5D or 20D aquatica or ikelite

Hi, I´m a on-land photographer trying to go underwater. I had a oly 5050 in a pt housing, but that was just frustrating, too slow, too small.

I have a 5D and a 20D, a 100macro 2.8; 70-200 /4; 50 1.8; and a17-40 /4. I will manly be taking pictures of whales/dolphins and also scubadiving in general. For whale and dolphins I will need one camera ready for UW and another for above surface.

So can anyone help me on wich camera to take UW?

And wich casing to chose?

And last but not least, I need a housing, a couple of Strobes, TTL Sync Cord, Strobe Arms, a dome port for the 17-40 and for either the 50 or the 100, anything else?

I apreciate it since a friend is going to NY next week and gear is half price compared to Europe .

Thank´s everyone.

If you have them both then take the 5D U/W, it’s a better camera, wider, more pixels, there in no real advance for the 20D despite the value if it’s going to damage but for that you should have insurance anyway.

If you want TTL then Ikelite is the answer, but for WA TTL won't help so much so I don't see it as a very important issue.

I had used a EOS20D housed by Aquatica and now moved to EOS5D also with Aquatica housing. I had an ikelite housing for my old EOS Elan7 for about 2 year, no leak, no problems, but I think the Aquatica Controls and port system better.

I would recommend you to use your 5D with Aquatica housing. It has more megapixels, full frame (real fisheye with 180 degrees) and more details.

REgards.

Fabio Amorim

The 5D will allow you to use wider lenses. This is important underwater, because a wide lens allows you to get closer to the subject, eliminating more of the water column between you and the subject. This means less bluish cast and backscatter (junk floating in water) in your photos. I have a 300D and will be upgrading to a 5D soon, so I can play with wider lenses. Not to mention the added resolution.

Hi Jeff,

I'm not sure that makes perfect sense. The field of view of the lens is what matters. The 10-22 on the 20D camera will give you about the same field of view as the 17-40 on the 5D camera. So it's not accurate to say the 5D is wider.

The only major wideangle difference I can think of is that there is a full frame fisheye (180 degree) for the 5D in the 15mm lens that doesn't exist for the 20D camera.

Cheers

James

The point I was trying to make was that wider is often better underwater. A land photographer doesn't notice much difference walking 5 feet closer to his subject and zooming out, but that can make all the difference in the world underwater. And all things being equal, the 5D will allow him to go wider. (He mentioned that he has the 17-40 lens already.) I would recommend the 5D for what he has.

i'd also recommend the aquatica and 5d - then you can leave a 100-400 on the 20d topside

i have a pair of 20ds and an aquatica housing (the ikelite just seems to clunky to me) with the 17-85 and dome port - although i had some negative advice on the lens, i haven't found the focus speed to be that bad (center spot). with the low noise at high ISO (i don't think Nikon users understand what they're missing), shooting at f8 is often an option, and having one lens that can shoot almost anything you encounter is really nice

i'm sure i'll start using my macro and wide angle lenses after more experience, but for now