So frustrating...

Hello all... I stop by this forum once in a while to see what's new, but always seem to leave frustrated.

I have been using Nikonos cameras since the late 70s. (I still use a nice little III for macro stuff). I have reluctantly accepted that it's time to get serious about replacing it. I can't imagine that many of you have gone through the same process that I am currently going through.

To this novice about the new-fangled gear, there doesn't seem to be any system out there that fits the amateur photographer who is used to shooting through a Nikkor 15 with a 225 and getting some very nice results. Is there NOTHING between the point and shoot Sea and Sea or Sea Life systems and the full-blown DSLR and housing with strobes??? I really have trouble justifying dropping eight or ten grand on a system that only gets used a few times a year.

I've borrowed little Sea and Sea systems and (no offence) but they are terrible. From what I have read, the Sea Life systems aren't much different and both would be great for snap shots... but I don't want snaps!

So I'm heading off to Cayman Brac on Saturday, and for the first time since about 1980, I will be camera-less. What the heck am I going to do while I'm diving? Watch my buddy???

Is the only alternative to buy a "real" used system?

Or am I missing something?

Thanks!

Frustrated in Canada!

You might contact Kathy Church and see if she can rent you something. I think that there are some better systems out there like the canon S90 in a housing, the Olympus SP-350 housed or the cannon G9 , G10 housed. Do you plan to use strobes?

Dear FiC - I was in exactly the same situation as you and am also a former Nikonos user. I wanted to get back onto u/w photography but was reluctant to go the full monty. Then I came across what I would describe as a half way point - the new micro 4/3 format. When Olympus brought out a housing for the PEN E-PL1 I decided to give it a try. I am glad I did. You'll find a few reviews around the interwebs so I will just say this: it is a compact and lightweight system that is capable of (limited) expansion) but more importantly cable of taking serious photos. As far as the entry price, my total investment so far including the Olympus UFL-2 strobe is under $2000. I'd say it is worth considering

You might contact Kathy Church and see if she can rent you something. I think that there are some better systems out there like the canon S90 in a housing, the Olympus SP-350 housed or the cannon G9 , G10 housed. Do you plan to use strobes?

Brac Reef rents SP-350s apparently, with some sort of strobe. I suspect I will rent one for the week, or at least a day or two to see what I get... I guess I'm a little sceptical although I like to think that my experience will count for something with a little careful subject selection.

I was looking at her website just now... I didn't realize that she sold all of this stuff too. That's part of my frustration... there's absolutely no retailers here that know anything about this stuff, or have systems to handle (fondle?). Lot's of places can order it but they don't know an Aquatica from an anemone... Unfortunately, we are flying from Miami to the Brac so unless she delivers...

No doubt this will be the trip where the sperm whale swims past while giving birth to triplets with a whale shark in the background while two mantas circle overhead...

Troporobo, I think you're right... It's just a case of rethinking my expectations.

Cheer up Stoo - it's not that bad! :-)

How much did you spend on your Nikonos +15mm when you bought it? I'm guessing somewhere around $1,500. For that much you can get set up with a VERY nice little underwater system that will give you comparable results. Here's what I recommend:

Canon S-90 (the best in the list of compacts)

Fix underwater housing

Inon 105 degree WA lens (same field of view as the 15mm)

This will yield very high quality images. See Alex Mustard's recent report on the S90 or Berkley White's report on backscatter.

Add whatever strobe you've been using for an additional $0 - if you've been using an old Ikelite 225 you can rig a fiber optic from the housing to the slave sensor.

Now here's the kicker - if you're flying from Miami - you can travel up to Reef Photo and try out all of this stuff at their shop.

Well what do you think? I bet I've addressed EVERY one of your concerns :-)

Cheers

James

Those new cameras are very good! i just had a student with the Olympus Pen. Its the size of a compact but has interchangeable lenses, my student had the 14-42mm lens, could do both very good macro and good wide as well. Paired with a Sea and Sea YS 110 alpha strobe it was a great combination. Panasonic and Sony also make comparable cameras. You can definitely check those out at your local camera shop