What will you do when C5050 is out of the market???

[Sodgaard]

I have read loads of postings stating that people prefer the C5050 over the C5060. At the same time general DC reviews indicate that the C5060 is an improvement of the C5050, which are two surprising oposite views.

I am curious as to what will happen when the C5050 leaves the scene. It is already getting more and more difficult to find around the world.

The question is therefore. What would you choose if you did not have the choice of the C5050???

Looking forward to hearing your comments.

Thanks

Stephen

 

[Mo2vation]

I am curious as to what will happen when the C5050 leaves the scene. It is already getting more and more difficult to find around the world.

Please...

Only if you're shopping in the wrong places. At least 5 - 9 go off on eBay every day. There are still plenty to be had, and will be for a long time - and the supply of factory refurbs will be around for another couple of years.

Not to worry. I'm just watching the price go down and down (the real price, not the retail price....) Got my housing today, will be getting my cam in the next day or two, then the tray, handle and strobe.

I'm pretty fired up!

K

 

[archman]

... there are er, DOZENS of digital underwater cameras or those with underwater housings on the market. I just ordered a Canon S50, which also has outstanding reviews. Olympus cams merely get (and justifiably) far greater advertising on this board. This is not intentional, but it IS highly imbalancing. If Dee and other heavy "posters" used a Nikon, it would probably swing more in THAT direction. It's the nature of the beast.

 

[Mo2vation]

... there are er, DOZENS of digital underwater cameras or those with underwater housings on the market. I just ordered a Canon S50, which also has outstanding reviews. Olympus cams merely get (and justifiably) far greater advertising on this board. This is not intentional, but it IS highly imbalancing. If Dee and other heavy "posters" used a Nikon, it would probably swing more in THAT direction. It's the nature of the beast.

The S50 and the 5050 aren't even in the same league, let alone the same ballpark. I'm trying to understand you're angle, but it makes no sense.

The S50 is a purse cam. Its a pocket cam... If you want to go snorkling or play around at the beach, get an S50 and its housing. The Oly 5050 is the last stop before a full on digital SLR. It gets more run on the board because its a more serious scuba camera.

Wow...

K

 

[Sodgaard]

Please...

Only if you're shopping in the wrong places. At least 5 - 9 go off on eBay every day. There are still plenty to be had, and will be for a long time - and the supply of factory refurbs will be around for another couple of years.
K

Well, I can only say that in South Korea, Denmark and Hong Kong, they are getting quite difficult to track down.

The purpose of my question is furthermore focused on what would be the choice if it is not available, which is already becomming the reality in certain places outside the US. You will note that I did'nt state that it is impossible to find anywhere. ;-)

Cheers

Stephen

 

[Mo2vation]

Well, I can only say that in South Korea, Denmark and Hong Kong, they are getting quite difficult to track down.

The purpose of my question is furthermore focused on what would be the choice if it is not available, which is already becomming the reality in certain places outside the US. You will note that I did'nt state that it is impossible to find anywhere. ;-)

Cheers

Stephen

You're 100% right on, Stephen. And if I bothered to take 1 additional second to see you were writing from outside the US, I would have gotten that.

My bad, buddy.

K

 

[Scubaroo]

The price of C5050 + housing is already $140 more than C5060 + housing here in Australia, at least at one supplier.

 

[archman]

Good heavens, I didn't get expect to get flamed, and from a moderator. I think there is a misunderstanding here. My intended audience is for the general diver, not for the amateur photographer.

The S50 and the 5050 aren't even in the same league, let alone the same ballpark. I'm trying to understand you're angle, but it makes no sense.

I did not compare these two cameras, nor is it implied. They both happen to be 5.0 mp cameras and highly rated. Perhaps the confusion lies in rating type; I should have said "digital camera reviews but not using underwater housings." There are lots more of this type of review, with side-by-side professional comparisons. This is understandably much rarer for the niche market of underwater photography.

The S50 is a purse cam. Its a pocket cam... If you want to go snorkling or play around at the beach, get an S50 and its housing.

Are you saying these take crappy pictures? I don't spend weeks reading camera reviews, fiddling around with my own Olympus 4000 & 4040, and analyzing high-detail jpg's for my dissertation to deserve this rude comment. You can "go snorkling or play around at the beach" with any camera. You're implication is that compact cameras are cheap and substandard... we all know that's not true.

The Oly 5050 is the last stop before a full on digital SLR. It gets more run on the board because its a more serious scuba camera.

The first part is true; it's also true for similar models of Canon, Nikon and other manufacturers. The second comment is partially true. I would argue that the Olympus 5050 has created a positive feedback that enhances its rating, just like any other popular consumer product. This is even put into words on this earlier thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/t45152.html

Oceanographers and many marine biologists are partial to Nikon coolpix cams, 'cuz that's what WE promote. It's not because we compared other models in a comprehensive way and the others fell short, but because it's what we started with, liked, and stuck with. I'm the only person in my lab that even mentions Olympus cameras, and that's because I subscribe to this forum.

The Olympus 5050 is an outstanding camera, with the best reviewer support I've seen short of the Nikonos V. Please don't poo poo me if I offer alternative choices to divers, or at least be nicer about it. I'm SUPER NICE!

 

[Sodgaard]

The Olympus 5050 is an outstanding camera, with the best reviewer support I've seen short of the Nikonos V. Please don't poo poo me if I offer alternative choices to divers, or at least be nicer about it. I'm SUPER NICE!

Thanks archman, alternatives was excactly what I was after in my original positing. I appreciate your posting.
Understanding the alternatives makes you much more comfortable with a choice.

 

[ssra30]

but it IS highly imbalancing. If Dee and other heavy "posters" used a Nikon, it would probably swing more in THAT direction. It's the nature of the beast.

Olympus happens to have a lion's share of digital point and shoot camera for underwater use so it gets a lot more coverage on the board. While C5050 is not neccessarily better than Canon G5 or Nikon Coolpix 5700/5400, Olympus at least has the wisdom to produce good affordable underwater camera housing for it so for under $700 you can get a good setup where as you will be spending over $1000 for a setup with G5 or comparable Coolpix. I think looking at a number of people with various models of camera, the number of posts and discussions about those cameras, I have not detected any imbalance as much as an accurate proportion of Olympus users vs other camera. I doubt that Olympus users somehow are more vocal and actively advertizing Olympus while other camera users are silent.

Of course alternative choices are more welcome and if Nikon/Canon start to offer affordable housing for their high end point and shoot camera, shopping for underwater camera will be a lot more interesting. As is, I think Oly C5050 offers the best value for the money as far as camera/housing is concerned hence the popularity and lots of coverage in the forum.

I did not look at Canon S50 closely when I shopped for my UW camera set up as I was more concentrating on G5 so I don't know how the S50 would compare to C5050. I think the S50 would be more of a direct competitor of the Oly C50 for compact camera rather than C5050.

Just a thought....