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

[clive francis]

just been checking the info on some of my photo's, and there were a few below F2.0 but all the best shots were much higher (more ambient light).

how much of a difference would that 1 F stop make between the 5050 and the 5060?

how does the WAL on the 5060 and the add on WAL compare to the add on wet WAL for the 5050?

the shutter lag has been reduced on the 5060 but how does that compare to the 5050?

 

[clive francis]

for those that were thinking of the canon rebel, it does not do ttl or e-ttl, so unless you are more than happy with manual it is a no no

 

[diverdeb001]

I am looking at getting a C5050. I was told I could get one in Ottawa at Henry's but when I called today they told me that the C5050 was being replaced by the C5060. Bad news!!
I'm looking at getting a reconditioned one from Olympus. I hope that just because they are being discontinued we won't have trouble getting the housing and accessories. db

 

[jlyle]

I'm set for a long time. I have two c5050's. Technology will eventually progress to the point where I will want to upgrade, but for the next few years I'll be very happy with 5 Mpixels and I have my back up camera...

 

[slowhands]

If you want a 5050, you can buy them new from numerous dealers in New York, refurbished from Olympus America on eBay, or used from a private party. There are many people who trade up to the latest model and sell their own gear. I suspect that the 5050 will be quite popular for several years in the underwater photography world because it has a great set of features that are very useful in UW photography. These cameras will be available on the used market for years to come, so availability is not really an issue.

I recently bought a 5050 used, instead of the 5060. My reasons were two-fold: I prefer to use AA batteries that are widely available rather than the proprietary BLM1 used by the 5060, and I prefer the faster lens on the 5050 to the wider lens on the 5060. In addition, I could re-use old memory from a previous Olympus camera. On the downside, the PT-015 case does not support TTL flash exposure, while the PT-020 does and can use Olympus' FL-20 in an inexpensive housing. That is a strong reason to consider the 5060, in my opinion.

Because camera technology changes so rapidly, this story will not be the same in 6 months or a year. There will be better cameras available, and more affordable camera housings too. Some of you believe that there already are, and I say use whatever you prefer. In the end, it's the photographer's skill rather than the camera that makes great photos.

 

[PhotoTJ]

But I DO sell digital cameras, so I get to play with quite a few. I bought my Canon A-80 and housing based on image quality, housing availability, and bang for the buck.

One thing I hear a lot is, 'Well I want the biggest mega pixel camera out there.' Why? 99 out of 100 photographers will never blow anything up larger than 8x10, and you can do that with a 3.2 mp. My advice? Get a 4-5mp, (I am getting beautiful 11x14s), and use the money you save towards an external flash, or wide angle lens.

Remember, no matter what camera you get, it's just a wrench. Some people will drop a wrench on their foot, and some can build a racecar. It all depends on the eye. (Sorry about the wacky metaphor! )

So, play with a few, and go with what feels best to you. (If you were leaning towards a Canon product, check my gallery, I am having pretty good luck with mine.)

Good shooting,

TJ

 

[seniorweeb]

When my c5050 flooded on a local dive here in So.Cal I took it into Olympus for repair. Well, it wasn't repairable but they did offer me a completely refurbished camera for only $256. With the deductible on the insurance $250 it was a break even deal. The repair facility also said that they carry the parts on a model for seven years. The c5050 is a great camera and I have really enjoyed learning how to use it. The only step up would be a SLR in my opinion. I am using a housed c5050 a ds 125 Ikelite and a Inon macro lens as well as a Inon WA.