What are the HOT cameras and housings?

[matrixed82]

Have you considered the new Olympus em1 mk ii? You can get small weather sealed lenses that make for a compact system for travel.

I'm shooting with an e-pl5 now but this might be my next upgrade pending real world, unbiased reviews. There are reviews out there now but it's mostly from reviewers who were invited on a payed trip to Iceland to try it out. It seems like Olympus has finally improved the auto focus to near SLR levels.

 

[Nemrod]

Have you considered the new Olympus em1 mk ii? You can get small weather sealed lenses that make for a compact system for travel.

I'm shooting with an e-pl5 now but this might be my next upgrade pending real world, unbiased reviews. There are reviews out there now but it's mostly from reviewers who were invited on a payed trip to Iceland to try it out. It seems like Olympus has finally improved the auto focus to near SLR levels.

Yes, I am looking at the Oly offerings. Again, concerned with shutter focus lag. Stepping into the Oly EM1 is a larger footprint for both in water and during travel but not out of the question. Also looking at the EM10 and the Panasonic GX8.

I also will likely go with the new Nauticam WWL 130 degree semi fisheye lens. This lens works on everything from the RX100 series to the M4/3 type cameras.

N

 

[dirtfarmer]

I'm currently on a trip figuring out my Canon SL-1 after deciding to upgrade from my s-95.

I upgraded for a few reasons, one shutter lag. The SL-1 shutter speed is a world above my S-95, no more fish tails, no more trying to think way ahead. No more lost composure shooting in currents.
The other reason I upgraded was continual auto focus in video. Now I don't have to keep the subject in the same field depth!
Another reason was being able to obtain better control of depth of field, now I can actually get some background blur when I want it. And I can increase my depth of field much more resulting in better shots when shooting macro with the 60mm and +6 diopter. No more shooting 10 shots to get that one where the depth of focus turned out just right. The ability to achieve focus on super tiny stuff like skeleton shrimp is better too!
I'm still working out the kinks, but I love it so far, unfortunately I only brought a 60mm lens and a 10-18mm lens and I should have brought the 18-55mm so I could try out my results of shooting wide angle and larger macro subjects.
I chose the SL-1 over a full dslr for buget and size and so far I'm loving it.

 

[Nemrod]

Nauticam will soon release a housing for the Sony RX100 V which has hybrid auto focus to produce dslr autofocus speeds.

N

 

[Allison Finch]

I'm currently on a trip figuring out my Canon SL-1 after deciding to upgrade from my s-95.

I upgraded for a few reasons, one shutter lag. The SL-1 shutter speed is a world above my S-95, no more fish tails, no more trying to think way ahead. No more lost composure shooting in currents.
The other reason I upgraded was continual auto focus in video. Now I don't have to keep the subject in the same field depth!
Another reason was being able to obtain better control of depth of field, now I can actually get some background blur when I want it. And I can increase my depth of field much more resulting in better shots when shooting macro with the 60mm and +6 diopter. No more shooting 10 shots to get that one where the depth of focus turned out just right. The ability to achieve focus on super tiny stuff like skeleton shrimp is better too!
I'm still working out the kinks, but I love it so far, unfortunately I only brought a 60mm lens and a 10-18mm lens and I should have brought the 18-55mm so I could try out my results of shooting wide angle and larger macro subjects.
I chose the SL-1 over a full dslr for buget and size and so far I'm loving it.

I was amazingly surprised with the 18-55 lens underwater. I have always considered it a crap lens and preferred other lenses to it. Sadly, the SL-1 is not friendly with my Tokina 10-17,so I opted to use the kit lens. It was really quite versatile. All I carried to PNG was my 60mm (with multiple diopters) and my 18-55.

 

[sunnyboy]

I'm currently on a trip figuring out my Canon SL-1 after deciding to upgrade from my s-95.

I upgraded for a few reasons, one shutter lag. The SL-1 shutter speed is a world above my S-95, no more fish tails, no more trying to think way ahead. No more lost composure shooting in currents.
The other reason I upgraded was continual auto focus in video. Now I don't have to keep the subject in the same field depth!
Another reason was being able to obtain better control of depth of field, now I can actually get some background blur when I want it. And I can increase my depth of field much more resulting in better shots when shooting macro with the 60mm and +6 diopter. No more shooting 10 shots to get that one where the depth of focus turned out just right. The ability to achieve focus on super tiny stuff like skeleton shrimp is better too!
I'm still working out the kinks, but I love it so far, unfortunately I only brought a 60mm lens and a 10-18mm lens and I should have brought the 18-55mm so I could try out my results of shooting wide angle and larger macro subjects.
I chose the SL-1 over a full dslr for buget and size and so far I'm loving it.

I'm intrigued by the SL1. A couple of questions... what housing are you using? Also, how do you find the video auto-focus in less than ideal visibility?

I'm currently using a G16 in an Ikelite housing and quite love it, but am always looking at the new cameras. The SL1 is a good price right now, but of course the same can't be said for the housings. They are about double what I paid for a G16 housing.

 

[dirtfarmer]

I was amazingly surprised with the 18-55 lens underwater. I have always considered it a crap lens and preferred other lenses to it. Sadly, the SL-1 is not friendly with my Tokina 10-17,so I opted to use the kit lens. It was really quite versatile. All I carried to PNG was my 60mm (with multiple diopters) and my 18-55.

Yeah stupid me! Next trip all the lenses come with me. I bought the camera, housing and 10-18 and 18-55 and sea&sea ys-d1 very slightly used from the classifieds here essentially getting the strobe and 10-18 for what I would have paid for the housing and camera. I added a macro port and 60mm purchased new.
The ys-d1 has a lot more power than my Inon s-2000 so I'm liking that too.

Allison, a month in PNG! So jealous! Still on my list to do. We're you diving the whole time?

Nemrod, the SL-1 auto focus does take some time with macro but with wide angle it's really quick.

 

[dirtfarmer]

I'm intrigued by the SL1. A couple of questions... what housing are you using? Also, how do you find the video auto-focus in less than ideal visibility?

I'm currently using a G16 in an Ikelite housing and quite love it, but am always looking at the new cameras. The SL1 is a good price right now, but of course the same can't be said for the housings. They are about double what I paid for a G16 housing.

I'm using the Ikelite housing, as I said I got a great deal on it used.
I'm in Komodo right now ( surface interval as i type) so the worst vis I've had is about 10 meters, and so far so good with the auto focus in video.

 

[Nemrod]

Have you considered the new Olympus em1 mk ii? You can get small weather sealed lenses that make for a compact system for travel.

I'm shooting with an e-pl5 now but this might be my next upgrade pending real world, unbiased reviews. There are reviews out there now but it's mostly from reviewers who were invited on a payed trip to Iceland to try it out. It seems like Olympus has finally improved the auto focus to near SLR levels.

Is this what you use? How fast is the autofocus?

N

 

[Allison Finch]

Yeah stupid me! Next trip all the lenses come with me. I bought the camera, housing and 10-18 and 18-55 and sea&sea ys-d1 very slightly used from the classifieds here essentially getting the strobe and 10-18 for what I would have paid for the housing and camera. I added a macro port and 60mm purchased new.
The ys-d1 has a lot more power than my Inon s-2000 so I'm liking that too.

Allison, a month in PNG! So jealous! Still on my list to do. We're you diving the whole time?

Nemrod, the SL-1 auto focus does take some time with macro but with wide angle it's really quick.

Yes, I was diving the whole time. I was in Walindi for a week then went onto the FeBrina for back to back trips. I do a month trip, to somewhere, at least once a year.