DC500 Pro Set -- Worth buying used?

[TN Traveler]

Yes they work - again, been using them for over a year with no problems!!!

You can get them off ebay for less than $10 each (shipped)

You could ask the folks at Vivitar if they will work in a 5340s - but they fit the charger and camera - same voltage, just higher mAH rating.

 

[DandyDon]

Haha, did one of y'all bid on the DC600? It got 2 more bids since I posted. I know that some people use the Ebay auto bid function. I use a Snipe service that handles all that 7 seconds before an item closes and have been very pleased with it. I guess it'd be a problem if more than one bidder used one, but - it beats the traditional approach. I think they have a special today: Free Snipes - as long and you register the item today, the services is free for the duration. You get 3 free snipes anyway. Auction Sniper: eBay Sniper and eBay Bidding snipe, bid sniping for eBay

 

[24940]

I use my DC500 quite a bit. I've had it for 2+ years and agree about the battery. I can get about 45 minutes of video or a bit over one dive shooting to my hearts content in a mix of flash/no flash. It's worth buying a couple extra batteries for a fresh charge each dive.

Eventually, I'll go SLR, but will also keep the DC500. It's been a great camera for documenting dives. I don't run the external strobe, so it's very compact and easy to take along on every dive. The video is 640x480 and works well in low ambient light. I have a UK Light Canon which I haven't used in several years, which I'll create a camera mount for and use for video. I doubt I'll go with strobes, as it will be more practical for me to spend that money on the SLR rig.

There are lots of images on the board shot with the DC500, but let me know if you would like a link to my photobucket gallery. All the UW shots and video are from the DC500.

 

[annasea]

Hi! My 2 cents... Buy a decent strobe for your Canon. The logic is behind this is that the camera and housing part of the setup are kinda dynamic. Like computers, they fade into obselecence rather quickly, and it seems as though folks tend to replace them every so often. A good strobe, on the other hand can be used with anything (just about) you might decide to shoot and is a much more permanent piece of gear. The strobe that comes with the camera you're looking at is not quite as powerful as you may want.

I really like the strobe I've been using over the last year, it's an Inon D-2000, and I have to say I'm quite impressed by how well the strobe figures out correct lighting, producing consistent spot on exposures. It makes my pictures look like I know what I'm doing. Here's a link to some information about my particular strobe, courtesy of REEF Photo who I highly reccommend. They are about $540.00, but you only have to buy it once.

The strobe may be $540.00 but that doesn't appear to include the rest of the set-up needed to attach it to my camera's housing... $855!

Regardless, I poked around the website but couldn't find any info as to how far the flash throws. According to the SeaLife website, their flash covers 2-8 ft effectively. Any info from the DC500 users on the flash?

Thx, everyone, for your replies! Hopefully the camera will still be available by the time I make a decision.

 

[annasea]

I<snip>
There are lots of images on the board shot with the DC500, but let me know if you would like a link to my photobucket gallery. All the UW shots and video are from the DC500.

I'd be most curious to see your pics shot with the DC500! Especially since you don't use the flash. (My main reason to pick it up is BECAUSE of the flash.)

 

[Scubakevdm]

According to the SeaLife website, their flash covers 2-8 ft effectively. Any info from the DC500 users on the flash?

I used a DC500 on a dredging project where they had to document the placement of the dredge anchors (they use five of them and move them about twice a day) so that they could prove that they didn't anchor anywhere near a coral reef. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the pictures I took anymore, except for one which is in my scubaboard gallery, which was taken with the strobe turned off, and with the wide angle diopter installed. I opted for the strobe off because it tended to illuminate backscatter, and documenting the color of the anchors wasn't neccessary. I will tell you though that at night, I had to take four and five shots of each anchor because the strobe would only expose three or four feet of them. The shank is about twelve feet long, and the anchor was about six or seven feet across at the bottom. I would call the 8 foot effective range a bit generous, and would personally call it maybe three or four feet.

 

[DandyDon]

The strobe may be $540.00 but that doesn't appear to include the rest of the set-up needed to attach it to my camera's housing... $855!
OMG quite a strobe kit. Wow!
Regardless, I poked around the website but couldn't find any info as to how far the flash throws. According to the SeaLife website, their flash covers 2-8 ft effectively. Any info from the DC500 users on the flash?

Thx, everyone, for your replies! Hopefully the camera will still be available by the time I make a decision.

To help prevent confusion I hope...

• The DC500 always uses a flash;
• If the strobe is not on the camera, the internal flash helps some;
• With the strobe & link, the internal flash fires the strobe.

Flash in internal to the camera; Strobe is external.

Anyway, I think the DC500 with Sealife strobe and your Canon 8mp with that strobe kit are like noon and twilight different.

BTW, is the is the same package for $725....?

 

[annasea]

To help prevent confusion I hope...

• The DC500 always uses a flash;
• If the strobe is not on the camera, the internal flash helps some;
• With the strobe & link, the internal flash fires the strobe.

Flash in internal to the camera; Strobe is external.

Too late... I'm already mighty confused.

Anyway, I think the DC500 with Sealife strobe and your Canon 8mp with that strobe kit are like noon and twilight different.

So you're saying you agree with Kevin? The Sealife strobe is a lightweight compared to my Canon paired up with a D2000?

BTW, is the is the same package for $725....?

Nice link! Thx! I found a set-up at Backscatter in CA for $739. I haven't read anything about them here but they look legit plus they offer lifetime support on their products. Both do appear to be the same package as Reef Photos, I think.

 

[annasea]

I used a DC500 on a dredging project where they had to document the placement of the dredge anchors (they use five of them and move them about twice a day) so that they could prove that they didn't anchor anywhere near a coral reef. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the pictures I took anymore, except for one which is in my scubaboard gallery, which was taken with the strobe turned off, and with the wide angle diopter installed. I opted for the strobe off because it tended to illuminate backscatter, and documenting the color of the anchors wasn't neccessary. I will tell you though that at night, I had to take four and five shots of each anchor because the strobe would only expose three or four feet of them. The shank is about twelve feet long, and the anchor was about six or seven feet across at the bottom. I would call the 8 foot effective range a bit generous, and would personally call it maybe three or four feet.

Well you know I trust you so this is especially good information as the only reason I'm interested in the DC500 is for the external flash. Thank you.

OK, so now that I've pretty much decided to invest in a quality strobe, (once the trip bill is paid off) I have some questions...

First, just how good a flash is this D2000? I've been googling around trying to find out the average range of the flash but haven't turned anything up yet. Kevin, I believe you mentioned a range one time we were on the boat but I don't recall what it was.

I don't envision buying a new camera every few years so if/when I finally do decide to upgrade my P&S to a *better* one in say 5 years or so, will the D2000 still be compatible? Just how flexible is it? Is it the Hog harness of the u/w photography world?

I'm off on Monday so if I have a chance, I'll call up Backscatter and/or Reef Photo for more info. One thing I have discovered on the Reef Photo website is that there's not a strobe package specific to my Canon housing, WP-DC16, but I do recall reading here on SB that someone somehow did manage to attach the strobe to their A720IS... Wish me luck...

 

[DandyDon]

Too late... I'm already mighty confused.

Ok let's call a spade a spade;
the bright light from the camera itself a flash;
and the external arm a strobe.

So you're saying you agree with Kevin? The Sealife strobe is a lightweight compared to my Canon paired up with a D2000?

OMG yes. I just had no idea how much of a strobe you were comparing to, with the used DC500 costing less, or how much you might be paying for the kit.

If you could get a used kit in great shape cheaper than a new Sealife strobe, cool. But we're talking about amateur equipment and that 2000 strobe has got to be pretty fancy to demind that kind of price.

Mostly, the 5 mp Sealife is an aging model as compared to the newer toys like the 8 mp, or the 8 mp you already own. Since you "...don't envision buying a new camera every few years..." I think any 5 mp would be a bad choice.

BTW, it's not a matter of if you'll flood it, but more of when. I'd suggest insuring well, in such a way that the whole collection will be claimed, or that you can easily replace the part. My DC500 is no long available so I'd want my insurance company to cover the camera, housing, strobe as a unit - then move on from an accident to the DC800 for my taste. I do have a spare camera that'd fit the housing, but I got it for $30 US just to finish a trip - and I like the way the DC500 shoots video in ASF as compared to Canon shooting in AVI.

I did a recent study of insurance coverages and found that DEPP and DAN both suck badly as compared to State Farm Inland Marine. I don't know if you can get the latter in Canada or living as close to the sea as you do, but surely someone will do better than DEPP and DAN gear insurance - both are bad IMO.

BTW, here are some Sealife items that were recently Ebayed...

• A DC600 kit that sold for $470 + $20 shipping;
• A DC500 camera & housing that failed at $330 + $20, which was too optimistic starting request on a 5mp, no strobe I think;
• And 2 pics of an 1 mp kit that failed at $199 + $30 shipping. He's overcharging on shipping and not even saying what it is, misnamed Sea&Life? You have to look hard to see that it's a 1 mp.