An Old Salt Returns....sort of :)

From a nearly two year hiatus I have returned with the itch to go diving.

Trouble is I sold all my gear when I thought I was going to quit diving. Silly me.

Now I need your advice and suggestions.

For those of you that don't know me from the old days, I am a fairly serious photographer on land, and was purely recreational when I used to dive.

I want to get a used system, for those rare occasions that I plan on diving, but I cannot decide on which route to go. I mainly shoot on land with a 1dMkII, but I dont think any of the lenses I shoot with would be appropriate for diving, (ie usually 200mm or longer) and besides that, I dont have the guts (not to mention the $) to house that camera.

My portrait/travel/film camera is an old Leica film camera, that won't work underwater.

I bought my wife a Canon Elf 400 last year, that I might try to take underwater if there is a decent way to house it and get a strobe to work, which I doubt.

So that leaves me trying to find a used, probably digicam system that I can get reasonable results with. What do you recommend I look for if I do not want to spend much over $1,500-$2,000. Single strobe is fine with me.

I am an old fart......I actually still think about shooting film! B)

Bob

http://rkjarman.com/gallery

Hit me with your best shots!!!!!

Welcome back Bob!

You might check the classifieds here and at digital diver. You might be able to pick up a used DRebel (wait a minute, did you just buy the 300D Aquatica setup here?) or even a D100 setup -- a Rebel might serve as a low-cost backup to you 1DII as well. The older DSLRs are good values for UW. I'm still shooting my "ancient" 10D and I think I will be for a while longer. Also a few used Canon G-series setups. If you're looking into a new P&S, the frontrunners at the moment appear to be the Fuji E900 and the Canon A620. If, by Elf 400, you mean you have the Canon S400, there is a housing that will work. If it is the SD400, you're out of luck as the only housing for the SD400 is an "all weather" one, not an underwater one . . .

Mike

Thanks Mike! I should have known better than to think I could totally give up diving. Thanks for the advice on the two sites, I had forgotten about digital diver.

I was trying to buy the used drebel housing from a member here, but I got to him a day to late I will take a look at the 620 and the Fuji thanks for the advice.

How about an older Tetra and Oly 5050 setup? Were they any good? I know it's not the biggest and best, but I have seen a few of those around at pretty good prices.

I am just having a lot of trouble coughing up 2-3k for a used SLR housing that I would probably only use once a year at the most.

Thanks again for the welcome and the advice

Welcome back Bob!

 

    You might check the classifieds here and at digital diver.  You might be able to pick up a used DRebel (wait a minute, did you just buy the 300D Aquatica setup here?)  or even a D100 setup -- a Rebel might serve as a low-cost backup to you 1DII as well.  The older DSLRs are good values for UW.  I'm still shooting my "ancient" 10D and I think I will be for a while longer.  Also a few used Canon G-series setups.  If you're looking into a new P&S, the frontrunners at the moment appear to be the Fuji E900 and the Canon A620.  If, by Elf 400, you mean you have the Canon S400, there is a housing that will work.  If it is the SD400, you're out of luck as the only housing for the SD400 is an "all weather" one, not an underwater one . . .

 

Mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Bob,

I haven't used a Tatra but they seemed to be nice housings, what with the ROC control and all (I found hard-wired strobes to be much more reliable with the 5050). Not sure what Hey're going for, but if you only plan to use the camera once a year, you might get more for your money with a new Fuji e900 in an Ike housing (probably $650 for the pair). The E900 will be much better in the shutter lag department but will lag in the memory card department (uses xD xcards) compared to the 5050. Jury is still out on strobe compatibility with the E900, though as it uses some form of preflash -- you might check on digital diver and see what Dr. Bob is up to -- he ahs been playing with one. If you could find a Fuji F810 around anywhere, that might be nice as well, though they have been discontinued.

Mike

PS DSLRs are also more of a pain to pack!

With $2000 to spend, I'd probably look at the latest Canon dRebel and an Ikelite housing. That won't leave much for strobes, but you'll be far happier than with a consumer dcam. You may have a Canon lense or two laying around that will work as well, and it can act as a backup to your big system.

you'll be far happier than with a consumer dcam. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is an over-generalization that some DSLR shooters seem to make. I prefer the size of my fuji F810 + DS50 system over pushing a minivan through the water. I can clip it off to my BC and it doesn't get in my way at all...which is important for me since i'm diving first and taking pics second. Also 2000$ for a DSLR setup will leave you nothing for a strobe. I got the F810 + housing for something like $700. Got my DS50 for $350 but with tray, arms, other components i've still got probably $1500 in the thing overall. Any other strobe would have put it more like $2000.

Chris

Bob,

My (biased) advice would be to get the Subal 10D housing in the classifieds section for $500. Get a macro port and a small strobe and you're good to go.

You can pick up a Canon 10D for a great price now too.

Cheers

James

Bob,

 

My (biased) advice would be to get the Subal 10D housing in the classifieds section for $500.  Get a macro port and a small strobe and you're good to go.

 

You can pick up a Canon 10D for a great price now too.

 

Cheers

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hi James,

I thought the price wsa REDUCED $500 to $1250. Didn't think it was SELLING for $500. But, if it is, I better be prepared to get next to nothing for my S&S 10D housing should I ever decide to sell it! Hopefully that 30D is still a ways off .

Mike