S95 or ZS7 or something else for my first buy?

[slowhands]

darkhound,
do a search about canon housings just to be informed about what troubles you may run in with a Canon housing.
For +/-1000$ you should get a Ikelite housing and a Ikelite DS-51 strobe giiving you TTL.
Chris

I have used canon housings for years with no problems whatever. I did check for the problems known, mold release lines, and found them slight to nonexistent. A couple of swipes with a scraper and they were gone. For compactness, these housings are hard to beat.

Second comment. The S95 has no hot shoe. Therefore TTL is not possible with a
DS51. Ikelite suggests an AF35, underpowered. Consider the inon S2000 or other optically triggered strobe.

 

[ScubaSaipan]

I am a total novice. I just got the S95 with Ikelite housing ($389 for the camera $299 for the housing). Very happy with both. I just took it on my first dive today. Here is one of my shots, RAW plus WB editing, no strobe. Good luck with your choice, its a tough call.