Newbie Requests Input

I've been viewing this board with regularity, and doing as much research as I can, and am now at the point of seeking opinions from you guys as you really seem to know what you're talking about.

I am about to purchase my first underwater outfit, and am leaning towards digital from the practical standpoints of memory cards in lieu of film, immediate gratification of viewing your results, smaller lighter cameras, versatility, etc.

As my first foray into u/w photography, I have set my sights upon an Olympus C-5050Z with the Pt-015 housing. I don't know about purchasing a strobe at this time, as I have never used a digital camera before, and adding the concerns of a strobe may cause technical overload, as I'm headed to the Grenadines in a month and a half.

Am I making a mistake with the 5050 because its too much camera (technically) as a starter camera? I'm in no way a techno head.

Am I going to have decent images without a strobe?

What might be a better digital combo under the circumstances?

Should I just go buy a point & shoot film camera in light of the fact that I'm traveling in less than two months?

I'd really appreciate your comments, suggestions and any other information you'd be so kind as to provide.

Stinky

My first thought was "no, your absolutely NOT making a wrong decision with the 5050".

On second thought, I'll add a qualifier. If there's a good chance that you'll loose interest in taking photos soon, then the 5050 is a pretty expensive camera to buy. But don't forget that it makes an excellent top-side camera as well as underwater camera. Frankly I think one of the best things about the x0x0 series from Olympus (and many other digicams actually) is that they make very good point-and-shoot camera but also have many features of a pro camera so you won't outgrow it soon should you start getting serious about photography. The other feature that has changed the u/w photo world for "newbies" is the ability to see your image instantly. There is absolutely nothing more valuable while you're learning.

I'm also a newbie, as far as u/w photography is concerned, but I can give you an opinion on top side use. I have an Olympus c3040z and think it is top notch. Canon and Nikon are great too (my friends have both). They do have many professional level features, but you can let the camera work for you also. It is not a mistake as long as you continue to use it.

Below is an example of my camera used in the auto mode. :ph34r: