SFLDiver3445
Contributor
I'm a pretty active diver, so I've been considering upgrading my camera setup and getting a new camera/housing/lenses to replace my existing point & shoot and to use with my existing dual Inon Z-240 Strobes. I'm currently using a Sony Cybershot Camera, with the Z-240 strobes connected via optical cables, and several Inon wet lenses (i.e., 2 close-up, 1 wide angle and 1 fisheye lens), which I can switch underwater - I love that! Here's a picture of my current setup:
There's also few of my recent photos within my Scubaboard Gallery at:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/85531
I've considered going the route of an slr (Canon XTI or new XSI), but each time I crunch the numbers to see how much I would have to spend to get everything I would need/want (i.e., camera, housing, optical viewfinder, close-up & wide angle lenses, close-up and wide angle dome ports, sync cords, spare batteries, etc.), the sum total makes me second think my decision, especially since I'm currently shooting lots of pictures with my small system and am not overly disappointed with the results, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. However, with that in mind, my system has SEVERE limitations (i.e., housing offers no underwater manual setting controls & housing depth limitation is offically 132', even though I've already taken it to 200'), so I do need to eventually upgrade.
One option is to go the route getting the Canon G9, which is not an slr, but it does appear to be the next best thing. I've also recently become aware of the fact that Patima makes a hardcore housing for the G9, that would allow me to dive to the 100 meter range, which would be perfect because I do often enjoy deeper technical diving on my closed-circuit rebreather.
The G9 does present a few limitations in my scenario, as I would not be able to connect the strobes via the bulkhead and use the ttl on my strobes. I realize I can use optical cables and get the ttl that way, but then my camera is firing its flash each time and limiting the battery life. Also, the wet lenses compatible with the Patima ports are identical to the ones I currently own, except it requires a different connection (67mm threads as opposed to the Inon AD Mount) and an adapter doesn't seem to exist, so I would have to buy several new wet lenses for the new setup, which is doable.
So my questions are directed to the experienced photography crowd and to anybody with practical experience with the G9 and/or the Patima Housing:
*How good is the G9 compared to a basic SLR, such as the Canon XTI or XSI?
*What limitations does the G9 have that I may not have considered?
*How long will the G9 battery reasonably last when it is set on forced flash, as would be the case when using optical cables (my Sony's battery currently gives me approximately 230 to 250 shots)?
*Does the Patima Housing have any disadvantages, other than some feel at though the latches are not exactly ergonamically positioned?
*Are there any other camera/housing combinations, with at least similar capabilities and price point to the G9, that I should be considering when making this decision?
Any feedback that would assist me in making this decision would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Adrian
There's also few of my recent photos within my Scubaboard Gallery at:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/85531
I've considered going the route of an slr (Canon XTI or new XSI), but each time I crunch the numbers to see how much I would have to spend to get everything I would need/want (i.e., camera, housing, optical viewfinder, close-up & wide angle lenses, close-up and wide angle dome ports, sync cords, spare batteries, etc.), the sum total makes me second think my decision, especially since I'm currently shooting lots of pictures with my small system and am not overly disappointed with the results, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. However, with that in mind, my system has SEVERE limitations (i.e., housing offers no underwater manual setting controls & housing depth limitation is offically 132', even though I've already taken it to 200'), so I do need to eventually upgrade.
One option is to go the route getting the Canon G9, which is not an slr, but it does appear to be the next best thing. I've also recently become aware of the fact that Patima makes a hardcore housing for the G9, that would allow me to dive to the 100 meter range, which would be perfect because I do often enjoy deeper technical diving on my closed-circuit rebreather.
The G9 does present a few limitations in my scenario, as I would not be able to connect the strobes via the bulkhead and use the ttl on my strobes. I realize I can use optical cables and get the ttl that way, but then my camera is firing its flash each time and limiting the battery life. Also, the wet lenses compatible with the Patima ports are identical to the ones I currently own, except it requires a different connection (67mm threads as opposed to the Inon AD Mount) and an adapter doesn't seem to exist, so I would have to buy several new wet lenses for the new setup, which is doable.
So my questions are directed to the experienced photography crowd and to anybody with practical experience with the G9 and/or the Patima Housing:
*How good is the G9 compared to a basic SLR, such as the Canon XTI or XSI?
*What limitations does the G9 have that I may not have considered?
*How long will the G9 battery reasonably last when it is set on forced flash, as would be the case when using optical cables (my Sony's battery currently gives me approximately 230 to 250 shots)?
*Does the Patima Housing have any disadvantages, other than some feel at though the latches are not exactly ergonamically positioned?
*Are there any other camera/housing combinations, with at least similar capabilities and price point to the G9, that I should be considering when making this decision?
Any feedback that would assist me in making this decision would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Adrian
The Ikelite housing is rated @ 200 feet, and is TTL compatible with Ike strobes which I also can recommend. The autofocus is not as fast as SLR, but still pretty good, and you can shoot macro, wide angle and movies on the same dive, composing thru the nice 3 inch LCD instead of peering thru an SLR window. Here are some pics from my first dives in the kelp forest of SoCal.
