Clarification on adapters, ports, fisheye and macro lenses!

[Blondie09]

Ok, so I'm in the market for either a G12 or G15 setup. Budget is a concern, not looking for the Rolls Royce of set ups, more a Toyota style. Not the most expensive but good quality, reliable and consistent.

My understanding is that for either unit I get an adapter with a m67 and I can attach any lenses with the same m67 thread on them (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Now what I would be looking for is a good quality fisheye (I'm in love with over-under style shots) and a macro (because the visibility in this city is touch and go at the best of times).

What would I need? Ports or just attachments with the right thread? What's the difference, price vs quality?

Looking at also buying an extra strobe, Sea and Sea YS110a.

At the moment in looking at the OEM housing as I can't currently justify quadruple the amount for a recsea. How will my frugalness impact the strobe set up?

All responses are appreciated and if there is something I have missed in my considerations please tell me.

 

[Interceptor121]

If you are looking for fisheye lenses you are not choosing the most versatile camera
The only housing that takes a fisheye fixed and not wet is the recsea and costs 1199 plus another $500 for the lens
If you want something more flexible and less expensive from canon you need to look at the powershot S series
There is a thread on G15 lenses down below essentially inon just came out with a special lens with a dome but it will only do close focus wide angle with two strobes

 

[Blondie09]

If you are looking for fisheye lenses you are not choosing the most versatile camera
The only housing that takes a fisheye fixed and not wet is the recsea and costs 1199 plus another $500 for the lens
If you want something more flexible and less expansive from canon you need to look at the powershot S series
There is a thread on G15 lenses down below essentially inon just came out with a special lens with a dome but it will only do close focus wide angle with two strobes

Without sounding like an idiot, what do you mean by more flexible and less expansive?

 

[Interceptor121]

I mean something that takes a selection of wet lenses to give you an idea for the S series you can fit
Fisheye Fix UWL28 $399
Inon UWL-H100+dome $1000
Inon UFL165AD $600 including adapter
All those lenses are true wet and can be removed underwater

I meant expensive sorry for the typo you can get an end of line S100 fix housing for $599 at reefphoto or backscatter

 

[Blondie09]

I appreciate the heads up. I'm looking at the S100 right now. The S110 is now obviously a lot easier to get a hold of. Has there been any feedback on this. I can't imagine the touch screen would be dive friendly :/

 

[NautilusCairns]

I suggest you look beyond Canon as there are other camera brands that have overtaken Canon as powerful underwater options

 

[Interceptor121]

We are in the canon subsection of course!!!
The S110 does not add much but focuses faster apparently. My favorite remains the S95 because of the 28mm lens and CCD sensor and reduced zoom. With the S100-110 the lens sits further away from the port and introduces some fringing at wide end even with fisheye lens. Having said that you need to zoom in the corners to see it and be an absolute maniac perfectionist

Other compact cameras with fixed lens that perform like or better than the S series are Panasonic LX7 (same macro performance of G series) and Sony RX100. Both those cameras have 3+ dives battery autonomy versus the scarce 2 of the S series

 

[Blondie09]

I suggest you look beyond Canon as there are other camera brands that have overtaken Canon as powerful underwater options

Ok despite this being the canon thread, what would you suggest? Baring in mind that cost needs to be middle of the road. And I would like something with attachments that can be utilised on an upgraded system (if possible).

If preferred, PM me.

 

[Interceptor121]

I put it in my thread basically Nauticam produces housings for the best compacts if you go on Nauticam International Ltd. look what they have in the compact housing section and you can immediately see the three best compact of the moment
It is not necessary to buy a Nauticam housing though they are the top end some of those cameras will work fine also with plastic OEM housing or with Ikelite

 

[PatW]

You might want to check the websites of Backscatter and Blue Water Photo. Both sites have discussions on various camera packages which you might find useful. Both are retail shops in the USA, but the information is good anywhere.

From what I see looking at the site, a point and shoot camera with housing, strobes, wet lenses and adapters costs about $2,500 US which is not exactly inexpensive.

I did not look at things in depth, but you might also want to check with 4/3 systems and mirrorless cameras. These cameras have differ from point and shoots in 2 ways. They have interchangeable lenses and they have sensors that are close to the sensor size of a DSLR. Some of these systems are close to the price of the advanced point and shoot systems.