In the market to purchase a new camera

[nusspli]

I currently have a CanonG3, and was looking into buying a housing and UW setup for it. I went to the SeaRovers Show in Boston and one of the vendors had a housing there for $500. I told him that I had only seen one housing available for it from Ikelite. He said he wouldn't recommend it. (But of course he wouldn't!) This housing that he showed me looked as if it was made of sheet metal from someones cellar.

So instead of spending twice as much money as I paid for the camer on just the housing (Ikelite price was about $900 the last time I checked) I am looking to purchase a new digitial camera, and have seen many positive threads about how wonderful the Olympus C5050 is. Does anyone have anything negative to say about this camera?

Also, what is the difference between standard digital cameras and an SLR? I would really like to buy a camera that I will be able to take professional-quality photos with. The budget, however, is the limiting factor, but I don't want to buy something that has mediocre performance if I can spend a little more on something really nice. A few thousand is probably my limit right now.

Thanks,
Jessica

 

[Gilligan]

Aloha Jessica,
A few thousand dollars buys a lot of camera and housing.
Your question is difficult to answer as it takes in a wide spectrum of cameras and housings.
SLR is a single lens reflex camera and is a higher end camera than the standard viewfinder cameras. SLR is a through the lens system. The cameras alone are around a thousand dollars, then add the cost of a housing. I think you will be spending slightly over two thousand.
Ikelite makes great housings and yes they are expensive compared to prosumer housings like Canon, Olympus and Nikon. The Ikelite housing is rated to at least twice the depth of the prosumer ones.
Professional quality photos = additional gear like strobes, wide angle lens etc. And that translates to more money.
The Oly 5050 is a great camera and the Oly housing is fine unless you plan on going deeper than 40 meters.
You can't compare SLR digital cameras to the others as they are apples and oranges as respects prices alone. The purchase of a high end SLR camera will require you to buy a high end housing as well. Add a strobe or two with a tray and arm system along with a wide angle lens and you are in the 4k price range.

 

[nusspli]

Aloha, ....I would love to be in Hawaii right now....

Basically I am looking for a camera that I that can take high quality photos with. I would like to be able to make poster size photos with the intent on selling them somewhere in the future. I would also love to dabble on photojournalism and d try to submit some photos to local magazines, and I don't think my current UW camera (MX-10) will cut it. Although I have gotten a few really great photos with it.

 

[ScubaRon]

Aloha, ....I would love to be in Hawaii right now....

Basically I am looking for a camera that I that can take high quality photos with. I would like to be able to make poster size photos with the intent on selling them somewhere in the future. I would also love to dabble on photojournalism and d try to submit some photos to local magazines, and I don't think my current UW camera (MX-10) will cut it. Although I have gotten a few really great photos with it.

It is my understanding that magazines require digital photo's to be at least 300 dpi, which means you need a 6+ MP camera.

In you case you may want to consider the Olympus C-8080 ($999). The housing is due next month and should go for under $300. Add a strobe and a WAL and you're probably talking about $2,500.

 

[clive francis]

It is my understanding that magazines require digital photo's to be at least 300 dpi, which means you need a 6+ MP camera.

In you case you may want to consider the Olympus C-8080 ($999). The housing is due next month and should go for under $300. Add a strobe and a WAL and you're probably talking about $2,500.

scubaron are you getting commission on the c8080?

how does the lens work on this, is it the same as the 5060?

if so you have no choice but to buy the WAL from Oly and get the attachment from oly for the housing as well.

no one has seen this camera yet.

the jury is still out on the 5060 because oly moved away from the lens on the 5050.

the 8080 lens is another move again.

my advice would be to pick up a second hand 5050 and housing, practice then goe DSLR

 

[Gilligan]

Jessica, based on your second post re photojournalism etc. I think you will need to go the DSLR route. I don't know how much expertise you have in photography but their is a learning curve on underwater photography which of course is shortened if one is already photography educated.
I tend to agree with clive francis' post re an oly 5050 in a PT-015 housing as a starter, but if you have the bucks then jump right into a high end DSLR setup. Just do your homework on which one to get. Remember digital cameras are like computers, they are somewhat obsolete soon after their release as a "better" model is in the works.