69 replies to this topic

[normblitch]

Also as an FYI, the 7070 (which is what I WAS planning to upgrade to) is being phased out.. from what I've heard...

They're all moving to a cheaper DSLR in the $600-$900 pricing...

Nikon is coming out with some new models pretty soon.. Nov/Dec, so as pointed out, it depends upon your pricing and really what you want to do with it..

the 5050 on up are good enough to keep you going for a long while.. at that level...

Most of the lag time will be in the lower end, but believe it's pretty much eliminated at the 7070/8080 range and the start up time doesn't matter UW as you turn it on before you dive and turn it off after you're done.. sleep mode, if you are shooting all the time, might occur, but then you're not really shooting "Action" shots all the time.. soo...???

Don't forget strobes if you'll looking to get into it..
Like I said, you need to figure out what your parameters are, then get the info..

fbp says pretty much all here...

I SO hate to see folks spending $500 or so for (film or digi) housed fixed-focus limited auto-feature UW cams...unfortunately, in UW photography (as in Sail racing), MONEY goes to Windward...

IMHO, the trick is to get into an EXPANDABLE system... I started with an OLY C-5050 (wished I had waited for the 5060 with much better WA), and an Ike housing...give or take, maybe $1K here...did without flash for a bit, and then added an Ike DS-50 and slave TTL controller...got used to THIS, and added a DS-125...now saving pennies for an INON WA converter.

(again IMHO)...the Oly 50-series are used by SO many folks that there is a PLETHORA of hint & tip info found by Google-ing...other cams may be better, but none are SO documented... in most shallow OW conditions, auto-EVERYTHING will give a 25% kill ratio if sound post-process is used (my choice, PS C2 and PSE2). Today, the HEART of a UW digi-cam system is the COMPUTER...strongly consider online learning for easing the learning-curve of PhotoShop et al ... www.eclecticacademy.com is TOPS!

If ANY of y'all are in reach of N FL & are considering less camera, PLEASE visit me in the Springs and see what a few bucks more will give you...

Norm

[madlobster]

IMHO, the trick is to get into an EXPANDABLE system... I started with an OLY C-5050 (wished I had waited for the 5060 with much better WA), and an Ike housing...give or take, maybe $1K here...did without flash for a bit, and then added an Ike DS-50 and slave TTL controller...got used to THIS, and added a DS-125...now saving pennies for an INON WA converter.

When you say expandable, DSLR for lenses or for flash and the like?

[madlobster]

Yeah, I've heard good reports on them... 5mpix is all you need for most work...

Would this be and average "starter" set up for me, whereas not taking particular pics at this point, more a point and shoot? Or would some of the others mentioned be a "wiser" choice?

[fbp]

I'd go with the 5mpix or above that has the manual controls. (apologies if I'm repeating my self - responding to several different threads and not sure what I've covered or not)

Cannon, Nikon, Fuju and Oly (Sony-if you want a smaller snapnshoot one)
average starter will run about $900 to $1200.. = camera, housing, small strobe..

Again, you want something that you can grow into and will last a while. You're not able to change lens like the DSLR, but you can ADD lens to the housings on some.

I'd go with whatever camera and the Ikelite housing with strobe.
The oly 7070, cheap now or wait until the word is out on the oly 350 and some housings for it.. you certainly can't go wrong with the bigger named (above) at the 5+mpix... not saying more mpix is better, but it's a rough indicator..

You want to abe to do manual adjustments, Aperture, speed and anything else..
You can start out in Auto Mode until you get a feel for it, and then start to play with the different settings an will eventually end up using manual mode most of the time... There's also the TTL... (Through The Lens) exposure which is nice, but IMNSHO, not used as much the more you get into it...

hope that helps..

[normblitch]

IMHO, the trick is to get into an EXPANDABLE system... I started with an OLY C-5050 (wished I had waited for the 5060 with much better WA), and an Ike housing...give or take, maybe $1K here...did without flash for a bit, and then added an Ike DS-50 and slave TTL controller...got used to THIS, and added a DS-125...now saving pennies for an INON WA converter.

When you say expandable, DSLR for lenses or for flash and the like?

"EXPANDABLE" can be found in MANY $$$ ranges;

My choice was an IKE Housing....infinitely expandable...almost immediately went to the two-handle tray...variety of arm styles with a "variety" of prices...choice of using a Port to accomodate an OLY WA lens adaptor, OR an outboard WA like an INON...given my OLY C-5050, I was able to move succesivly from onboard or no flash, to a DS-50 and simple arm, and then to a DS-125 with the fancier arm...

(you will find that I am a HUGE fan of Ikelite housings...NOTHING beats the ability to see real-time the O-ring seal, leaks, or condensation problems, IMHO)

The OLY 50xx series itself is expandable, or better said, configurable...I started (and to a great extent STILL) going all-Auto (with a +1 flash correction), and have YET to begin to fathom (poor Pun) all the settings (which, BTW, are all accessed thru the Ike housing)

When I went to Tom and Therisa's UW Photo Boot Camp in May in Key Largo
( http://www.pbase.com/eanx/tstack5_05 ), I was "up against" folks mainly using Nikon DSLR's in SubAquatica housings...most were doing Macro work, and I MUST admit that a DSLR IS in my 1-2 year wishlist. Most likely, I'll go with a Canon, but I can guarantee it will go into an Ike housing, and I can migrate my Ike strobes and accessories as well...

Like "The Little Black Dress", pick one that can be accessorized...



Norm

[madlobster]

IMHO, the trick is to get into an EXPANDABLE system... I started with an OLY C-5050 (wished I had waited for the 5060 with much better WA), and an Ike housing...give or take, maybe $1K here...did without flash for a bit, and then added an Ike DS-50 and slave TTL controller...got used to THIS, and added a DS-125...now saving pennies for an INON WA converter.

When you say expandable, DSLR for lenses or for flash and the like?

"EXPANDABLE" can be found in MANY $$$ ranges;

My choice was an IKE Housing....infinitely expandable...almost immediately went to the two-handle tray...variety of arm styles with a "variety" of prices...choice of using a Port to accomodate an OLY WA lens adaptor, OR an outboard WA like an INON...given my OLY C-5050, I was able to move succesivly from onboard or no flash, to a DS-50 and simple arm, and then to a DS-125 with the fancier arm...

(you will find that I am a HUGE fan of Ikelite housings...NOTHING beats the ability to see real-time the O-ring seal, leaks, or condensation problems, IMHO)

The OLY 50xx series itself is expandable, or better said, configurable...I started (and to a great extent STILL) going all-Auto (with a +1 flash correction), and have YET to begin to fathom (poor Pun) all the settings (which, BTW, are all accessed thru the Ike housing)

When I went to Tom and Therisa's UW Photo Boot Camp in May in Key Largo
( http://www.pbase.com/eanx/tstack5_05 ), I was "up against" folks mainly using Nikon DSLR's in SubAquatica housings...most were doing Macro work, and I MUST admit that a DSLR IS in my 1-2 year wishlist. Most likely, I'll go with a Canon, but I can guarantee it will go into an Ike housing, and I can migrate my Ike strobes and accessories as well...

Like "The Little Black Dress", pick one that can be accessorized...



Norm

Ok, at the risk of sounding dumb, what the hell is IMNSHO and IMHO???

[fbp]

In My Humble Opinion

In My Not So Humble Opinion...

heheh... it's tough.. here's a link that might help.. I use is all the time...

http://www.acronymfinder.com/

just type it in etc....

Also, going straight to the DSLR systems can be a little tricky as once invested it's pretty much a commitment to that system. It would be a little wiser to try the Pro-sumer levels (5+mpix described above) to get a feel for what you're going to be doing with it and how you like various adjustments.

I got the Oly 5050 and automatically got the PT015 housing thinking that would be fine, but now don't use it as the buttons are a PITA (heheh.. look it up?) so it's a matter of your use.... once you get the DSLR housings, you're committed unless you have unlimited funds...
So start with something you can use, enjoy and move up to and then decide what you want....
and what's the worse case??? the camera will be getting better and better and maybe dropping in prices..

Photos "May" come out better, but really it's the person behind the camera that makes it happen..

Happy shooting...

Edited by fbp, 23 October 2005 - 09:21 AM.

[madlobster]

In My Humble Opinion

In My Not So Humble Opinion...

heheh...  it's tough.. here's a link that might help.. I use is all the time...

http://www.acronymfinder.com/

just type it in etc....

Also, going straight to the DSLR systems can be a little tricky as once invested it's pretty much a commitment to that system.  It would be a little wiser to try the Pro-sumer levels (5+mpix described above) to get a feel for what you're going to be doing with it and how you like various adjustments.

I got the Oly 5050 and automatically got the PT015 housing thinking that would be fine, but now don't use it as the buttons are a PITA (heheh.. look it up?) so it's a matter of your use.... once you get the DSLR housings, you're committed unless you have unlimited funds...
So start with something you can use, enjoy and move up to and then  decide what you want....
and what's the worse case??? the camera will be getting better and better and maybe dropping in prices..

Photos "May" come out better, but really it's the person behind the camera that makes it happen..

Happy shooting...

Thanks so much for All your input........and I did in fact figure out PITA all on my own!

[AliKat]

ali kat

do those 7070 come with usa warrenty? then also would you be willing to mail one to texas if i sent you a check?

Tooth

I sent you an e-mail, since you can't receive PM's. Did you get it?

[Scubatooth]

ali kat

i got the email, and will try and get ahold of you this week. I have been working all week and weekend and havent hadtime to get ahold of you. Its been a long weekend so im going to bed will type at you all later

Tooth