Olympus stylus tough 6000 + Ikelite housing or something else

[giggity]

I already own a olympus stylus tough 6000, and I am thinking about getting a Ikelite 6230.60 underwater housing for it. I can get the housing for around $250, and since I already own the camera it seems like it would be the cheapest way to get into underwater photography. The camera takes ok pics, nothing great but not bad. My dad has a cannon g10 and wp-dc28 housing, I like that setup and was thinking about getting that same setup but buying the camera and the housing would add up to a lot more money. On top of the money the wp-dc28 housing is only rated to a depth of 130' and the Ikelite is rated to 200'. I don't think I will be doing many dives to below 130' but maybe a little below that depth or at least to that depth and I don't know if I would want to take a housing all the way to its rated depth. What do you guys think would be my best choice also open to other suggestions, but I don't have a ton of money to spend on a underwater camera setup. I will mostlly just be doing point and shoot pics, at some point I might look into strobes, but I don't have the money at this point.

 

[Gilligan]

Answer = get something else.

1. No "custom" white balance so all you can do with non-strobe shots is take "blue" photos unless you add a "Magic Filter" (external preferred) to the housing. The Olympus housing is all you need for that camera.
2. No manual controls such as Tv, Av or Manual. Not a good choice for an underwater camera without those capabilities.
3. No RAW which is a must for non-strobe shots so that you can adjust the white balance in post-processing. Wiith custom white balance you can at least calibrate the white balance off a white slate underwater. That camera can't do either.

IMO it is a poor choice for an underwater camera.

 

[TSandM]

I think it really depends on what you want to do. I have a 6020, and I've taken some fairly acceptable images of macro subjects with it. It's small, even with the housing, and I like the fact that if the housing gets a little wet, the camera doesn't die.

But I'll be honest and say that, even in my hands (and I'm not much of a photographer) my husband's EPL1 takes MUCH better pictures, which is why I'm selling my other camera.

It's a very low cost option for you, just to house the camera you have, and that way, you can see if you enjoy taking underwater pictures. And if all you want is to bring back images of critters you see, it may suffice. Otherwise, you'll be upgrading at some point. But it's taken me about three years to get annoyed enough to want a bigger and more expensive and complicated camera.

 

[giggity]

One of the main reasons I asked the question is the cost aspect of it, I do realize it probably isn't the ideal camera, but in my price range ~$350, is seems like a decent solution. I also do like the fact that I don't have to worry about a small leak in the housing. Will there be much in the ~$350 price range that will be better?

 

[Gilligan]

One of the main reasons I asked the question is the cost aspect of it, I do realize it probably isn't the ideal camera, but in my price range ~$350, is seems like a decent solution. I also do like the fact that I don't have to worry about a small leak in the housing. Will there be much in the ~$350 price range that will be better?

Canon S95 $320. + Canon WP-DC38 housing $220. = $570. at Amazon.com.
Way better choice. You won't find much, if anything, for $350.

 

[cardog]

Canon S95 $320. + Canon WP-DC38 housing $220. = $570. at Amazon.com.
Way better choice. You won't find much, if anything, for $350.

Or 540.00............ (-:

 

[giggity]

If I am going to spend that much money, why not get the g10? I can get the camera used and the housing and spend the same or a little less money, and the g10 seems like a better camera to me...

 

[giggity]

Doing more reading the s95 seems like a good camera. I think I am going to go for one of those cameras instead of the housing for my stylus tough. I have posted a new thread on the canon forum, to decide which one of those to get. Thanks for the help.

 

[Gilligan]

Or 540.00............ (-:

I'm old and I can't add.

 

[Cecil]

I have the T600 and Olympus housing and have been using it for the last couple of years. Lack of manual controls does suck but you can fool the camera. It also has what they call sceen mode where it does a pretty good job on the white balance. The below link is some shots from the Bahamas.

BonaireTalk