PS recommendations?

[wrybosome]

Hi all,

My land based point and shoot camera died and I want to replace it with one that would be decent UW. What are your recommendations in the current crop of point and shoots? I'll be reading back through the forum as well, but would like some current info.

Thanks,

Tim

 

[randini]

What's your budget for the camera and the housing?
How important are things like manual control to you?
How important is size to you? Do you hope to carry the camera around in a jeans pocket if possible?
Do you think you might ever go and use add-on lenses (wide angle, fisheye or macro)?
Do you have any degree of brand loyalty/hate brands?

 

[wrybosome]

Randini, thanks. My answers to your questions-

What's your budget for the camera and the housing?
Camera: under $500 US
The housing...don't know, I'm assuming it would be in the $200 range +/- 50%?

How important are things like manual control to you?
Would be nice, but will not drive the decision for *this* camera. I'm intending this to be a get my feet wet camera.

How important is size to you? Do you hope to carry the camera around in a jeans
pocket if possible?
Not tremendously important.

Do you think you might ever go and use add-on lenses (wide angle, fisheye or macro)?
Yes, possibly - one more camera down the line...I'd rather not go DSLR right now.

Do you have any degree of brand loyalty/hate brands?
I like Canon, but don't hate any brands.

 

[randini]

Based on that, my pick would be the Canon S90 in the Ikelite housing.

You should be able to find one for under $350 and the corresponding Canon housing's about $200, but I'd suggest the Ikelite housing for about $300. It's just as compact, it's robust (did you see the thread about the camera that was lost in Aruba and turned up in the keys, that was an ikelite compact housing similar to this one) it can control the ring on the front of the camera ([-]whereas the canon housing cannot[/-] same as with the canon housing, neither can control the dial on the rear - but there is a workaround) and the threaded lens port will be of use if you do plan on using addon lenses (not in a DSLR manner, I'm talking about add on lenses.

BY addon lenses, I was referring to the types of lenses that you can "add on" to the housing (literally screw it on to the end of the lens barrel) to increase field of view (WA or Fisheye) or increase magnification in macro. There are many types, but check out the Inon's which seem to set the bar for these types of lenses if you want to learn more about them.

 

[PatW]

Wrybosome,

From you answers, I would suggest one of 2 canon cameras: the G11 or the S90. Both cameras are very advanced point and shoots. They are both under $500, but both are over your target. Canon does make a decent housing for the G11 for around $200. The G11 is about $450 and I think the S90 is about $350. You could add a strobe to it later. I believe that Canon also has housings for the S90. The S90 is pretty similar to the G11 and $100 less. So it would probably be your choice. The Canon housings are OK. I think that there are better ones out there but they cost quite a bit more. I get the impression that if you learn the proper care and feeding of housings, the canon housings are very dependable. If your housing handling is not that good, you can easily have a flood which means finis for the camera.

Both cameras have RAW. RAW allows you to correct white balance in post processing. I believe that having RAW is really important in an underwater system.

If you dive to any depth at all, you will want to have a strobe. There is no red light below about 15'. So if you want to see the "real" color spectrum, you have to take the light down with you. But in 30' or less, on a sunny day, you can get nice photos with ambient light.

Good luck

 

[GeneV]

Wrybosome,
Check out the following, Underwater Camera Articles: Best Underwater Point & Shoot Cameras for 2010, some pretty good info.

Cheers,

 

[wrybosome]

Between the G11 and S90, is there any difference the type of strobe I would wind up getting?

Also, would a strobe used with a P&S be usable later on if I eventually got a DSLR?

 

[kjvander]

I like my SeaLife DC1000....it's basic...but still works well....

 

[PatW]

Wrybosome,

I use a G11 with an Ikelite case and a Ikelite DS-51 strobe. The case seems very well built and hopefully fool proof. I am just getting the hang of it. But I am really pleased with the results of my first foray. Shutter lag is a problem with certain fish. The little damsel fish and the butterfly fish love to scoot about. But I got decent photos of both. My friends who are not photographers were wowed by the photos. The advantage of Ikelite is they offer a pseudo TTL connection with their strobes to the camera. They have the cheapest TTL offering. Patima also does it but they cost more and probably have a better case too.

The Ikelite case is very well built and it handles very well.

Also, topside the G11 camera takes pretty good photos. It is the canon goto camera for people who use DSLRs but want a camera to carry for when they can not lug all the gear.

Now you might want to check out Gilligan's photos. He has a web site up. His system is a strobe, a canon case and a G10. His photos are excellent. Looking at Gilligan's photos, I would say that the G10 and G11 are more capable with macro shots than longer range shots.

DSLR systems have their advantages and disadvantages. You have to buy a case. Then each lens has to have its own port. Also you need your strobes. So the size and weight adds up quickly. You do have the advantage of no shutter lag. If you get a decent strobe with your compact, you can switch that over to your DSLR.

 

[Airhogg]

I have been very happy with my S90 in a Cannon housing. I don't use a strobe though. Love the macro in the tropics. In greener water it does well so long as you have sufficiant light.