Olympus TG-6 or housing for DSLR

[Traveling nomad]

Hi Everyone

I'm currently using a GoPro for my underwater photography and I am looking to upgrade.

Above the waterline I am using a Canon 5d Mark 3 and I already have a wide array of L lenses.

Now I am a bit hesitant on which way I should go.
Should I invest in a housing for my DSLR or should I just get the Olympus TG-6.
The Olympus will work out a bit cheaper then buying a housing, plus the gf could use the compact camera when we are not diving. Or should I just bite the bullet and get the DSLR housing, what would you recommend and why?

 

[Lewis88]

Budget?

 

[Chris Ross]

Just because you have a particular camera does not make it the best option to take UW. The price difference between a DSLR housing and a TG-6 is generally quite big particularly once you take into account domes, zoom gears, strobes etc. I shoot Canon on land and I came to the conclusion my best option was to go with an Olympus m43 system. I went with Nauticam, I could buy the housing, the camera & lens for the price of the Nauticam DSLR housing. The housings for DSLRs and their domes are quite big so travel is an issue. Carry on is an option for a full m43 system but a real challenge or impossible for DSLR depending on how stringent the airlines are. m43 can use significantly smaller domes and their lenses are much smaller and cheaper than full frame counterparts.

 

[stuartv]

If you don't know whether you should go with a TG-6 or a full-frame DSLR, you should probably go with the TG-6.

Also, there is no way I personally would invest the money in a housing, lens ports, etc., to outfit a 7 year old (technology) DSLR for underwater use. You could probably spend less than half the money needed, get a new m43 or APS-C camera and the housing, lens ports, etc., for the money you'd spend on that - AND get better images. Camera tech has come a long way in the last 7 years. And it's not just what lens you use that matters. It's the combo of lens and port/dome. So, your L glass may or may not be what you'd actually use in the water. The best wide angle setup I know of is the Nauticam WACP and that works with the (cheap) kit lens (at least, for the Sony full frame cameras). Though that stands to possibly change with the announcement of the WACP2.

Or you could buy a new FF Canon body that will use the L glass that you already have, then buy a housing, lens ports, etc., for that. Time for a 5D Mk IV, perhaps?

To ME, housings for full-frame cameras as just too darned expensive, even for older models, to invest that much money in a housing for an older model - IF you can even find one. Unless you can find a used housing for your camera, for cheap. But, even used housings (in the name brands, anyway) seem to hold their value, so I think you'd be very lucky indeed to find a top shelf brand housing for that 5D III for cheap. Maybe, though.