Starting out

[fishydiver123]

I am fairly new to underwater photography, having used a panasonic fx35 before (fully auto, no strobe), and am looking for advice on new kit.

I am looking at getting a g9 canon housing. Would you recommend this for underwater photography, as the ikelite housing is no longer available, even on ebay? Also what kind of results do you get with the g9 without a strobe? (budget is not very high!) Any sample photos?

I have also looked at purchasing a new camera, perhaps a fuji f80 or something similar - any recommendations for why I should get something newer? I would like to buy a strobe if I keep the canon, but I cannot afford to spend much on a Sea&Sea or similar. I know it's basic but will the fuji underwater strobe kit/fantasea nano make a difference to my photos, or are they not strong enough to help at all? Thanks.

 

[smellzlikefish]

The Canon G-series are fantastic cameras that take pictures equal to or superior to all of the relevant competition. However going for the outdated G-9 will present some issues that you have alluded to already. Specifically, housing manufacturers typically stop producing underwater housings for out-of-date cameras. Even if you can find a housing and camera in your price range, you'll still be buying out-of-date equipment. Not that the latest and greatest are necessary for starting out, but if you are going to get "new" equipment, why not go for properly new stuff? It isn't as easy to upgrade later as it is to do it right the first time. My recommendation stays with Canon whether you go new or used. Their equipment and customer service are the best in the business IMHO.

The Fantasea nano or similarly priced strobe will certainly add a certain something to your shots once you dial in your system. In fact, you could probably take better pics using an older camera with strobe than a newer camera without. Granted, the nano will be limited in the distance you can be from the subject, but I've managed some pretty sweet shots even still. Below you'll find a few shots of mine, mostly taken with Canon compact cameras (A650IS, G-9, and G-12).

Photos by Jeff Milisen - photo.net

 

[fishydiver123]

thanks a lot,

the problem is that I cannot afford to get, for example a G12, as this would involve buying both camera and housing. As I already have a g9, and the housing is still easily available in the UK, it seems like a good idea. I have looked at getting a new canon (IXUS possibly), but a) I can't afford to get a new camera and a strobe, and as you said an older camera with strobe is better, and b) It doesn't offer the same kind of manual controls and picture quality as the G9.

If you think that I should go for a newer model what would you recommend - I am looking for 10-12 mp, manual controls, 3inch screen, obviously very good image quality and not too pricy. Thanks

Very nice photos by the way! Did you use strobes for those?

 

[stivan]

I had the G12 ( pics can be found in gallerey or HERE)
As i wrote, i got some strange problems with little water drops when using and malfunction on deeper dives,
so Canon housing was taken back by the shop and the cam was sold...but what i really liked with this cam was the option to adjust the strength of the internal flash, most p&s cams come with fixed shutter time when flash is on (like my F20/31 means flash on - 1/60 sec).
Ok a G9 is not a G12, but i think the difference is not that big in general.
Of cause i know an external strobe is always an advantage to shoot better pics but its also a question of budget and size then.

For me i saved that money, bought a used G10 + Canon housing some weeks ago (about 450,-$) and invested the savings in a trip to Raja Ampat - starting next Friday....:blinking:

 

[fishydiver123]

lucky you i'm very jealous! - so would you advise me to get a newer camera or to buy a basic strobe for the g9?

 

[TightLines]

The G9 is still a great camera. If it were me on a tight budget I'd stick with the G9 and get a reasonably priced strobe - something similar to an Inon S2000. This is plenty of strobe to begin and grow with.

Like Smellzlikefish said, you'll get better photos on an older camera with a strobe than a newer camera without a strobe.

 

[fishydiver123]

I have decided to repair my fx35 which I already have the housing for, as this saves me a considerable amount of money. I would then be able to afford the fantasea remora - anyone have any experience with this strobe? - please don't suggest Sea&Seas or Inons as I really can't afford the price - more than double the remora. btw I am in the UK so things are a lot more pricy than in the US.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

The remora is a manual strobe. I would recommend at a minumum a strobe with built in auto-exposure sensor on the strobe head. This way, at least when you shoot, your picture will be in the approximate exposure range, and you adjust the strength of the strobe from there. With manual, you will have to do calculations all the time of subject distance, f-stop, ISO and strobe strength setting. If you go from shooting a subject 4 ft away to a closeup 6 inches away without readjusting the strobe, your picture will be way overexposed and you have no idea how many EV to decrease. If you insist on getting a manual strobe like the Remora, I guess you can put your camera in a pre-defined manual fstop setting and label the distance each of the power setting would roughly correspond with, then all you have to do is switch to that power setting for what you think your subject distance is.

 

[smellzlikefish]

Agreed on the Remora advice fro Lwang in regards to the Remora being manual. Many of the pics in my gallery were taken with a Fantasea Nano. I found it to be an excellent beginner's strobe because it wasn't usually powerful enough to wash out the pics when I screwed up, but it could throw enough light on a coral head 2 feet away to make a foreground image pop.

In regards to the camera, if you can afford the G9 and nano combo, go for it! The G12 is simply awesome, but even by today's standards, the G9 is a fantastic camera.