The new crop of DSLRs...AAAARRGH!!

[jeraldjcook]

Just remember, it may take a few months from announcement to release, and a few more months after that to housing releases. The cycle never ends...

Based on previous models announced at PMA in years past, they are usually on the shelves in early to mid March. I have a non-diving trip planned for mid-March, so I'll need to have bought something by then. As for the housing, with the cost of the camera, not to mention the housing:dropmouth:, it will be at least a couple of months before I could even mention buying something else. Oh, and don't forget strobes. My Canon A620 will be my underwater camera for a bit longer I'm afraid.

 

[ce4jesus]

IMHO, high ISO is great everywhere. If you want to take a wide angle, available light photo of an underwater vista... high ISO means high shutter speed which means less chance of motion blur.

Then again, what constitutes high ISO is relative. On my scuba camera (Canon s70) 400 is high ISO, and even 200 is noisy. On my DSLR, noise begins at 800 and is tolerable at 1600. On the new DSLRs, 1600 is clean and 3200 is tolerable.

I much prefer wide angle and available light to macro. I have considered taking a tripod down with me, it's hard to get a sharp shot at low ISO in my dim waters.

I rarely, if ever, move my DSLR/P&S past ISO200 underwater. But then again, I shoot with strobes all the time except when free diving.

 

[ce4jesus]

Hey Larry,
You should tell your wife that Ikelite makes some really sweet "plastic" wrapping for the camera Santa is going to bring.

BTW - as stated above, I don't think any route you take with a DSLR is going to be a "wrong" one. I just got back from Hawaii. They cancelled my dives for the weekend so I did some shore diving off Hanauma Bay again. Viz was pretty mucked up for Hawaii. However, I'm in love with my new camera. Fast, no shutter lag, sharp detailed photos right from the camera. I was a little disappointed by the button that you have to depress to change the aperture in manual mode. So make sure your new camera has seperate controls for aperture and shutter speed in manual mode...you'll be happier for it. I'll elaborate in a day or two. Right now I'm running on 4 hours sleep.

 

[RonFrank]

Prices are already starting to come down The cycle never ends...

So true.

If you wait to buy a new camera (most electronics for that matter) because something else is announced you will NEVER buy a new body!

 

[RonFrank]

Xmas is looking better and better. I think I've worn her down! A new D300/18-200VR could be appearing under the tree.:dancingsnoopy:

Awesome. That setup should work wonders for years to come.... topside. Now for UW lenses... My first thought... 12~24mm (Tokina or Nikon). My second 17~55mm or maybe the Sigma 17~70mm which can do double duty as a macro lens.

 

[AndyT]

A summary of a technical comparison of 3 DSLR's for those who are interested:

Place of E-3 in hierarchy according DIWA - FourThirdsPhoto Forum

 

[jeraldjcook]

A summary of a technical comparison of 3 DSLR's for those who are interested:

Place of E-3 in hierarchy according DIWA - FourThirdsPhoto Forum

While interesting, I'm not sure it's exactly fair. Take a look at the lenses used on each camera for the comparison.

Canon lens tested: 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 (kit lens), $180
Olympus lens tested: 12-60 f/2.8-4, $950
Nikon lens tested: 24-70 f/2.8, $1700

Factor is the cost of the bodies:
Canon: 1300 + 180 = 1480
Olympus: 1700 + 950 = 2650
Nikon: 1900 + 1700 = 3600 :11:

 

[fisheyeview]

That's FABULOUS news, Larry! That's one sweet camera!



Prices are already starting to come down - they're down about $50 in the past 6 weeks from what I've seen. Just remember, it may take a few months from announcement to release, and a few more months after that to housing releases. The cycle never ends...

Congrats. Sea & Sea got a pre-production D300, and had a prototype of the housing at DEMA. IT WAS SWEET! They were supposed to be out this month, but now they are saying next month.

 

[RonFrank]

A summary of a technical comparison of 3 DSLR's for those who are interested:

Place of E-3 in hierarchy according DIWA - FourThirdsPhoto Forum

For such a well thought out testing process, DIWA sure does some BONE headed things! First off, lens selection. You can throw the comparisons right out the door because they use such different lenses, and the lenses they are using are NOT the best of any manufacture.

Testing bodies is generally done using consistent lens selection with a good option being a 50mm prime.

The next thing that jumped out at me, why use a Halogen light source with color corrective filters? Must be a film based mindset.

The tests maybe 100% accurate based on the testing parameters. That said the testing parameters are TOTALLY screwed up if they choose to use poor optics, and don't attempt to calibrate the setting across different camera manufactures (they do not). It's no secret that setting one manufacture noise reduction to *minimal* is NOT the same vs. manufacture B. This goes down the line with Hue, Saturation, and all sorts of adjustable parameters, and there are a LOT of those types of parameters.

Even as a Nikon User, while I somewhat LIKE the test results, saying that a camera with a MUCH smaller sensor somehow has LESS noise at High ISO's is just not possible, unless Oly has either A) discovered the Holy Grail of sensor technology (unlikely) or B) Oly is applying different levels of noise reduction after capture (totally likely).

Canon's been rocking the High ISO noise world since just about Day 1 in consumer digital, and I doubt that just changed overnight.

I always look forward to Phil's reviews because they present side by side comparisons, explain the settings, and provide lots of 100% crops for those of us who like to do more than look at graphs. This WizBang testing process, while fascinating, seems somewhat useless. Heck, several of the tests are lens based only, like MTF, and vignetting. What is the point of including MTF data in a camera BODY test other than to show that maybe they should have used a different lens! :blinking:

 

[ce4jesus]

DSLR fight!


I actually think for the money the xti in that new compact housing is a good deal as well. I think Burbunny did a nice review on that. I remember going through the same anxst when trying to decide between the D80, Oly E410 and the Canon xti. There was no question in my mind that each camera had some strengths and weaknesses. Housings come into play. Costs are always at play. The bottom line is what someone eventually told me. It really doesn't matter which one you choose its going to outperform your P&S. I chose the Oly because my wife has one and we can share lenses. I've handled the other low end DSLR's in the store and about the only one I'm not impressed with is the original XT and D40. XT because of that plastic, toy like body. The D40 because of the motors built into the lens. From the D80 to the Canon 40D I was blown away by the speed, quality and overall performance of the cameras. Of course, I'm no pro and I'm sure I'd be impressed with just about anything.


Larry,
I'm very happy for you. A D300 will serve you well into the future. I'm looking forward to those January topside pics. I'm sure one day I'll get the honor of diving with you in CA with your D300 and while I'm laughing at your "Stan Waterman" sized housing, you can laugh at my oversized P&S