Just purchased a Canon 7D am I heading in the right direction?

Hi after being out of the water for a while due to my wife’s battle with cancer its now time to get back in the water and after a trip to the Maldives I realised my photos would not get any better with my current set up (Canon ixus, inon lens' and inon z240 strobe).

So in anticipation of a trip to the borderlands with blueO2 in April I have purchased a Canon 7D.

After looking on wetpixel and the net I seem to need

Case: Either an Aquatica, Nauticam or Hugyfot. I am going to dive 2010 next weekend and will try out as many as I can to see which is best suited to the size of my hands.

Another Z240 strobe

Tokina 10-17mm lens and at this point I seem to get stuck.

What other lens’ do I need (macro, WA) ? Will I need lights like the sona’s if I also want to shoot bits of video. I am only an amateur and only take pictures for my enjoyment, although I do want learn to take better pictures.

This is my first SLR camera and any help on with this matter would be gratefully received. Mark

Hi Mark,

Congrats on the new camera! You are doing the right thing by going to the show and checking out the housings. The right dome port(s) will depend on which housing you choose. I'd recommend you also pick up a 60mm macro lens with the appropriate port and you'll have a great basic kit. Add some arms and you'll be good to go. The Sola is a wonderful light if you have the money. It's possible to shoot some video with it using the macro lens if you rig a tripod. I think though that's a lot to ask for one trip. You may want to concentrate on getting used to shooting the 7D in stills mode if you only have a week or two. Plenty to learn and experiment with.

Really glad to hear your wife is doing better.

Cheers,

Steve

Hi Steve. Thank you for your kind words. I am really looking forward to getting the 7D wet. I plan to keep practicing above water for a little while as I am finding it a lot more complex than the other compact types I am use to.

I will look out for a 60mm macro. Do you recommend the canon one? Or is there another make you think highly of?

I have some ultralite arms but will need some buoyancy arms as I think the rig will be a little too negative. Never thought of using a tripod but you are right it may be better to practice my stills first :-)

Thanks Mark

Hi Mark,

You are very welcome to pop by our stand (Nauticam UK) 1158 to have a play with a 7D housing.

60mm Canon AF-S macro lens is certainly a recommended starting point for macro work.

Alex

keep it simple and forget about video for now. with a 2nd strobe, the fisheye and a 60mm macro (definitely the canon) you'll have an excellent piece of kit. find the best housing for you and beyond that its all down to technique and lighting.

learn the camera on land first. not sure how much you know about aperture, shutter speed, flash exposure etc. but its best to be comfortable wiht those topside before trying it where its 10 times harder, UW.

I'd suggest getting a 60mm macro in the water first as its much easier to shoot than a fisheye, since you're not juggling ambient and strobe exposure together. cheers,

chris

Hi Alex will certainly come and have a play. See you on Saturday. Mark

Hi Mark,

 

You are very welcome to pop by our stand (Nauticam UK) 1158 to have a play with a 7D housing.

 

60mm Canon AF-S macro lens is certainly a recommended starting point for macro work.

 

 

Alex

Hi ChrisI know a little but nowhere near enough. I am getting some lessons from a friend of the family who is a very keen amatuer but he does not dive. OK for now though. Regards Mark

keep it simple and forget about video for now. with a 2nd strobe, the fisheye and a 60mm macro (definitely the canon) you'll have an excellent piece of kit. find the best housing for you and beyond that its all down to technique and lighting.

 

learn the camera on land first. not sure how much you know about aperture, shutter speed, flash exposure etc. but its best to be comfortable wiht those topside before trying it where its 10 times harder, UW.

 

I'd suggest getting a 60mm macro in the water first as its much easier to shoot than a fisheye, since you're not juggling ambient and strobe exposure together. cheers,

 

chris

Hi ChrisI know a little but nowhere near enough. I am getting some lessons from a friend of the family who is a very keen amatuer but he does not dive. OK for now though. Regards Mark

One thing I definitely changed when going to the 7d from a rebel (400d) is that for macro with the canon 60mm I've been using AI servo pretty much exclusively and have been extremely happy with the results. I'd definitely suggest experimenting with that a bit. Definitely getting much better focus where I want it with that setup than I was getting on the 400d. Never had much luck with servo mode on the 400d.

Thanks for the tip Chris. I will try that setting. I gather you can set up to 3 custom settings so will have a play. Mark

One thing I definitely changed when going to the 7d from a rebel (400d) is that for macro with the canon 60mm I've been using AI servo pretty much exclusively and have been extremely happy with the results. I'd definitely suggest experimenting with that a bit. Definitely getting much better focus where I want it with that setup than I was getting on the 400d. Never had much luck with servo mode on the 400d.

Mark,

i use the Nauticam and cant praise it enough, but as everyone says its how it feels in the hand vs aquatica or hugy at the same price points.

On the learning front, try and get Martin Edges 4th Edition of uw photographer. A great read and useful bunch of knowledge for those stepping up to DLSR, like i did, also from the ixus a few months back.

Good luck with it all.

Olly

I have Martins book but its only the 3rd edition, so will have to get the new one. I should find out saturday which housing I will get as I should be able to get my hands on all three. People on here have been great and have made things a lot clearer for me now. Mark

Mark,

 

i use the Nauticam and cant praise it enough, but as everyone says its how it feels in the hand vs aquatica or hugy at the same price points.

 

On the learning front, try and get Martin Edges 4th Edition of uw photographer. A great read and useful bunch of knowledge for those stepping up to DLSR, like i did, also from the ixus a few months back.

 

Good luck with it all.

 

Olly

I had a cracking time at the dive show today. Thanks to Alex, Tim and Terry for all your help. I decided on the Nauticam housing and sola 1200 lights.

My reason for choosing the Nauticam housing over the others is down to the design and how it felt in my hands. I liked the Hugyfot shutter release but the housing seemed a little odd when held. I know both housings were only held out of water but the Nauticam just felt more natural. The viewfinder was just incredible on the Nauticam and will be another buy. Just need to save now. Me

with the ali housing you will defiantly need buoyancy on the arms, stix floats and arms are great for this purpose you can buy the stix floats arms and clamps as a set or if you have ultralight arms you can buy the floats on there own,they are made of non compressible foam so you do not loose buoyancy at depth and they weigh bugger all worth every cent here is where you can get them straight from the manufacturer http://stores.4gdphoto.com/StoreFront.bok PS:- the canon 60mm is great macro lens very sharp and fast focusing lens and good for fish portraits as well

Good Choice Miniman! Enjoy it. Went diving today without it for the first time since i bought it (guiding) and i felt lost and empty and had these things on the end of my arms called hands ... i had no idea what to do with them!

again another vote for the stix floats but again available from Alex T.

Enjoy!

Good Choice Miniman! Enjoy it. Went diving today without it for the first time since i bought it (guiding) and i felt lost and empty and had these things on the end of my arms called hands ... i had no idea what to do with them!

 

again another vote for the stix floats but again available from Alex T.

 

Enjoy!

Hi looks like Alex is going to empty my bank account :-) I thought the grab handle was a really good addition to the rig and should make it easier getting on and off boats.

A company called http://www.uw-fotopartner.com/ had some lovely carbon fibre arms at a good price but its a bit redundant if you have to cover them with foam. The stix set looks good. Its a bit anal I know but I prefer them with the edges rounded off like the ones in the review by Cor Bosman and Julie Edwards so will have to get my drill out.

Going without your camera normally means you see lots of interesting stuff.

i also recommend the stix arms - a little time to get the whole rig slightly negative and balanced left/right and fore/aft makes life a lot easier. i've added a 4th Gen double ball on the left with a separate arm for buoyancy so i can use my left hand to stabilize myself with a pointer, using only the right to aim and shoot

Hi

Ive also purchased the Canon 7D (I have the Tokina 10-17mm lens and will be purchasing a macro lens too) and I had decided that I was going to get the Nauticam (over choosing to buy Aquatica) until I starting then looking at strobes….I understand that the Nauticam is only compatible with optic fibre strobes. I found out that the Aquatica comes with options: optic fibre bulkheads or sync bulkheads and also the option to have both an optic fibre bulkhead and a sync cord bulkhead?

I have always shot manual (not TTL) and sync cord in the past, Im happy and more than willing to move on from this and try other techniques.

I have read the con to optic fibre is that there can sometimes be a lag in recycle times? Reporting that the strobes are ready but the camera flash may take longer to recycle resulting in there being a lag in firing the strobe? I was looking at the Inon Z240 (seems very popular and has had great reviews), but Im now wondering do I give myself the option and take the Aquatica A7D housing so that I can have both options (optic fibre on one side and sync cord on the other. I would get a splitter for the sync cord if shooting with 2 strobes. Not sure if I can get a splitter for optic fibre? There’s another question!) or do I keep to my original plan and go with the Nauticam with only optic cord options?

I’d really appreciate some opinions and help.

Or am I getting this completely wrong????

Thank you in advance

Mermaidabouttown

do I keep to my original plan and go with the Nauticam with only optic cord options?

Or am I getting this completely wrong????

I love it when Mermaids come here to Wetpixel! Congrats on the new 7D. The Nauticam has the same option to install a sync cord bulkhead as the Aquatica. So you are in good hands which ever housing you decide to go with. Using a y cord for your strobes you'd maintain the ability to use two optic fibers if you'd like to go that way.

No sure where you are in the world, but I'd recommend you sneak up on land and checkout the housing in person before you decide. Both Reef photo in Florida and Backscatter in Monterrey, CA are close to the ocean so you wouldn't have to be out of the water too long.

Cheers,

Steve

Ive also purchased the Canon 7D (I have the Tokina 10-17mm lens and will be purchasing a macro lens too) and I had decided that I was going to get the Nauticam (over choosing to buy Aquatica) until I starting then looking at strobes….I understand that the Nauticam is only compatible with optic fibre strobes. I found out that the Aquatica comes with options: optic fibre bulkheads or sync bulkheads and also the option to have both an optic fibre bulkhead and a sync cord bulkhead?

 

I have always shot manual (not TTL) and sync cord in the past, Im happy and more than willing to move on from this and try other techniques.

 

I have read the con to optic fibre is that there can sometimes be a lag in recycle times? Reporting that the strobes are ready but the camera flash may take longer to recycle resulting in there being a lag in firing the strobe? I was looking at the Inon Z240 (seems very popular and has had great reviews), but Im now wondering do I give myself the option and take the Aquatica A7D housing so that I can have both options (optic fibre on one side and sync cord on the other. I would get a splitter for the sync cord if shooting with 2 strobes. Not sure if I can get a splitter for optic fibre? There’s another question!) or do I keep to my original plan and go with the Nauticam with only optic cord options?

Hi Mermaidabouttown,

Steve is correct, sync cord bulkheads are definitely available for Nauticam, in Nikonos, Ikelite and Canon S6 styles. I shoot 7D with sync cords and Z-240 all the time, but also have the option to switch back to fiber if I want TTL.

And, something new, we are also about to release a dual (splitter) fiber optic cable as well. Since the Nauticam has two fiber bulkheads, you wouldn't really need it; but if the mood struck you could use it to shoot up to 4 strobes via fiber.

Cheers,

Chris

Hey Mermaid,

I'd add also that the 7D has the option to set the camera's internal flash to a very low setting, enough to trigger the strobes by fiber optics with practically zero recharge time. I haven't looked back since I went to fiber optics myself.

Looks like you are UK based, you are welcome to have a play with my Nauticam 7D if you desire. We have a number of people around the UK with them if oyu are not near us on the South Coast.

Alex