Is the G12 much more better than the P7000?

[Hollywoodivers]

Maybe I missed it, I did look again. Why is it that you want wide ? What exactly are you shooting that requires wide wide ?
I have shot wit the Sony Nex 5 in Nauticam with the fisheye ( wide wide) set up recently, Sometimes I find the superwide setup to be "unruly" I lack focus when I use it. and am then stuck using it. The G-12 users with Ikelite that I have encountered seem happy with :wide enough" and then have a blast shooting all the tiniest little critters. I am sure you have seen these online...great small stuff. If whale sharks are a frequent encounter GO Wide. A previous poster suggested the S95 and this another setup I have used recently in Ikelite and was quite happy...and for less than 1000.00 Use the 350 at Walmart for Gas ! 350 bucks in free gas now there is deal.

 

[95lsteg]

Maybe I missed it, I did look again. Why is it that you want wide ? What exactly are you shooting that requires wide wide ?

I live in Puerto Rico and I dive most of the time at the wall, so yes, theres almost always a big structure that I want in the composition of the shots. Most of the time we have a great visibility here and with w/a, I like how you can compose your shot with the subject in the front part, and including a lot of other interesting things in the background. I dont know much about photography, and correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt w/a more efficient, since you can get closer to the subject, giving more opportunity to the strobes to hit it, while keeping in the things you want in the background?

Here are some example shots. This are not mine. They are from a guy I dive with... wish I could take that kind of shots

 

[Nemrod]

Maybe I missed it, I did look again. Why is it that you want wide ? What exactly are you shooting that requires wide wide ?

1.Wide angle lenses are used not (just) to take photos of big things but to get close(ER) and still retain sufficient coverage to photograph a subject.

2. Another major benefit is that when using strobes you can remain close enough to actually obtain benefit from the strobes, which is usually no more than about 4 to 6 feet.

3. Related to 1 and 2, a wide angle lens reduces the amount of water between camera and subject thus increasing the color and contrast of the photo and also reducing the amount of debris (floaties).

4. Due to the physics involved, a camera lens underwater, through a flat port, has a magnification factor of 1.33X. Unless the lens is corrected for underwater use, Nikonos lenses, or has a dome port the difference in the refractive index of water and air is the root physical cause for the phenomena and can introduce other aberrations as well, be it an SLR or a P&S, most people find the aberrations caused by a 28mm or less focal length lens to be unsatisfactory without a dome port. More here:

http://scubageek.com/articles/wwwfeff.html

Wide angle is usually anything in the range of a 90 degree diagonal field of view or greater and while there is no rule book I am aware exactly many would consider ultra-wide angle to be anything over 130 degrees which generally entails a fisheye or semi fisheye, non-rectilinear lens. A wide angle lens, 90 to 110 degrees FOV underwater is the standard, not a luxury. Any camera system that is intended for underwater use cannot be taken seriously unless it can utilize a variety of lenses from macro to wide angle or even fisheye, it would be crippled without this versatility.

Let me ask this, why would you not want a camera that could go from macro to normal to wide angle to ultra wide angle (fisheye) on the same dive or dives without taking it apart or even far worse, not be able to due to the physical design and structure of the camera/housing?

N

 

[AlMitch]

The G12 is a great camera. If your choices are between the Nikon P7000 and G12, go for the G12 and get the standard Canon Housing. The G12 and Canon housing will run under $700 and will be a "good setup". You might want to add a strobe, well worth another $500 when you feel rich again.

I couldn't agree more.

I have the G11 and the Canon housing and am loving it. You WILL need to get a strobe. Firstly the housing actually blocks most of the cameras flash so you get a big shadow. Second... well the Canon's flash is tiny and is basically useless underwater, just like any point and shoots flash.

If you want an affordable system that produces AMAZING shots then this is it!

 

[95lsteg]

4. Due to the physics involved, a camera lens underwater, through a flat port, has a magnification factor of 1.33X. Unless the lens is corrected for underwater use, Nikonos lenses, or has a dome port the difference in the refractive index of water and air is the root physical cause for the phenomena and can introduce other aberrations as well, be it an SLR or a P&S, most people find the aberrations caused by a 28mm or less focal length lens to be unsatisfactory without a dome port. More here:

Effective Focal Length of a Lens and Plane Port
N

So, lets say I buy the s95 with the Canon Housing and then add the UWLH100-28LD... I would need to add the INON Dome Lens Unit (that is $385 more), so I dont get the aberrations mentioned above?

 

[Nemrod]

So, lets say I buy the s95 with the Canon Housing and then add the UWLH100-28LD... I would need to add the INON Dome Lens Unit (that is $385 more), so I dont get the aberrations mentioned above?

Not entirely because the wet lenses we are partly discussing here are intended for underwater use but yes, you can see corner softness in many of them. In practical use, non professional use, most people find the images acceptable but of course a critical review especially compared to a SLR with dome port, no contest. IMO, based on my use of various lenses both on a SLR and a 100 degree wet lens, the wet lens shows a similar FOV to a 20mm rectilinear lens behind a flat port with less corner softness and distortion. Put that 20mm SLR lens behind a dome though and the game is over.

You get what you pay for, the domes (for any lens including wet lenses) do reduce corner softness and increase color saturation and contrast and of course the field of view is dramatically increased, close focus is usually improved as well.

I did have an Ikelite W20 and sold it to get the Inon WAL100 and then when I installed the dome on it I wished I had not sold the Ikelite W20. The "100 degree" accessory wide angle lens is a useful beast IMO but if I could only have one and my choice was with the dome or without, I will want the dome.

The disadvantages of the dome are weight, size and cost, it is a truly useful addition to the lens and a serious improvement in overall IQ (my opinion). But yes, certainly you can do without as again, another opinion, the improvement over just the flat port and native lens with any 100 degree accessory lens is nearly an equal improvement as adding the dome to the accessory lens.

N

 

[95lsteg]

Ok... just one more question Nemrod...

I'm thinking of buying the S95, with the canon housing (remember that I'm on a tight budget), and add a w/a lens. Which w/a lens would you recomend? Will I be able to use it with the Recsea or Fix housing if I upgrade the housing in the future?
I ask you bec I know from your other posts that you have first hand experience with the diff lenses. I know that you dont like the canon housing, but I cant afford an $800 hoousing right now.

 

[Nemrod]

Ok... just one more question Nemrod...

I'm thinking of buying the S95, with the canon housing (remember that I'm on a tight budget), and add a w/a lens. Which w/a lens would you recomend? Will I be able to use it with the Recsea or Fix housing if I upgrade the housing in the future?
I ask you bec I know from your other posts that you have first hand experience with the diff lenses. I know that you dont like the canon housing, but I cant afford an $800 hoousing right now.

I have not used all of the lenses, I wish .

The lens that works with the Inon kit for the Canon DC35 housing is the Inon WAL100LD with or without the Dome II kit.

No, it will not work with the FIX95 housing and probably not with the Recsea95 unless a new adapter is manufactured to accept the lens in which case it would be superb, my opinion.

N

 

[PatW]

On land, I use a Nikon D300.

I decided to try my hand at underwater photography. I have a Canon G11. The G series seems to be the gold standard as far as compact cameras. The G11 is a very nice camera and does very well on top side photos also. My wife is a photographer also but there are times when she does not like to tote a big old heavy camera. I have convinced her to carry the Canon G11 in those circumstances.

Being an SLR photographer, I really like the G11. The controls are good and the camera has quite a bit of capability in a small package. It is not an SLR. It does not have those capabilities. But for anything short of a DLSR, it is as good as you are going to get.

 

[95lsteg]

I have not used all of the lenses, I wish .

The lens that works with the Inon kit for the Canon DC35 housing is the Inon WAL100LD with or without the Dome II kit.

No, it will not work with the FIX95 housing and probably not with the Recsea95 unless a new adapter is manufactured to accept the lens in which case it would be superb, my opinion.

N

:depressed: I was afraid that you were going to say exactly that one. Lens + mount + dome is like $900...
How does the dyron 15 mm compares? Lens + mount is like $400