Small auxillary camera for macro work?

[WOODMAN]

Ok folks, here I go again. As some of you know, I use an Ikelite housed C5050 with dual D125 strobes for most of my frenzied snapping, and it consistently delivers the goods (when I don't screw things up...), but in spite of its many sterling qualities, small and compact it is not. I have found myself recently somewhat handicapped by this rig when trying to get in really close for those macro shots, without getting too close to the coral, etc. It occurred to me that maybe the solution was to carry a small secondary camera which was dedicated to macro use only, and perhaps carry this on a retractor line and let it hang from one of the D rings on my upper BC. I had thought about perhaps putting it in a BC pocket, but no housing I know of will let me get away with that. I have since researched far and wide, and have come to a couple of findings. The fairly new Olympus stylus 1030 looks like just the ticket, but the housings (PT 043) are not available yet. (Rats!) Another choice that looked good was the Olympus 770, but here again the housings are on backorder just about everywhere. (PT-035) The housings for the stylus 790 and 850 are available, but I am not so sure about those two cameras. Well- here's another fine kettle of fish I find myself in. Anyone have any ideas? I am wide open at this point. Woody

 

[Dee]

I have a 5050 in an Oly housing and I know what you mean. By the time you add a tray and even one strobe you're talking a 2 handed operation. I bought an Oly Stylus 740 and the PT-32 housing. It just fits in Beasts palm! The housing fits so close to the camera I have to work to get the dessicant in place. I takes XD cards, up to 2G. It doesn't do RAW but for Macro shots I haven't felt I really lost anything. I don't do a whole lot of editing anyway, nothing the Photoshop CD2 hasn't been able to do on JPG's. I'm quite sure it's out of production by now but there can still be found on ebay pretty cheap.

My last dive trip in October I found myself leaving the bigger 5050 in the room and taking the mini setup. The only thing I don't like about it is the proprietory battery only last a couple of hours so I end up changing it on the boat if I do a third dive off the boat before going in. No, it can't/won't ever replace the 5050 but it's a joy in itself. If your hand will fit, so will the camera.