Expert Advice Needed

[Mooseman1007]

Hi Guys,
Summertime is on the way and the next holiday is approaching (not fast enough!!) and some new kit beckons.
I currently dive with a Fuji F100fd and have been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the pics, though I will have to work on my manual white balancing rather than using the underwater mode, anyway I was going to buy another camera for this year so my other half can shoot as well. We are going to Bali to dive the Liberty wreck and Seraya Secrets, but also want to take some nice topside photos.
We have been looking at the Panasonic TZ10 and the Fuji F80EXR as good general purpose travel cameras with underwater housings, can anyone advise or suggest alternatives.
cheers
Mooseman1007

 

[hammerhead man]

I shoot with the Sea&Sea DX-1G which has a Ricoh camera and have used it for both above water and underwater photography and really enjoy it. The newer DX-2G is also a possibility. What I like about the camera is that the lens is 24-72mm so you can take both wide angle and telephoto shots. There is also an above water wide angle lens that you can get if you want wider angle shots. Both cameras are expandable underwater including a wide angle, close-up, and a fisheye lens that can be purchased for the housing as wet lenses. It has a very short lag time and I have never had to "lead" a fish when taking a shot. What I see in the lcd screen when I push the shutter button is what I get a picture of.

That said, another option is the Canon G11 and you will probably find a lot of people on this board that use that camera. Here is a link to a backscatter article regarding their recommendations. One issue that may or may not be a concern, is whetehr the G11 can attach wet lenses to the housing. I like wet lenses because you can switch the lenses underwater. Underwater Camera Articles: Best Underwater Point & Shoot Cameras for 2010.

I think that with either of the cameras above you can get great shots. If you click on my "photos" link you can see some pics I've taken with the DX-1G.

Regards,

Bill

That said,

 

[Mooseman1007]

I had considered the Canon after reading all its excellent press on this board, but it would be stretching the budget a little. I was also hoping for the facility to record HD video which neither support, hmmmm....its a dilemma. I have until September to make my choice so there may be something new on the market which ticks all the boxes (HD video, raw file recording and a decent housing)
I was also considering the fuji nano strobe to add to my current setup as a basic step up from onboard flash, though I may have to make do with a magic filter if the new camera comes in above budget
Any other suggestions?

 

[davelew]

Hi Guys,
We have been looking at the Panasonic TZ10 and the Fuji F80EXR as good general purpose travel cameras with underwater housings, can anyone advise or suggest alternatives.

For only a few dollars more than the Fuji F80EXR, you could get a Canon S90 (Amazon has the F80 at $300 with a $170 housing, while the S90 is $365 with a $180 housing). The S90 has the same sensor as the G11, arguably a better lens, and it has the manual controls and RAW capabilities that (I think) are very useful underwater.

 

[Mooseman1007]

Cheers davelew and hammerheadman, I must admit I am torn between buying another general purpose camera and one which I would use almost exclusively for diving, and for that purpose I was considering a S90 or G11. However this camera is for my GF and she was wanting an "easy" camera that will be a jack of all trades, hence looking at the Fuji F80 or Panasonic TZ10. I realise the long lenses and square ported housings are a problem with adding lenses later on, but these cameras do have HD video capability which would be really useful.
I suppose the question is of these "travel zoom" cameras is best? is the Panasonic worth the extra £100 ? (I can get the F80 for £180 while the TZ10 is £300) with similar priced housings or is the Fuji F80 any good ? Or are there any other candidates which would make a good present?

 

[hammerhead man]

Hmmm, Mooseman I think that both davelew and my suggestions regarding cameras stated that they can be used for both above water and underwater shots. You don't have to buy a camera that is exclusively used for underwater use. I have used the DX-1G's camera (Ricoh 100GX, the DX-2G uses the Ricoh 200GX) for above water shots with stunning success. All of these cameras can be used in a point and shoot mode (select the scene and let the camera do the rest) or in a manual mode that allows for greater creativity both for land and underwater shots. I know that the Canon and Fuji cameras will also deliver great shots. In the end, you need to determine how much you are willing to pay for the camera, housing, strobes, and lenses and go with what you believe is the right camera for you.

My firm belief is that almost any camea mentioned in this forum will take great underwater shots (and land shots), and that the biggest factor in getting great shots is not the camera but the person taking the shots.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Mooseman1007]

Hammerhead,
I realise both the Canon's have excellent reputations both above and below water and I would probably head in that direction myself but I think the missus wants the option of a bigger zoom than the 5x we already have on the Fuji F100, plus the ability to take HD video, so I was looking down that route with the F80, TZ10 or SX210, and would value the opinions of people who have experience of these cameras (or similar) underwater
Thanks
Mooseman