S40 or G2 and what kind of case/strobe???

Hello everybody!

I am an experienced diver and want to start UW photography.

Because I like to also use the camera

on land and UW I decided to go the digital way.

My two considerations are:

1)Canon G2

Ikelite Housing

Ikelite DS-50 Stobe

+ very good feature set and quality (reviews)

- very very high price! (actually too high)

2) Canon S40

Canon Housing

Ikelite Strobe DS-50 + sensor

+ good price/quality ratio

- can´t find find enough infos....

My biggest concern is that the considered strobe wont

"connect" to the housing?!

I really like to here your opinions of my choices (mostly the 2nd)

and listen to your experience....

Take care

Christian

The strobe doesn't "connect" to either housing. As long as the slave sensor for the strobe can see the camera's internal flash, you should be fine.

Mike

Hi, I've got an S40 with a Sea and Sea YS-25dx. As a newbie, I'm pretty happy with this. The S-40 is a superb Digital Camera, however, you really do need to think about the fact that the WP-DC300 case (the only case I know of for it) is limited to 30 mtr.

I do know of people who have taken it to 35 but it still is a limitation that you need to seriously consider.

My YS-25 works well with the S-40 and I am reasonably happy, however, clearly a strobe with a shoe connection would be better as I still get a bit of backscatter because I can't 100% blank the flash because it would effect the sub flash which first fires to get the auto-focus right.

Take a look at Sea and Sea's website to see a YS-25DX on a Canon housing (WP-DC-200, I think).

It has taken quite a bit of playing about to get the strobe working well with the camera, but I think I'm there now.

I understand the cases (a couple available ?) for the G2 are alot more expensive than the Canon, but it may be worth it?

I'll give my current setup another year and then, cash allowing, will be upgrading.

I've attached a shot from the my combo which shows the level of backscatter, from the inbuilt flash not being 100% covered.

Good luck

Sorry, wouldn't leave me post that shot, only 50kb, might try later.

Check out,http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/5can_g2.html

Hello again.

MikeO: I was actually worried about the physical connnection, but it seems like

I can connect a shoe to the canon housings and attache the strobe arm there. -> fine!

Are the connections "standard" or do I have to go with a special vendor?

AengusM: Thanks for the the tip with the YS25DX.

Can you email me the sample you talked about?

At last I like to ask if anybody out there has experience with the Ikelite DS-50

strobe working with the flash sensor rather a snyc-cord?!

I guess it might be the best solution to start with. The 30m limit doesn´t bother

me that much because usually there isn´t much to photograph beneath that depht.

Besides some wracks of course. But that´s OK with me.

Take care

Christian

Hi Mexwell,

I don't now if you have seen my pictures on www.duikfoto.com? I use a Canon G2 with Ikelite housing and a DS-50 with remote sensor.

I did have some little problems with the remote sensor but Ikelite did a great job again and now it's working fine.

I'm very pleased with the DS-50 and unlike S&S, the Ikelite strobes DS-50 & DS-125 with remote sensor also copies TTL. S&S strobe with fiberoptic works only in manual mode (no TTL) which also works good but needs manual camera setup. Also look at http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/dig_strobes.html.

And look at http://www.wetpixel.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=400 and see Derway, he is also using this setup and likes it.

Good luck, Mike.

PS. Before this setup I used the IXUS300 with Canon house at 35m two times. It's a nice housing but you can't compare it with Ikelite.

Hi Mexwel,

You can see that shot at,

http://users.bigpond.com/aengusmo/moray1.jpg

I just notice that you are in Sydney.

You might like to get some pricing from the boys at Sea Optics

http://www.seaoptics.com/

but for a cheap, yet good, base and strobe arm, call or drop into John McConnell at AquaSea (02) 95404774,he also makes strobes and is down at Taren Point. John is a good guy.

Also just to say, I though I'd never be shooting below 30 mtrs, now I'm going to The Coolidge in 2 weeks where the normal dive is at or below 30 mtrs !!! Once you get going with U/W photography, you will never want to dive without your camera...and you'll at some stage look to go deeper to get a subject, U/WPhoto is like a drug, you get addicted and you spend stupid (but worthwhile) amonts of money on it !

I am happy with my S40 and WP-DC300, but if I had the choice again, I'd be going G2 for that extra depth case !

Maybe visit John in Taren Point before you make the strobe decision ?

Good luck,

Aengus

[Edited on 29-5-2002 by AengusM]

Hey guys

With all the problems reported on this board with flash sensors and slave strobes, I'm suprised that you're all still recommending them. I hard wire my strobe, and I won't have it any other way. A few weeks ago one of my sync cords flooded, so I had to use it in the slave mode - I hated it. Sometimes it fired, sometimes it didn't. In the case of the sensors that fit on clear housings, I can't see trading even a little backscatter to get TTL. Frankly, I don't see the need for ttl when you're going to see the image 2 seconds after you shoot your pic! My suggestion - forget TTL, hardwire your strobe, turn the internal strobe off, and shoot in manual.

Hello again!

I did it and bought the S40 plus canon housing..... I will get an

external strobe at a later time (1-3 month from now).

In about 10 days I can take the set to the first dives and will tell

you my progress.

Aengus: I visited your site and was very impressed by the UW-pictures.

Did you take them all with the S40? Actually I am

not from Sydney -> more like germany... :-)))

Thank you all for your constructive feedback! I´ll be back...

Bye bye

Christian