help me decide, Canon or Sealife???

[rubicon000]

I just sold my Sea&Sea MX10 and I'm ready to jump into the digital world but the more I read and research the more confused I get. I narrowed my search to the following:

Canon SD 990 w/Ikelite housing
or
Sealife DC 800 with single strobe

If I go with the Canon, which strobe should I get ? single or double?
Any other ideas on combos or brand are welcome, keeping in mind that I have limited knowledge in U/W photography and a budget of approx. $1000. Sorry if this was asked before, I searched but didn't find my answers.

Thanks!!
JL

 

[FrankPro1]

If your budget is 1000 bucks I would go with what I have Canon G10 w/ Ikelite housing. Or if you want a strobe right away.. you can get the Canon G10 w/ Canon Housing and a modest strobe like the Ikelite AF35.

Here's a post where I was debating between the SeaLife DC1000 or the Sea & Sea DX1200HD: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/underwater-photography/274149-sealife-dc1000-sea-sea-1200hd.html

In the end I got the G10 because it has full manual controls and I wanted to step it up a notch from just auto P&S photography.

 

[adjuster-jd]

I too would recommend the Canon G10 due to the full manual (as well as auto) controls of the camera and 14 megapixels of imaging. The ikelite housing is about $600 which between camera and housing takes you to around $1000 right there.
By the way, Dell.com has about the best deal on the G10 and there is a 5% off coupon which can be found on the web to save an extra couple bucks. I just got one for about $380 and free shipping.

If you go with the Canon housing, you would not have true TTL to connect to a strobe and would need to use some kind of slave strobe - like an Inon D2000 or something else connected via fiber optic.
If you want full ttl, you'll need to use an Ikelite strobe like a DS51 with an Ikelite housing - will cost a little more but can be a little easier with the hard-wired TTL.
The sealife cameras are nice out of the box setups, but if you want to get more advanced into underwater photos, you may want somethink like the G10 to give you some more control over your shots.
Lots of options to consider.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Not a fair contest.. the G10, if used at iso 80 -100 can produce images of DSLR quality... not aware of any compact camera that is that close (perhaps the new Fuji... but I would still bet on the Canon).

Plus manual, plus raw, plus 28mm equavalance... plus a really, really close macro...

The trick is to keep the cost down.

The canon made case works.. but it is a single o-ring design...scary.

But for $1,000 you should be able to get a usable system.

 

[maged_mmh]

just to have latitude when your needs grow (and they will); save the time & money and get the Canon. All SeaLife owners I know sold their sets to "upgrade" to canon or Oly.

 

[RonFrank]

The downsides of the Canon is that it is more expensive, and it is larger vs. a LOT of cameras out there.

The upside is that while most PnS camera's on the market cater to the individual that wants NOTHING to do with understanding a camera, this camera offers the ONLY things that I feel are important in a camera.

Long before twelve different scene modes, and all the auto setting for the individual that does not want to bother to understand more than pushing a bottom, cameras had three basic controls, aperture, shutter, and ISO/ASA. With those three settings, one had unlimited control over the exposure. This is what we call manual mode today.

When shooing UW, and especially with a flash, one needs to control those three simple things, but most of todays PnS cameras don't offer that control. For that reason alone, I'd skip most PnS models out there.

 

[rubicon000]

Thanks for the great info, with the G10 would I need a strobe right away or I can take decent pictures with the build-in flash?
Also this info (below) was from another thread but nobody ever replied to it, is this something I should consider keeping in mind that I'm a total newbie in U/W photography?

''i personally am going with the DC 1000 because of reviews that i have read. the main things that attract me to it are the fact that (according to professional reviews) the sensor and chipset are specially calibrated for underwater light frequencies (which, to address another person's post, means that taking a regular above-ground camera and taking it underwater causes color imbalance problems to everyone except skilled pros. not to mention waterproof cases for said cameras do not allow them to go to near the depths that cameras built for underwater can go to). the other reason i like the DC 1000 is that it has GUI step-by-step during-dive setup instructions for adjusting color ratios. again, something that usually requires training to do. ''

 

[divengolf]

Thanks for the great info, with the G10 would I need a strobe right away or I can take decent pictures with the build-in flash?
Also this info (below) was from another thread but nobody ever replied to it, is this something I should consider keeping in mind that I'm a total newbie in U/W photography?

''i personally am going with the DC 1000 because of reviews that i have read. the main things that attract me to it are the fact that (according to professional reviews) the sensor and chipset are specially calibrated for underwater light frequencies (which, to address another person's post, means that taking a regular above-ground camera and taking it underwater causes color imbalance problems to everyone except skilled pros. not to mention waterproof cases for said cameras do not allow them to go to near the depths that cameras built for underwater can go to). the other reason i like the DC 1000 is that it has GUI step-by-step during-dive setup instructions for adjusting color ratios. again, something that usually requires training to do. ''

I started using Sealife cameras with their DC500 three + years ago. and then went to the DC800 which was not a good camera IMHO. I was never real pleased with the photos and have made the jump to a PnS (Nikon 5100) in an Ike housing with two strobes. And I've never regreted the move. Better control equals better pictures. Full manual control is essential for UW photogs. If you get the DC1000, I'd bet that you trade it for a better camera within a year. They just aren't that good.

Listen to the advice on the G10. Also find a way to afford the Ike housing. TTL is almost essential for good macro/closeup photos. Look at the thread running in Strobes/Lighting on TTL. Note the comments by Cathy Church on TTL.

 

[RonFrank]

the main things that attract me to it (DC1000) are the fact that (according to professional reviews) the sensor and chipset are specially calibrated for underwater light frequencies.

not to mention waterproof cases for said cameras do not allow them to go to near the depths that cameras built for underwater can go to).

Sealife is just a camera, and a housing. There is nothing magic about their sensor. It is likely manufactured by Canon, or Sony, or one of the FEW manufactures out there making sensors.

A waterproof case is just that. Most are rated to 200' which is deeper than most photographers will take a camera. The Sealife is rated to 200', so nothing special there. It has a single ORing which is not horrible, but nothing special.

IMO the Sealife is nothing radical with a 37mm (35mm EQ) lens as opposed to 28mm in many UW cameras (without adding adapters). It does not shoot RAW, and has no manual mode. What is to love about this camera as opposed to the rest out there? Seems somewhat unspectacular to me!

 

[FrankPro1]

1.Thanks for the great info, with the G10 would I need a strobe right away or I can take decent pictures with the built-in flash?


2. means that taking a regular above-ground camera and taking it underwater causes color imbalance problems to everyone except skilled pros.

3. not to mention waterproof cases for said cameras do not allow them to go to near the depths that cameras built for underwater can go to).

4.the other reason i like the DC 1000 is that it has GUI step-by-step during-dive setup instructions for adjusting color ratios. again, something that usually requires training to do. ''

1. The built in flash can be used to an extent with both the Ikelite housing and the Canon housing. But you do have to use the diffuser which is provided with both housings and there is a lens shadow at really close distances.

2. Hogwash, It takes one or two buttons to calibrate your custom white balance with most cameras.

3. Simply untrue, The Dc1000 and G10 with Ikelite housing can go to 200ft. A depth most people we never see.

4. The Color setup mode is just a different way to set your white balance. Something that can be done simply with most cameras.

Also, SeaLife uses Minox cameras for there systems. They are not the most well known brand, but they are from Germany and do have a decent reputation. A Dc1000 is simply a normal camera, uploaded with SeaLife's software. They are good cameras none the less, but they weren't specifically built from the ground up for underwater use.

If your completely inexperienced with underwater photography, you might want to look for something cheaper. Maybe in the 100-200 dollar range. Use a basic P&S camera which you can bang around, carry in your bc pocket and develop good buoyancy skills while shooting. When you feel your ready to spend a thousand bucks, then move over to something with a strobe and manual controls. Going all out on a 1000 dollar Sealife is going to suit your needs for the immediate term, but you'll learn later down the road that manual controls for any type of photography "underwater or not" are really essential to provide proper composition.