So let me get this straight...

[MMW]

I can buy a housing like this one plus the camera (canon WP-DC12 and A570IS) for less than $300 and get to piddle around with all the fun stuff (I LIKE playing with shutter speed, f-stops, apertures and all that good stuff when I'm dry, wouldn't wet be even better?), and end up with a rig that can be expanded to include new toys like external strobes and wide angle lenses pretty readily taking me through the steep part of the learning curve and probably well out onto the flat portion? Doesn't seem like a bad deal to me at all, or am I missing something?

The reason I ask is that I've always assumed that to get full control and not be locked into some goofy auto mode that works OK but not great you'd have to spend the money on a SLR set up, which is out of the budget. I seem to get the impression reading these boards (thanks, BTW for all the time the experts out in around here) that with today's point and shoots, you can get control of EVERYTHING which is the way I've always liked it. $300 bucks seems cheap when you've been looking over DSLR housings :14:

 

[alcina]

Yup, get yourself a good compact (lots of ideas here) that has full manual control of aperture, shutter and ISO and you'll have lots and lots of options for experimenting and getting great photos.

Pretty much all housings will accept external strobes and this would be my next purchase. Then I'd add whichever add-on lens floated my boat. Make sure the housing you choose accepts add-on lenses if you have intentions of adding them - usually a round port will be easier.

 

[cicopo]

One thing I will point out re the P & S cameras and manual settings is that I couldn't find any current models that stopped down past F 8.0. The Canon G9 does however electronically add ND filters for 1 or 2 stops but until you have some powerful strobes that shouldn't be a big issue.

 

[alcina]

Remember that f8 on a compact is really like f22 or so on a dslr. They are red apples and green apples - kinda the same but not really

 

[diver 85]

Yep.....good deal...last year @ this time, those that bought the camera & housing spent over $400 for them(I was one).........but, I would not have had my Little Cayman & Flower Gardens shots if I had waited.....this one turtle was worth the 'extra' 100+

bucks.......I call him/her my 'turdy turtle'.....

BTW, here's the results a few feet below him/her...those black durgeons like anything I guess......

 

[MMW]

OK...now I'm stoked. I've got a potential Flower Garden trip coming up in March (probably about a 2/3 chance it'll get called, but a 1/3 chance of diving is better than no chance) so maybe a good portion of uncle sam's 'rebate' check will go towards getting started.

Wohoo! Now I've got lots of reading and learning to do

 

[diver 85]

OK...now I'm stoked. I've got a potential Flower Garden trip coming up in March (probably about a 2/3 chance it'll get called, but a 1/3 chance of diving is better than no chance) so maybe a good portion of uncle sam's 'rebate' check will go towards getting started.

Wohoo! Now I've got lots of reading and learning to do

In your things to get, think about a photoshop program of some kind.....After I posted the 2nd picture(had not done anything to it), I added a little color, cropped, & de-backscattered it a bit, here's the results:.....

 

[MMW]

In your things to get, think about a photoshop program of some kind

Noted, thanks!

After I posted the 2nd picture(had not done anything to it), I added a little color, cropped, & de-backscattered it a bit, here's the results:.....

You've got some great shots in you albums, I like it. Perhaps I'll get to show off a few of mine after a bit of proactice

 

[Nemrod]

Thank you for that because I just bought one I think and am I ever in HOT water with the boss.

N