Question First Underwater Setup - Canon 700D / Rebel T5i

[mjrascoe]

Hey All,

Looking into getting a setup for underwater photography, and came across a pretty good deal on a lightly used Canon 700D and a 40m housing(under 400 USD all in). How does this camera hold up in 2022? I am a novice when it comes to photography and have never shot underwater. I would like to get more into photography and I think a DSLR + housing would be a better path than say a nikon coolpix w300 point and shoot. I would like to put it on a tray with some lights and maybe a new insta360 cam mounted on the top. Any feedback on the 700D as a dive camera/beginner camera would be awesome!

 

[weeksd]

I have shot with a nikon d60 which is 10.2 megapixel and never needed to upgrade. Great photos from the camera. Camera is mainly the storage device. A very sharp lens is critical. Good strobes are needed. To see what a 10.2 megapixel camera does.

Red Sea - reefscenics

This photo hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

reefscenics.smugmug.com

 

[mjrascoe]

I have shot with a nikon d60 which is 10.2 megapixel and never needed to upgrade. Great photos from the camera. Camera is mainly the storage device. A very sharp lens is critical. Good strobes are needed. To see what a 10.2 megapixel camera does.

Red Sea - reefscenics

This photo hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

reefscenics.smugmug.com

Beautiful pictures mate, thank you for sharing, I can't believe that's with 10.2 mp. I think I will go ahead and pull the trigger on the 700D and housing. What lens and strobes are you using?

 

[weeksd]

Nikon 16-85 lens I shoot subjects from 1/2 inch to a mild wide angle using the one lens. Ikelite. AI. Strobe. It's a strobe from film photo era. Powerful but with digital cameras I shoot full manual. No ttl

 

[mjrascoe]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. So far I have moved forward with a Canon 700D/Rebel T5i with the EF-S 18-55mm Kit lens and an EF 50mm. I am using a Meikon housing, but have yet to get a tray and strobes yet. I took it down for a test dive the other day with the 50mm and only managed to get a couple decent shots. Will go out again today and try to buy a tray and lights and go for another dive.

 

[addohm]

What would you recommend for cave, lens-wise? Wouldn't be much of anything close-up. I too fell into a great deal on a rebel t5i and want to capitolize on it. It's been a dream of mine to bring cave diving more to the forefront of diving by sharing the wonder and beauty of it. I've got tg-6 but regret ever having bought it as modern cell phones take better photo\video

 

[weeksd]

wide angle lens for caves and multiple video lights. A lot of cave shots have lights placed around the cave to highlight formations.