Quick Decision on Wide Angle

I'm a long time reader but first time poster.

A very quick last minute question for you guys:

I'm leaving for Thailand in exactly 1 week (5 day liveaboard) and am debating picking up a wide angle wet mount, specifically the FIX UWL-04.

I had been waiting to hopefully find a used one come up either here or SB but haven't had any luck.

Current setup is an S90 in an Ike housing with 1 S2000.

Possibly the biggest issue is that this will be my first time using a good underwater rig (something capable of taking good photos).

Now, in your opinion would it make sense to pick up a wide angle lens or stick with the basics and get a feeling for the new rig while on the trip.

Since UW is practically new to me would this be overkill?

Thanks for your help and safe diving.

I'm a long time reader but first time poster.

 

A very quick last minute question for you guys:

 

I'm leaving for Thailand in exactly 1 week (5 day liveaboard) and am debating picking up a wide angle wet mount, specifically the FIX UWL-04.

 

I had been waiting to hopefully find a used one come up either here or SB but haven't had any luck.

 

Current setup is an S90 in an Ike housing with 1 S2000.

 

Possibly the biggest issue is that this will be my first time using a good underwater rig (something capable of taking good photos).

 

Now, in your opinion would it make sense to pick up a wide angle lens or stick with the basics and get a feeling for the new rig while on the trip.

 

Since UW is practically new to me would this be overkill?

 

Thanks for your help and safe diving.

My wife shoots the s90 in a fix housing - with the uwl-04. It is a good lens, fairly easy to shoot - I think you would enjoy using it. A single s2000 is not going to light that lens very well; so you either need to shoot natural light in shallow water (with good vis and sunny day - probably do ok to maybe 20-25 feet, but reds will be suppressed even this shallow), or maybe some close focus wide angle if you aim your strobe carefully at the subject. A second strobe (or at least a more powerful wider coverage strobe like a Inon 240) would be very nice.

Also - Thailand will have lots of very nice macro subjects. An external closeup lens would be useful as well.

I'm a big fan of fisheye lenses for compact camera users, I don't think you will regret it. Both Fisheye and Dyron make high-quality fisheye lenses for your setup. I haven't seen used ones for sale very often.

Scott

I use the INON 100 WAL with adapter rings on my S90 & Fix system. The advantage is you can take it off u/w but it does vignette some at widest (just zoom in one step). The con is its not as wide as UWL. I think it would be easier to learn very w/a photography on it?