Considering W5 or P200...

[plangstroth]

Alright, I've spent counteless hours reading postings, reviews, and playing with cameras in the store. Here's what I have come up with:

Canons (A95, S70, S500) nice quality, but can't get passed the slow focusing. I actually owned a G5 and returned it for the Sony DSC-F828 just for that reason. They do seem to have a lot of underwater accessories available.

Fuji 810- Hard to find, and reports are mixed about poor battery life.

My choices: Sony DSC-W5 or DSC-P200, because they are super fast, excellent battery life, and large LCD's. I would probably lean toward the W5 since it uses "normal" batteries. I also like the small size to use the camera out of the water when I don't feel like bringing the DSC-F828 with me.

My dilemma: It doesn't look like a case is availabe for the P200, and I am having trouble finding out if there is a strobe that will work as well as a wide-angle lens (one thing the Canon has an advantage on).

Any suggestions on strobes and lenses that would work with the Sony DSC-W5 or P200?

 

[MFaunce]

Alright, I've spent counteless hours reading postings, reviews, and playing with cameras in the store. Here's what I have come up with:

Canons (A95, S70, S500) nice quality, but can't get passed the slow focusing. I actually owned a G5 and returned it for the Sony DSC-F828 just for that reason. They do seem to have a lot of underwater accessories available.

Fuji 810- Hard to find, and reports are mixed about poor battery life.

My choices: Sony DSC-W5 or DSC-P200, because they are super fast, excellent battery life, and large LCD's. I would probably lean toward the W5 since it uses "normal" batteries. I also like the small size to use the camera out of the water when I don't feel like bringing the DSC-F828 with me.

My dilemma: It doesn't look like a case is availabe for the P200, and I am having trouble finding out if there is a strobe that will work as well as a wide-angle lens (one thing the Canon has an advantage on).

Any suggestions on strobes and lenses that would work with the Sony DSC-W5 or P200?

My experience (limited) with Sony has been that if they don't announce a housing when they announce a camera there won't be a housing for that camera.

The P200 looks almost identical to the P150 in terms of specifications, only differing in the size of the LCD. You can probably still find P150 and MPK-PHB housing in stock (you can probably still find P100's as well, the 5MP version).

Inon has external lens kits and adapter mounts for the MPK-PHB housing.

I've got a P100 and am very happy with it. It fit my budget and performs as expected (I wasn't planning on taking magazine covers, just photos for family and friends and to show off my hobby).

 

[gert7to3]

I have the DSC P-10 and the MPK-PHA housing.

There is an adapter for Sea&Sea's 16mm and 20mm wide angle lenses for the Sony MPK housings. Used the 20mm for the first time two weeks ago and was very pleased. Sea&Sea's YS 25 dx strobe will work with this camera too.