Upcoming 1st UW Cam Purchase - Help me Please!!

[dlwalke]

I'm fairly new to Scuba and completely new to UW photography. I take a lot of Pics while kayaking and have been pretty content with an upscale Olympus point and shoot. I'm now thinking about the C5050 and will probably buy one in the next few days. I've seen a lot of good things about this camera here. My question is how something like this compares to the dedicated UW cameras like Sea and Sea or Reefmaster? I gather I can do everything I might like with an Olympus in an UW housing (e.g., attach external strobes, do macro's etc.). Is one more or less versatile than the other? Is there any reason I might want to reconsider my decision to get the C5050 and opt for one of these other ones that I see in scuba catalogs so frequently?

Thanks very much,
Dave

 

[digitaldiver]

First and foremost among the reasons to choose digital over film is the fact that you can instantly see what you have done. In many cases, if you have made a mistake, you can correct the mistake and shoot the same picture again (try that with film).

Comparing the Oly 5050 to the cameras you mentioned, the thing that first comes to my mind is that the 5050 gives you much more control. If you want to shoot full auto, it will do that, too. But, the lack of adjustments on the Reefmasters and lower end Sea & Sea cameras doesn't mean they're automatically going to give you a good exposure. On the contrary, they have no exposure control (or little) and rely on the exposure latitude of the film. The Oly lets you go full auto or full manual and if you learn the camera, it will even hold your hand while you move from one to another (aperture priority or shutter priority mean that you control one element and let the camera match the other).

Also, what you do after the dive with your images should influence your decision. If you want to post on the web, digital cuts out a step. If you want to do prints at home, digital cuts out a step. Some will say that large prints are better accomplished with film. Particularly when you start looking at a 5Mp camera, that argument starts sinking quick. You can do 11 x 14 prints that rival or surpass film with a 5Mp camera. With Genuine Fractals (a computer program) you can print billboards from them.

This is the third post I have made on ScubaBoard, and the second that is a ringing endorsement for the Oly 5050. I wish I was getting a commission. ;-0

 

[Dee]

digitaldiver once bubbled...
....This is the third post I have made on ScubaBoard, and the second that is a ringing endorsement for the Oly 5050. I wish I was getting a commission. ;-0

See...you've found your niche here already! Since you are a large reason alot of us are Oly users, who better to continue the praise?

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I have the sealife pro kit and recently bought the oly C 5050 and guess what I love it , it take great pictures and yes you can print out a 8 X 10 picture its looks flawless .
cant do that with my sealife camera second its all about control sealife has none you point shoot pray it comes out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Noodlefish]

I'm also looking at the 5050, and the c50 zoom. I've seen plenty of ringing endorsements of the 5050, but nothing on the other model. Has anybody used a c50? DOes anyone own a c50? Am I totally mad to even think about the c50 and the PT-012 housing?

Having done a SSSI U/water course with a Nikonos V, as well as using the Sea & Sea MMII and MM10, I'm fed up with having to wait so long to see where I messed up when taking the photos...

I guess from lack of response on other posts that noone uses a c50. Maybe there's a reason for that somewhere...

 

[digitaldiver]

Noodlefish once bubbled...
I guess from lack of response on other posts that noone uses a c50. Maybe there's a reason for that somewhere...

And the lightbulb goes on. Just kidding.

I haven't looked closely enough at the C-50 to find out the reasons why, but I am guessing it lacks manual controls.

 

[Jonathan]

here's a reason for you - it's a very new camera!

I think the problem is the old hack amongst us have shelled out a lot of dosh over the last few years and haven't yet realised a return on our investment to warrant buying the new toys...

Just my thoughts....

 

[Noodlefish]

Jonathan once bubbled...
here's a reason for you - it's a very new camera!

I think the problem is the old hack amongst us have shelled out a lot of dosh over the last few years and haven't yet realised a return on our investment to warrant buying the new toys...

Just my thoughts....

A very fair point. I'm hoping to spend some time this weekend in Ocean Optics in London, sorting this out. Hopefully they'll have tried out the c50 zoom by now, and can compare it to the 5050.

Thanks for your thoughts (and apologies for hijacking the post).