About to take the Leap!

Hi everyone. New here, but have been taking pics underwater for awhile. I've been using the Sealife DC500 & their corresponding strobe. Great for a beginner, but I've seen what a cannon can do & what my little Sealife can't & I want those nice Cannon macro shots (I rented a cannon A95 in Roatan - absolutely loved it!!!!!). Basically, I've read the Defral's book, been reading all the different websites & yes, following your forum. The main piece or best advice I see is is purchase gear you can grow into.

I've decided on an Ikelite housing so that I can add wet lenses later. The Inon Z240 Strobe vs. the Ikelite DS-51 strobe cuz the Z240 strobe puts out a wider beam (I shoot both macro & wide angle and I go back & forth between those 2 modes constantly) so I need a strobe that can handle both at the same time.

What has me hung up or should I say nervous is the Cannon G9 camera. Originally I was going to go with the Cannon 950, but the more I got to thinking about it the more I thought maybe I should bump this up too, BUT I also don't want to get in over my head. I do want to keep it fairly simple at first, as I know attaching the Z240 strobe to the Ikelite housing will have me messing around with the flash quite a bit. Between setting the white balance, the strobe exposure & diving, I don't want to mess with too much more initally.

Thus my question. I will be shooting strictly JPEG with the Cannon G9. In this mode do I have to do anymore with the camera than what I mentioned above while taking pictures until I grow into it and still get good results as long as my settings are correct before taking that giant leap off the boat?

Your help here is so very appreciated. It's so difficult trying to come to a decision here in the midwest. Thanks!

What has me hung up or should I say nervous is the Cannon G9 camera. Originally I was going to go with the Cannon 950, but the more I got to thinking about it the more I thought maybe I should bump this up too, BUT I also don't want to get in over my head. I do want to keep it fairly simple at first, as I know attaching the Z240 strobe to the Ikelite housing will have me messing around with the flash quite a bit. Between setting the white balance, the strobe exposure & diving, I don't want to mess with too much more initally.

 

Thus my question. I will be shooting strictly JPEG with the Cannon G9. In this mode do I have to do anymore with the camera than what I mentioned above while taking pictures until I grow into it and still get good results as long as my settings are correct before taking that giant leap off the boat?

 

Your help here is so very appreciated. It's so difficult trying to come to a decision here in the midwest. Thanks!

The big beauty of the G9 is shooting in RAW -- you can set white balance to the prefab 'cloudy' or 'shade' setting and fine-tune it later (or quite a few other settings) without any loss of image quality. Of course, the better set up your shot is originally, the less time you spend futzing with it in post.

Cheers,

Christophe

I shoot the Canon G9 in the Patima Housing with dual Inon Z-240 Strobes. I also exclusively shoot in JPEG Mode. I find I have been getting some very nice wide angle results shooting in Av (Aperture Priority) Mode and setting the strobes on STTL/TTL. Essentially, with this setting selection, all I have to do is select my f-stop and fire away - That's it!

I eventually plan on shooting in RAW, but since I've been so happy with my results, I haven't found a reason to go that route yet.

BTW, if you've already made up your mind about going with the Inon Strobes, which are awesome, I would give some serious consideration to going with the Patima Housing, because it's smaller and has a stock way of connectiong the strobes optically, which the Ikelite does not. The Patima Housing is a bit more expensive, but by the time you buy the additional port for the Ikelite, which the Patima comes with standard, and buy the adapter to connect the strobes, you're only a couple to a few hundred dollars off in the price, but you get a much solider housing, because the aluminum build of the Patima Housing is rock solid and has a 120m depth rating.

Good luck to you!

Gotta go, going diving!!!

Adrian

You guys are awesome! Thanks so very much for your help!!!!! You have definately eased my fears with going with the G9! Now it's time just to lay out that money, <gulp> LOL

I shoot the Canon G9 in the Patima Housing with dual Inon Z-240 Strobes. I also exclusively shoot in JPEG Mode. I find I have been getting some very nice wide angle results shooting in Av (Aperture Priority) Mode and setting the strobes on STTL/TTL. Essentially, with this setting selection, all I have to do is select my f-stop and fire away - That's it!

 

I eventually plan on shooting in RAW, but since I've been so happy with my results, I haven't found a reason to go that route yet.

 

BTW, if you've already made up your mind about going with the Inon Strobes, which are awesome, I would give some serious consideration to going with the Patima Housing, because it's smaller and has a stock way of connectiong the strobes optically, which the Ikelite does not. The Patima Housing is a bit more expensive, but by the time you buy the additional port for the Ikelite, which the Patima comes with standard, and buy the adapter to connect the strobes, you're only a couple to a few hundred dollars off in the price, but you get a much solider housing, because the aluminum build of the Patima Housing is rock solid and has a 120m depth rating.

 

Good luck to you!

 

Gotta go, going diving!!!

 

Adrian

Adrian, thank you so very much for your in-depth advice. I would never had thought to go with another type of housing other than Ikelite. Never even heard of the Patima, but I went & looked at it & your right. It is sweet!!!!!

I have Reef Photo & Video bookmarked on my PC as I have heard these guys are the ones who know their stuff & plan on buying through them. Since I have a vacation coming up in December to Cozumel I better get busy ordering & learning this new rig.

Thanks for all your help. It's so very much appreciated & I'll post a review once I've used it. Hopefully I'll have some wonderful shots to share with you all!

YOU do not need to be nervous.

Your CHECKBOOK should be nervous!

:-)

YOU do not need to be nervous.

Your CHECKBOOK should be nervous!

 

:-)

LOL You are sooooo right!!!!!! I got my quotes today. Yikes!!!!! My checkbook keeps wriggling further & further down into my purse, hehehe.