G9 still relevant

[grantmac]

I'm looking to go from my current phone in housing with diopter and video light setup to something that I can actually enlarge prints and be happy looking at them.
There is a G9 in a Nimar housing with a plethora of lenses available locally for a decent price. Is this still a good move? I should point out that I'm in the very dark PNW and would like to do some wider angle as well on reefs etc. Should I keep looking for a full frame to combat the dark? I do quite a lot of DPV assisted dives so going huge on my camera isn't likely unless it gets mounted for travel.

 

[Nemrod]

I still use my Canon S90 in a wonderfully tiny FIXS90 housing. It is still my fav camera of all time and that goes back to Nikonos film days. I have a newer Sony Alpha in a Nauticam which is a wonderful camera but believe it or not, the compacts can do things that mirrorless and dSLR cannot do, for example, strobe sync at 1/1000 seconds without resorting to power robbing HSS and high dollar so equipped strobes.

Yes, equipped with a water contact macro lens and a wide angle optic you can do a lot, you need good strobes too. The G9 has the same 1/1.7 high dynamic range (compared to similar and smaller sensor cameras) and it will provide excellent results.

This past weekend in the cement diving pond, my FIXS90 undergoing sea trials for the coming season and a few pics from Cozumel in 2019 (the screen shots were copied in 2021 )when the little FIXS90 was still my main camera.

 

[grantmac]

I'm taking about a Lumix G9, unsure if it's very similar to what you are describing?

 

[Nemrod]

I'm taking about a Lumix G9, unsure if it's very similar to what you are describing?

No, it is not, I was thinking Canon G series cameras. The mirrorless Lumix G9 is from circa 2018? Really, it sort of depends on the price, condition and serviceability (parts support and seal kits etc. ) of the housing.

Not sure going to FF will solve the issue of darkness. Larger sensors need more strobe power. If you plan to do CFWA shots in dark water you are going to have to get some strobes to replace the video lights. Strobes are many times more powerful than a video light. And even then you will need a fisheye or wide angle lens or water contact wide angle lens so that you can get close, further than 3 or 4 feet and even strobes run out of power to illuminate a scene.