Question Choose Camera Balance of Three Ease of Use, Cost, Quality for Macro

[bvanant]

I think for what you want, look at the micro 4/3 world. Small housings, small lenses, etc. The backscatter octopus housing is $2500 for camera/housing/lens/ports and a single strobe with arms. (From Mozaik). You would need to get a true macro lens ($300) and you will be good to go.
A TG/6/7 will get you small subject capabilities (but small sensor and no control to speak of ).

The whole thing underwater will/can be virtually weightless.

You will also need a focus light ($200 or so). $3000 is certainly doable with good quality. More $ mean more better quality.
Bill

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[Nemrod]

Thank you for hints about my budget. I can save more$ and pay more, I’m just afraid of dropping an expensive rig. (Chicken)
So paying more to get blasts of color and clarity is worth it. My foray into the used market will be when i sell. I have just had too many disappointments buying used.
i was going to wait until March Scuba show in Danvers MA, or at least for Holiday sales, but first need to decide what i want, since #3 is price concern.
I also see people with huge cumbersome rigs, and would rather get something that is smaller, as i am a small person with skinny arms. The folding arms or bendable arms for lights and flash are something that is on interest, which brand arms work best for flexibility and not drifting out of place?
Is there such thing as setting up camera on sea floor, then backing away so fish will come close to camera, then remotely triggering the photo?
I had set up the go pro to video, dribbled crumbs in front of it, and backed off to get fish video, but quality of screenshots was unsatisfactory.

You have some misconceptions, the "huge cumbersome rigs" handle like a Porsche underwater. Small cameras are often quite negative and will also need float arms to be near neutral. And even a small camera like the TG, by the time you add strobes, lights, a tray with handles and arms to tie it all together it will often be much more cumbersome and take up more space than purpose designed higher end equipment like my "huge cumbersome rig" that collapses down much smaller than my dive buddies with TG rigs and and handles far better underwater and is capable of much better photos due to the larger sensor which has much more dynamic range and higher resolution ultimately

No, you probably will not find joy in a remote triggered camera for fish pics underwater.

Most underwater photo people have above water experience, at least back in the day. Though underwater is very different an understanding of basic camera function is required.

Some key differences between surface photography and underwater is that 1) most shots are taken with flash 2) there is water and sediment and bubbles in your way between subject and lens 3) arms are needed to move the light sources outward to reduce illumination of that sediment between subject and lens 4) the strobe (and video) light is absorbed rapidly thus the camera must be close, rarely more than 3 feet and preferably closer 5) and thus the need for wide angle lenses or special macro lenses 6) sunlight is rapidly filtered leaving you with only bluish greenish photos if you are too far from the subject or without strobes.

I am going to go back to recommending you a TG. It is a unique little camera in that it does take very good macro shots, you can play around with wide angle with accessory lenses, it will support external strobes and despite the smallest of small sensors can do RAW files. If you buy quality strobes you can upgrade cameras and still use the same strobes or sell them and recoup some money.