Canons I Have Now = Decent Starter Kit?

[scubee-do-be-do]

I am a newly certified diver and will be buying some gear soon. I also want to get some photo gear and have a couple of cameras around the house. A Canon S30 (3.2MP) and also Canon A1100 IS (12.1MP)
I am thinking of getting a housing for either one to take diving... OR I could spend about 300.00 for a starter underwater camera.

I wonder how these might do for me, and if any others have used them. And if so, maybe whose housing is a good one?

 

[Doubler]

Don't worry about an underwater camera rig yet. Learn to dive. As a newly certified diver you are familiar with the sport but you are not proficient. Learn buoyancy, how to hover, how to use your brand new computer, get properly weighted. A camera is not something you want to add into the mix now. Wait till you got about 75 dives and we can talk camera. Enjoy diving then learn photography. My 2 cents.

 

[scubee-do-be-do]

I appreciate your thoughts. I have been taking pictures for many years, so I am not totally unfamiliar with composition and lighting above the surface. I do want to bring back memories of the dives I go on .. not serious 'hang on the wall works of art lit by expensive strobe systems'.. not being in dangerous situations beyond my ability ... but memories nonetheless.

But to pass on my next 75 dives is not something I want to do. I am going diving to some great places soon.

My question was not 'oh immortal divers of scuba board, do you think this new diver is too stupid to depress a shutter while underwater?', but about some cameras and housings that would allow me to start enjoying diving more by having some workable equipment better than the disposable underwater camera.

I am giving you a penny back of your two cents worth for blowing me off. -> $00.01

 

[Doubler]

I wasn't blowing you off, I was giving you some good advice but seeing how you are not going to take it.. The A1100 IS is the best camera to use in this case. An Ikelite housing will run about $260. The built in camera strobes are only good for about 2 to 3 feet underwater so you are going to need a strobe. The Ikelite AF model or DS 51 will work with this set up this will add another $300 to $ 500 to the cost.

 

[cardog]

I wasn't blowing you off, I was giving you some good advice but seeing how you are not going to take it.. The A1100 IS is the best camera to use in this case. An Ikelite housing will run about $260. The built in camera strobes are only good for about 2 to 3 feet underwater so you are going to need a strobe. The Ikelite AF model or DS 51 will work with this set up this will add another $300 to $ 500 to the cost.

I wouldn't have given him that much advice.........

 

[Scuba_Noob]

There's the Canon Housing for the S30 (e.g., http://www.amazon.com/Canon-WP-DC300-Waterproof-Digital-Cameras/dp/B000067DKN). Since it's a relatively old model, you might have trouble finding other housings for it and servicing the housing, so I'd probably go with the A1100IS.

For the A1100IS, you have many more options. Ikelite is a good, affordable housing manufacturer (although you could go with the Canon housing too for cheaper), and you should be able to use most, if not all, of the functions.

As Doubler mentioned, you'd probably want to get more experienced with diving (e.g., 20+ dives) and get pretty good buoyancy before bringing the camera. The additional task-loading can be too much if you're not proficient with the rest of your gear (e.g., forgetting to check air pressure, buddy, depth, etc.). As well, multitasking may negatively affect your buoyancy control; this could lead to many deaths of marine animals at your fins. Also, though you may be very proficient on land with the camera, you might want to start off with automatic (to lessen task loading).

 

[scubee-do-be-do]

I appreciate the advice very much Scuba Noob. And also Doubler thank you for your factual reply. I am sorry if we got off on the wrong foot ....(or fin).

My wife (who does not dive) enjoyed the pictures of sea turtles, rays, and many other things I took while diving in jamaica. I was using a disposable camera which is pretty bad. So even with the A1100 IS , the internal flash will go about 2 or 3 feet, but the strobe will go much further ...up to about how far on average? I am sure water quality, etc will have something to do with it. 5 to 10 feet perhaps? It is interesting to see some of the cameras sea "____ " brand , sold with a flash, for about 300-400 dollars, ...it makes you wonder if they are just a very poor quality camera that happens to be waterproof.!

Seems like the minimum as you have mentioned is about 500-600 to be able to take well lit pictures. I picked up the A1100 IS last year in a pawn shop for 50 dollars, and it's a pretty decent camera, although it's almost too small. I guess the case will fix that.

I will certainly pay attention to the fact that I could be distracted from diving and possibly damage a reef with my body or equipment. That's a good point. I took many photos standing or kneeling on a sandy bottom, or hovering upside down over some reefs. I am indeed respectful of the reefs I dive on.

I'm starting this sport late in life and am not sure how much or how long I will be able to dive ..but I'd like to start taking some photos asap. Heading to Aruba soon. Thanks again.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

My Ikelite housing for the S95 came with a diffuser so that I can use flash decently (obviously a strobe is much better and it doesn't work very well 20-30% of the time). It shouldn't run you more than $300 USD plus the camera (which you have). You don't necessarily have to get a strobe, and you won't be using the flash all the time anyway. I assume that in Aruba, there will be plenty of ambient light, and you can always remove some of the green/blue with image-editing software (or add red).

I think you're mentioning Sealife, which from what I hear, is a very good brand but just doesn't offer as many options if you want to further your underwater photography (e.g., shoot in RAW, add on different lenses, etc.). The cost is quite low for a decent set-up. I hear the customer service is exceptional, with them replacing flooded cameras/strobes without hassles and at a low cost.