Please make my decision....

[wetpigeon]

So I am in graduate school, and have spent pretty much all of my savings on a study abroad trip to south africa. I leave next month. After telling my dad yesterday that I plan to use my iphone to take pics...... he decided to help out with buying a good camera. Obviously I need to choose a camera that I can dive with. (I have been kicking myself for leaving my dive camera in a bar during a college dive trip for the last 5 years. That was back when we were blowing bong hits into our bc....but that probably warrants a different forum)

I am been researching, but I do not have the time since papers and exams are now due being the end of summer semester.

I need a camera that I will not get bored with, but is sized reasonable. Also a good dive camera. I am thinking the g15, but I cant get myself to pull the trigger.

What would you ask for?

(ahhh first world problems )

 

[bvanant]

Depends on how much money your dad wants to spend. I personally would go the u4/3 route and right now you can get a epm-1 bundle (camera lens housing port) for $500. Killer deal at Bluewater Photo (and maybe others)

Bill

 

[Jax]

So I am in graduate school, and have spent pretty much all of my savings on a study abroad trip to south africa. I leave next month. After telling my dad yesterday that I plan to use my iphone to take pics...... he decided to help out with buying a good camera. Obviously I need to choose a camera that I can dive with. (I have been kicking myself for leaving my dive camera in a bar during a college dive trip for the last 5 years. That was back when we were blowing bong hits into our bc....but that probably warrants a different forum)

I am been researching, but I do not have the time since papers and exams are now due being the end of summer semester.

I need a camera that I will not get bored with, but is sized reasonable. Also a good dive camera. I am thinking the g15, but I cant get myself to pull the trigger.

What would you ask for?

(ahhh first world problems )

Nothing wrong with the G10, G11, or G12. . . . and you can get them reasonably on eBay.

 

[Interceptor121]

Sony rx100

 

[mjh]

As others have said budget is the deciding factor. Another consideration is do you want a camera that hangs around your neck or fits in your pocket? I have the Sony RX100, love it but for shooting wild life in Africa it will be limited. The PM1 is an excellent deal but you will need to spend more money on a lens for shooting animals.

Package deals for Pocket/Point and Shoot systems
System Packages :: Compact Systems -
The EPM1 Packages
Housings :: Mirrorless Housings :: Olympus Housings :: Olympus E-PM1 Camera + Housing + Gear Bundle -
System Packages :: Mirrorless Systems :: Optical Ocean Olympus/Sea & Sea PT-EP06 (E-PM1) Special Package -
Not a great lens but for Africa it would be nice to have
M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 - PEN and OM-D - Lenses | Olympus

 

[TotDoc]

mjh has hit the nail on the head there. I agree the e-pm1 package is a great value, and the interchangeable lenses really leave you with room to grow with regards to what you can do with the camera. Also, if you outgrow the camera, you could get a more feature packed micro 4/3 system down the road and still use whatever lenses you had accumulated. If you are looking for a point and shoot with some really nice underwater performance, however, the Sony rx100 is getting some really good reviews, and it will be much more pocketable than the interchangeable lens cameras. I used to love having a small pocket camera that I could also take diving, but I eventually got frustrated with the limitations that come from having a pocket camera as my only underwater option. I guess it all depends on what you are looking for and what you are hoping to accomplish. It also depends on how involved you want to get with your underwater pics.

Another thing to consider is the cost of additional gear to get the most performance out of whatever camera you have. I have an Olympus OMD EM5 - and although the camera and housing weren't cheap, I found that I dumped quite a bit of cash into the lighting system for it, too. Adding some strobes will really make a difference in the color of your underwater pics, but it will start driving up the price pretty quickly. Having a system like the Olympus will leave you plenty of room to grow as your budget allows. Just don't forget to include some money for at least 1 strobe in your budget if you are planning on getting really involved in underwater photography! Good luck with your decision!

 

[mjh]

For comparison here are some FULLY LOADED/ULTIMATE packages. These show you where you can end up. With the interchangeable lens cameras it will vary a little depending on what lens line up you choose. Of course there is always more items you can add

http://www.opticaloceansales.com/underwater-camera-housing-packages/ultimate-system-packages/

 

[mahmud29]

totally depends on your Budget. But One thing, you may get a really good one if your budget contains approx. $500

 

[BoltSnap]

Consider this:

Cameras | Sealife Cameras