camera rig - the G9 and Ikelite housing. Now don't get me wrong, the DC600 is a decent camera for someone starting out.

 

[Larry C]

Agreed. G9 with Ikelite. You can use it with the Canon housing for less money, but Ikelite allows you to use a shorter port (for even more money) that doesn't let the super zoom extend all the way out but gives you better wide angle pictures. By using Ikelite housing, you can use their strobe, which allows you to either set the strobe power with a dial on your housing or use ttl, which means the camera meters the flash exposure Through the Lens (ttl). It then sets your flash to match the lighting conditions and camera settings. The cool thing is, if you decide to upgrade to a fancier camera later, you can use the same strobe with other Ikelite housings. You should be able to use the G9 for years and never run out of capability. The SeaLife will take decent pictures, but in a year you'll want more camera if you get serious about taking really nice pictures. If you decide on a Canon housing, which is half the price, I would use an Inon strobe. The Inon is very powerful and, again, will go with you to your next camera.

 

[Chris Walrod]

If you have the budget, get the G9+Ikelite housing and strobe. As Gary mentioned, the G9 offers full manual control, hotshoe and RAW. With the Ikelite housing and strobe, you get automatic TTL exposure. I have the Sealife DC500 + Digital strobe and after a year of using the setup, I find myself wanting to upgrade to a better camera rig - the G9 and Ikelite housing. Now don't get me wrong, the DC600 is a decent camera for someone starting out.

This is the same path I seem to be heading down. I have been using a SeaLife DC500 for a couple of years and just yesterday received my camera update; G9, Ikelite housing, WA lens and port, TTL cord and DS51 strobe. Got a lot to learn about it, but anxious to do so.