Please help me decide S95 or G12

[bowlofpetunias]

I have been reading everything I can on the S95 and G12. I am getting closer to being bald

than I am to a final decision

I have been getting some reasonable shots with my old Sony P93. Most of my shots are on Manual setting. Unfortunately the options for the Manual setting are very limited. I do not have a strobe and am unlikely to get one due to physical limitations. Time to upgrade after 6 years

I want a camera that allows me to grow. I want to get better shots but I do not want to spend my dive messing with a camera either! My shots are for my own enjoyment and to share with friends. I want to be able to "revert to Auto Mode". I also want to be able to take video.

Most of my dives are local shore dives. Most of the time there is a fair amount of particulate. Due to conditions and the variety of interesting Macro life a lot of my shots are macro. I would like the option of wide angle when we go away on dive trips.

I have seen too many people grinding their teeth about missing a shot because they have the wrong lens on so I want to have something that can take wet lenses. The particulate and poor viz and the fact that I can not carry a large setup mean I will always have to use processing to get rid of some backscatter.

I have looked at both cameras and I have a few questions.

The pop up flash on the S95. The location of it makes me wonder if the attachment of lenses will create a shadow making a strobe a necessity. I really want to avoid a strobe. I like the size ..being able to "stow" the camera for tricky entry/exits.

To change settings underwater with the G12 if you can't use the front wheel... you need to go through the menu system. My eyesight isn't what it used to be but the screen is much bigger with bigger symbols than my P93. How difficult/easy are people finding this to manage. How much bigger is the G12 in housing than the S95 in housing?

My plan is to get the camera and macro lens and either purchase or rent the wide angle when we go away or local conditions clear raying:up making wide angle a possibility.

There seem to be a lot of very knowledgeable Cannon owners here and I would appreciate it if you could help me make up my mind:blinking:

 

[HerraduraDivers]

How much do you wanna spend for your G12/S95 setup?

Chris

 

[Randy43068]

I just got the G12. An award winning photographer working for the Toledo Blade suggested the
G12 so that's what I got. He uses it on the job, too.

 

[Gilligan]

I have a G10 and G12. I also used a borrowed S90. All take great photos.

You stated; I want to be able to "revert to Auto Mode".
That defeats the purpose of having a G12 or S95 as they have RAW mode and that takes the best photos, especially on non-strobe shots. Using "auto" mode takes the least quality photos compared to the Tv, Av and M modes.

You mentioned the option of a wide angle add-on lens. That rules out the Canon housing as it has an oval port and the adapter is not as good of a choice as getting an Ikelite or FIX housing that can more easily, and better, accept wet mount lenses (also more money).

The attachment of wet amount wide angle lens will block the internal strobe on any of the housings. A slave strobe will be required except for non-strobe shots.

Changing manual settings on the G12 in a Canon housing requires pushing two of the buttons on the rear of the housing at the same time as it did with the G10 and G11. I do it and find it to be no problem. Others do find it an issue so they buy the Ikelite or other higher end housing that has the rear dial. I don't know if any of the manufacturers have made a housing with the front dial on the G12. The Canon housing for the G12 is the same one as for the G11.

The Canon housing for the S95 does not have a rear dial control and neither does the Ikelite housing. The FIX housing does.

You mentioned the use of a wet mount macro lens. You cannot get up very close with either a G12 or an S95 using the internal strobe with or without a macro lens as the Canon housing lens tunnel partially blocks the strobe. Other housings will do the same. An external strobe is required. The G12 has more zoom than the S95 and therefore has a longer lens tunnel as shown below (G10 and S90 housings are the same size as the G12 and S95).
The S95 is better suited for internal strobe use as you can see by the length of the lens tunnels on both housings. You can compensate with the G12 by backing away from the subject and using the zoom for a macro shot or place the subject in the upper left portion of the photo which has the most light then crop it in post processing. Better solution = get a slave strobe.

Both the G12 and the S95 have HD video.

 

[Jax]

Hey, 'tunia, did you look at the G10? You can buy one used, saving $$$$, and you can use the Canon housing. Puffer Fish recommended mine, and I love it to pieces!

 

[PatW]

Well, the G12 is better at Macro and it is better with an external strobe. On the minuses, it is larger and takes a more expensive houring than the S95. If you want to get wet macro lenses, you have to use a non canon housing (or so I understand).

The thing about macro capability that is good is two fold, there are far more weird and wonderful small critters than big ones so you have a much larger selection of subjects if you go macro and many of these small critters are perfectly content to just sit there while you monkey around with angles and take extra "insurance" shots and the like. So being able to shoot macro opens up a bigger world to you.

Another thing, I will echo Gilligan, shooting in RAW is very helpful. RAW gives you a number of important abilities: you can adjust White balance without penalty in post processing; you can reclaim far more detail from shadows and highlights than JPG; finally you can adjust the exposure some with good results. Underwater is a challenging environment for photography and every little edge you can get is worth taking. RAW is far more than a "little" edge.

So I would suggest the G12. But what you "should" take should really be determined by the kind of shooting you are going to do, the kind of photos you want to get and how much patience you have in dealing with photographic issues. If you just do not want to fool with the extras and increased complexity of the G12 system, then go S95.

Pat

 

[Gilligan]

Hey, 'tunia, did you look at the G10? You can buy one used, saving $$$$, and you can use the Canon housing.

The close-up macro issues with the on-board strobe are the same for the G10, G11 and G12 as the housings are the same size.

A used G10 may run in the same price range as a new G12. The G12 has HD video and a vari-angle screen which is very handy for topside use.

IMO it is better to buy the latest technology and that is why I bought a G12 as a second/backup camera instead of a used G10 even though it required me to buy another Canon housing.

 

[Gilligan]

BrianM of WETPIXEL added a 67MM adapter to the existing screws on the housing port glass ring, a wet mount lens caddy and a reflector to better utilize the on-board strobe for closer macro shots. It is a WP-DC21 housing for a G9.

Now that is a very creative and compact setup.

 

[Randy43068]

Hey, 'tunia, did you look at the G10? You can buy one used, saving $$$$, and you can use the Canon housing. Puffer Fish recommended mine, and I love it to pieces!

Hey, you butt out.

 

[Randy43068]

In posts 4&8, who makes the housings shown?