Olympus or Canon???

[shugar]

this is probably another dead horse but sue me, i don't want to do a search - too many hits hahahahaha

anyway: i just sold my pixtreme camera and am looking to get a decent u/w still cam system

no big budgets here! no ikelite or gates housing or whatnots... i'm looking to getting a stock housing from the manufacturer (canon for canon and oly for oly)

so: what's good for me? i want good quality, good response times, CCD imaging chips, very good for both surface and u/w use and NOT expensive

what's the advantage of one brand over the other?

i haven't decided if i want to do macro or big-fish scenes... so far i do both, whatever tickles my fancy or eye... so good macro capabilities + good wide shots is a bonus

will appreciate any input thanks!

Jag

 

[aabond]

I just picked up a new canon s70 for $230 off of ebay after hearing good reviews from other members on this board. I have yet to get the housing but, they have them for $169 on ebay brand new. So for $400 you have a 7.1 mp wide angle camera with good optical zoom for land pictures.

 

[Jim Ernst]

this is probably another dead horse but sue me, i don't want to do a search - too many hits hahahahaha

anyway: i just sold my pixtreme camera and am looking to get a decent u/w still cam system

no big budgets here! no ikelite or gates housing or whatnots... i'm looking to getting a stock housing from the manufacturer (canon for canon and oly for oly)

so: what's good for me? i want good quality, good response times, CCD imaging chips, very good for both surface and u/w use and NOT expensive

what's the advantage of one brand over the other?

i haven't decided if i want to do macro or big-fish scenes... so far i do both, whatever tickles my fancy or eye... so good macro capabilities + good wide shots is a bonus

will appreciate any input thanks!

Jag

jag, i am canon all of the way, BUT i think if i were you i would look at the track record of the housings all of the way, i have a friend that had a horr story of a time with the oly housing, and upon a very intense investigation she found that the oly housing had a bad track record, the canon so i am told has a good one, this is all second hand info on the canon, i use a canon ps-pro-1 camera and a ike-lite housing and ike strobe, so this is just my 2 1/2 cents worth, look into the housings!!

 

[Jamdiver]

Check out my thread here shugar, noting my experiences with my A610 + housing....
Granted I haven't dived with it yet, but based on the views around the net it's a solid piece of kit.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=122612

 

[modivin]

I'm also pro-Canon and recently got an A95 with a Canon housing (both for under $400) and love them both. Great shots above and below the surface. I'm not sure about other A series, but the 95 has an underwater mode for light adjustments as well as other custom features. A great camera for the money I think. Housing is very easy to use after a little practice too.

 

[alcina]

Both have some good options.

Make sure that what you choose allows you to add lenses later - macro and WA. Most of the Canons do - there is some concern over the new Canon A620 housing as it has an oval port and AFAIK there is no adaptor...yet!

The new Canons have the new Digitec II processor (did I get that right?) and it's considerably faster.

Compare side by side cameras at www.dpreview.com

 

[Jim Ernst]

looks like canon reputation says it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol canon all of the way

 

[midwestdvr]

Canon a610 (5.1 mp) is cheaper than a620 (7.1 mp) but has the same bells and whistles. If price is a concern, get the a610. Word of caution, no lens adapter as of yet for the a610/a620 housing so if you go with this set-up and decide you do need add-on lenses, you may have to buck up more money to get a housing that does accept lenses (inon.....please make an adapter....pretty please).