Getting extremely frustrated with choices out there

I hope some one can offer some advice. I have been using 35mm film SlR for a while now. I rely on a Canon Rebel G and a Nikon N90S. Usually one loaded with color film and the other with B&W. Needless to say to say both cams plus lenses are a pain to lug around.

I recently became interested in underwater photography during a vacation with a lot of snorkeling and bought a cheap point and shoot film camera in a equally crappy waterproof plastic housing. The first roll was horrible, so I did not even bother developing the other 400 ISO roll.

So here's my dilemma: I want a decent DSLR type camera that I can take to places where I'm weight restricted and that I can also use underwater. Aperture range is important to me so with much pain I've been looking at models with f/11 as the smallest size. I take a lot of landscape and nature photos so depth of field is important to me. A lot of the newer cameras out there Sony's DH-9 and so on have a very small range. I've been eyeing several models: Panasonic DMC-FZ50, Fuji S6000fd, Fuji S9100, but there are no underwater housing available for these models!

I've looked at the G7 and SP-550 Z but they are not getting great reviews and compared to the abovementioned models they really lack. Check out www.digitalversus.com

I don't have the funds for an SLR with and underwater rig for it.

Does anyone have any suggestions, ideas, advice, resources, etc.. that could help me?

I will be in eternal gratitude.

Fear not! Because of the smaller sensor size of the compact digicams, at f11 they have the same depth of field as a full frame SLR at F55. So I wouldn't worry about not being able to go to f22 :-)

You might want to have a look at the Sea and Sea GX1 which is due out soon. Otherwise, the Fuji F31fd ($220) + Fuji housing ($150) is a good start.

Cheers

James Wiseman

I recently became interested in underwater photography during a vacation with a lot of snorkeling and bought a cheap point and shoot film camera in a equally crappy waterproof plastic housing. The first roll was horrible, so I did not even bother developing the other 400 ISO roll.

 

So here's my dilemma: I want a decent DSLR type camera that I can take to places where I'm weight restricted and that I can also use underwater.

Well, James chimed in on the aperture thing. Basically, because the sensor size of the smaller cameras is much smaller than the DSLRs' leading to you needing a much smaller focal length to get the same field of view, depth of field is greatly increased. So like James says, don't sweat that part of it. Of course, if you are looking for lovely bokeh, then I wish you luck.

Now about camera choices. I note that you want a "DSLR-type" camera but not a DSLR. So, the choices you've listed (with the possible exception of the G7) are all of what we call the "superzoom" variety. These are cameras are compromises by nature because of the big range of zoom they have. Unfortunately, while they might be great for someone wanting to get decent pictures on a vacation, they are not well suited for underwater photography where the long focal lengths tend not to be very useful. That's probably why manufacturers don't make many housings for them (of the crop you selected, the G7 is the only one I know of that comes with a relatively inexpensive housing). Since you are a novice underwater photographer (if everyone gave up after one roll, this forum wouldn't exist), you might look for a cheap, capable, point and shoot -- maybe one that is one generation old. A possible example might be a Canon A-540. I've seen them on eBay for as little as $120. It is 6MP and has manual controls. You can get a housing (probably not much more $$$ than the camera) for it that supports add-on macro and wide angle lenses should you decide to branch out. With $250 invested you could play around with it and see if this is something for you. You could then do what I did and get something like a Canon S3 IS, which is a one generation old superzoom for about $275 and use that for your light-duty SLR shooting (or get one of the ones that interests you more). If you look at the reviews you'll note that the new crop of superzooms all have noise issues due to the manufacturers putting more pixels on their sensors leading to picture quality that just isn't any better than on older cameras so don't expect miracles at high ISOs.

Not to beat a horse I already beat once, but I'll say it again. You can't expect your first roll of film to be any good. Shooting underwater, though based on the same principles as above-water shooting is inherently different because water isn't the same as air. The main issue is that red light just doesn't penetrate the water. So, you need to be MUCH closer to what you are shooting underwater unless you are in less than 5 or 10 feet of water. Zoom is not an acceptable substitute unless you want a cyan cast to every fuzzy picture. This applies even if you are using a flash as the water attenuates the flash much more than air. having said this, with a digital camera at least you'll have the benefit of instant feedback to get you on your way faster.

Cheers,

Mike

Thank you both for the advice and suggestions. I guess I have a bit to learn about digital camera technology and physics. Based on what you guys had to say I went back and did more research.

I like the Fiji F31fd but I'm a big landscape photographer and the lens is not wide enough for my comfort and there is no option to attach other lenses.

I also like the Panasonic DMC-FX30 which has a zoom of 28-100mm and Panasonic makes the only underwater housing for it, but it lacks the option of attaching wide angle lenses or filters.

Following up on Mike's suggestion of the Canon A540, I came across the newer A570 IS. It got manual controls the Image stabilization could come in handy and despite its 35-140mm lens it has the capability of accepting lenses and filters like a wide angle lens. Although, for underwater I can see that only Ikelite makes a housing that would accept additional lenses. Canon just announced a few new models, the A720 IS and the A650 IS particularly caught my attention. Although, I think it would be wise to see the reviews when they come out. I'm not really getting back in the water until January.

James: did you mean the Sea & Sea DX-1G? What about their other models and products from Sealife? How do they compare above water. I have a feeling... except maybe for the DX-1G, that looks impressive.

Mike: I don't intend to use high zooms underwater, however, in order to capture some wildlife before they swim away from you as you dive down to them I think a little zoom is necessary. I think I'd rather use a filter on a wide angle lens for the housing than a strobe light since I'm not going deeper than 60-80 feet in the near future.

What do you guys think?

>> I like the Fiji F31fd but I'm a big landscape photographer and the lens is not wide

>> enough for my comfort and there is no option to attach other lenses.

Salty Puppy,

I use a Fuji F30 w/ Fujifilm housing ($130), and it rocks. Here are some pics I've taken. If you would like to see them in full high res I can email them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13608096@N02/?saved=1

You CAN attach other lenses to this (or many other compact cameras. Inon makes a variety of lenses that attach to. The best value in these is the wide angle:

http://inonamerica.com/products.php?produc...=2&subcat=1

Then, get the appropriate "wet swappable" mount for your camera. They have one's for Canon, Fuji, Olympus, Nikon and Sony.

The other guys are totally correct - please don't think about using an "slr-like" underwater. A decent compact like Canon or Fuji is a great start. Down the road you can always get a full digital slr setup but you will be shocked at what a compact can do - especially with the various lens options from Inon.

I consider my shots merely decent - the photo pros at the resort had Olympus compacts with the Inon WA lens and their shots TOTALLY blew me away.

>> Mike: I don't intend to use high zooms underwater, however, in order to capture

>> some wildlife before they swim away from you as you dive down to them I think

>> a little zoom is necessary.

Yes and no. You will occasionally need to use the zoom but what I'd recommend is getting in the habit of using pre-focus w/ half depression of shutter. Then, you'll get nearly instant shots when you need them and a much better chance of getting that darn fish in focus.

>> I think I'd rather use a filter on a wide angle lens for the housing than a strobe

>> light since I'm not going deeper than 60-80 feet in the near future.

Good news - you won't need a filter. However, you will need to use manual (custom) white balance. You'll get all the colors you want without a flash or post processing or a filter.

Here's my little write-up on uw photo basics w/ compact cameras:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat...thread=24867785

Good luck!

Jeff

Yo Salty,

Inon usually makes a base adapter for "almost" any digicam that will allow you to add the Inon WA and Macro lenses.

If all you really want is the equivalent of family vacation snap shots, from scuba dives, then the DSLR route is really overkill weight and dollar wise.

If you can stand the restrictions in autofocus, any P&S will give adequate image quality for UW snapshots, as long as you keep it set at the lowest ISO. And use an external flash 95% of the time, or more. Plus they do video these days.

So, today, your choices are the canon G9 and the sea&sea DX1G. Both have raw. Both have video. Both have macro, with slow autofocus. The DX1G has a much more useful 24mm wide angle, built in to the camera. The G9 is a much longer zoom on the tele end, perhaps useful on land, but not UW.

Go to a camera store, and hold them and play with them, and see if you love one much more. How the feel and fit your hands. Except the ricoh is hard to find anywhere in the US but on the internet. Sigh.

I have the canon A570 IS in the Canon WP-DC12 housing. Inon make the AD bayonet lens mount which attatches directly to the Canon housing and is compatible with their wide, macro and fisheye lenses. Canon also make wide, tele and close-up lenses that fit the A070 IS for land based photography. I have only just purchased this so haven't tested it to its full capability yet, but so far it has impressed me with how its gone so far. Its small size and lightweight so is perfect for travel.