Help picking out a rig - specific criteria

[bsvihrajr]

I'm looking to really get into u/w photography. I have a Canon S230 and the WP-DC600 but since I can't put any lenses on it and the S230 is slooow I'm getting new gear.

I was looking at the Olympus 5060, but am not sure if that is what I need. Here's what I want to do:

1. I want to change shudder speeds so I can capture images faster, so I need a camera more like the 5060 and not my S230.
2. I want to have a strobe that I can use for macro and WA.
3. I want a housing that's reliable, possibly an Ikelite.
4. I want to be able to change lenses under water.
5. I won't spend over 2k.

Anyone have any ideas? I really want a solid affordable setup that I can take awesome pictures with but won't break the bank. Thanks.

 

[Dee]

Oly C-5050 and Oly PT-15 housing or 5060 and Oly PT-?? housing. Inon D-2000 strobe. ULCS digital tray, Locline arm or Fisheye tray that comes with Loc-line arm, S&S or Inon wide angle lens.

 

[Warren_L]

That's basically my setup - C5050, PT-015, Fisheye tray with ULCS arms, dual INON strobes, INON WAL and macro lenses. This was probably over $2K. But with only one strobe, you're probably pretty close to that $2K mark.

 

[bsvihrajr]

I heard the PT housings tend to leak and whatnot. Can I swap lenses under water with the Ikelite housing?

Also, what powers a 5050, regular batteries or a l-ion rechargable?

Would there be any reasons to get the 5050 rather than the 5060? Cna I still get a new 5050?

 

[bsvihrajr]

Oh, and I wanted TTL, forgot to mention that. So if I got the Ikelite housing and some Ikelite strobe, coudl I swap lenses?

 

[Dee]

I heard the PT housings tend to leak and whatnot. Can I swap lenses under water with the Ikelite housing?

Also, what powers a 5050, regular batteries or a l-ion rechargable?

Would there be any reasons to get the 5050 rather than the 5060? Cna I still get a new 5050?

All housing can leak. Most of the problems with the PT-15's was user error in seating the camera properly. It torques the mode dial shaft and allows some seapage. Care in loading the camera is a must. The Ikelites don't have that problem.

5050's use AA batteries. I use 2200NiMH rechargeables.

You may find a few new 5050's but most are refurbs from the factory. Nothing wrong with them, they carry a full Oly warranty if refurbed by Oly.

Oh, and I wanted TTL, forgot to mention that. So if I got the Ikelite housing and some Ikelite strobe, coudl I swap lenses?

Yes, you can swap lenses with an Ike housing.

 

[Warren_L]

I heard the PT housings tend to leak and whatnot. Can I swap lenses under water with the Ikelite housing?

Also, what powers a 5050, regular batteries or a l-ion rechargable?

Would there be any reasons to get the 5050 rather than the 5060? Cna I still get a new 5050?

This may answer a lot of your questions: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=63109

The 5050 uses 4 AA batteries. I just picked up a couple of set of 2500 mAH AAs which seem to last forever. As for the housing, I've been meticulous about loading my camera (which doesn't mean it can't happen), but so far no problems.

 

[Dee]

Warren...where did you get the 2500's? What brand?

 

[RonFrank]

It's a couple hundred more than the 5060, but it's faster, has MUCH better optics, and has higher resolution and better image quality based on the reports.

The 8080 has a lens with the same design as the Olympus SLR's.

It is however a bigger camera vs. the 5060, and the camera will run a couple hundred more than the 5060, and the OLY housing is about $100 more as well. I have not priced the Ikelite housing.

IMO however, buy once. If I were spending 2K, I'd seriously look at the Nikon D70, but that is going to put you beyond 2K with a strobe. But SLR's are MUCH better shooting camera's vs. the PnS digital cousins. They are also MUCH more expensive, and much larger as well.

Ron

I'm looking to really get into u/w photography. I have a Canon S230 and the WP-DC600 but since I can't put any lenses on it and the S230 is slooow I'm getting new gear.

I was looking at the Olympus 5060, but am not sure if that is what I need. Here's what I want to do:

1. I want to change shudder speeds so I can capture images faster, so I need a camera more like the 5060 and not my S230.
2. I want to have a strobe that I can use for macro and WA.
3. I want a housing that's reliable, possibly an Ikelite.
4. I want to be able to change lenses under water.
5. I won't spend over 2k.

Anyone have any ideas? I really want a solid affordable setup that I can take awesome pictures with but won't break the bank. Thanks.

 

[RonFrank]

Oly just announced the C-7070 which is a 7mpix 5060. The 5060 is basically an update on the 5mpix 5050 which is a couple years old. The 7070 has some intresting features like predict AF which may be nice UW, but only time will tell. It also has a different housing vs. the 5060. The 7070 will be available in Feb...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0501/05010504oly_c7070wz.asp

Once you invest in a camera housing like the Ikelite, you are rather stuck with the model of camera that the housing fits. This is not necessarily bad as the 5050/5060 cameras take good photo's, and that is NOT changed by new models. However the 5060 is on the way out. The 8080 is currently technology, and IMO if you going to invest in a system with a housing, you may want to get a more current model as you will be stuck based on the housing with THAT model. The 5050 is discontinued, the 5060 will be available new for a bit longer, but not much.

Ron

It's a couple hundred more than the 5060, but it's faster, has MUCH better optics, and has higher resolution and better image quality based on the reports.

The 8080 has a lens with the same design as the Olympus SLR's.

It is however a bigger camera vs. the 5060, and the camera will run a couple hundred more than the 5060, and the OLY housing is about $100 more as well. I have not priced the Ikelite housing.

IMO however, buy once. If I were spending 2K, I'd seriously look at the Nikon D70, but that is going to put you beyond 2K with a strobe. But SLR's are MUCH better shooting camera's vs. the PnS digital cousins. They are also MUCH more expensive, and much larger as well.

Ron