Looking for new camera opinions

[ScubaSki_Nomad]

Hi all, new to ScubaBoard. I'm looking to change cameras. I'd been using my Nikonis
IV-A since (dare I say it) the mid 1980's when the strobe finally sucumbed to stress fractures and flooded on a Bonaire dive about 3 years ago. I was given a Sea&Sea
750G by my folks right afterward, used it on my next Bonaire dive, took a class for it, but was not impressed compared to my old setup for color and light but loved the video ability. It did have the smallest strobe available for it though so I went to my local dive shop looking to upgrade the strobe and saw the SeaLife DC1000 and am seriously leaning toward it. Guesss my real question is if all digitals are 'just like that' until you get really expensive and I should stick with 35 mm or does digital vary much - I've noticed real differences between my Olympus and my mother's Kodak depending on conditions. Any opinions would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[divengolf]

FWIW I've used a couple Sealife camera, DC500 & DC800. Good basic UW cameras, but after your old Nikonos, I don't think that you'll be happy with them. Assuming that you don't want to spend $$$ for an SLR rig, I'd suggest either the Canon G9 or G10 or the Nikon P6000. These Point & Shoots give you full manual control which most P&S do not. I feel manual control is essential for good UW photo. There may be a few others. Read the reviews on wetpixel.com, digideep.com and on SB.

Ikelite makes good housings that have TTL for both cameras. The G9 is the earlier generation, so you may be able to find a good deal. Canon also makes housings for their cameras, but theremay be some limitations. Check the reviews carefully.

I'm using a Nikon P5100, Ike housing and two Ike strobes and am quite happy with it for the price.

 

[alcina]

Welcome to the wonderful world of trying to choose! And, no, they aren't all the same

My personal preference is the Canon A series range - they are available in a wide range of budgets and they simply work. They allow full manual control as well as offering a nice variety of "auto" modes. I use them in Canon housings and love 'em.

The Canon G9 or G10 are excellent options, too.

There are a ton of choices out there, so have a little look around this forum as quite a few people are out there looking and each thread may have a little more information that is useful to you.

 

[gustele]

I used a Nikonos V since the early 90-s till it flooded a few years ago. Then I got a Sealife DC500 and although I had not as much control over the picture as with the Nikonos I was quite pleased with the pictures. So my guess is that you will not be disappointed by the Sealife DC1000. Currently I am using the Sea&Sea DX-1G with a TTL-strobe (YS-110). It took me some months before I started to appreciate this camera. There is one serious handicap and that is the LCD-panel that is far too dark in manual mode but otherwise I am certainly as happy with the results as with the Nikonos V. This camera with a good strobe is probably more expensive than the Sealife DC1000 with strobe so a lot depends on how much you want to spend.
Check the favorites section on my website for pictures made with both cameras (DC500 and DX-1G). Unfortunately there is no information on the website which camera is used for which picture; if you want to know this for some specific pictures just ask. There is not much difference in visible quality; the main difference is in number of pixels, but that is not visible in a web picture.

 

[ScubaSki_Nomad]

Thanks for all the great info, gives me hope for going digital after more investigation. I do love being able to delete, almost unlimited 'film' and not opening up the camera to find the film never advanced when loading! Thanks again, Happy Diving!