Help: C-770 vs C-5060 and C-8080

Hi,

Can you provide answers for these questions:

- From the specifications bellow we can say Oly C-770 have better lens to take underwater photos?

- From the specifications bellow we can say Oly C-770 have better lens to take macro underwater photos?

- Why C-5060 and C-8080 are best in underwater and in land?

C-770 have 10x optical zoom (C-5060 have only 4x and C-8080 have only 5x); C-770 have one focal length equivalent to 30-380mm (C-5060 have only 27-110mm and C-8080 have only 28-140mm); the working range macro mode in C-770 start at 0.07m (C-5060 start at 0.2 m and C-8080 start at 0.8m); in C-770 the Working Super Macro mode: From as close as 3cm (in C-5060 is 3 cm and in C-8080 is 5 cm)

Thanks

Duarte S.

Olympus C-770 UZ -->

Optical zoom:10x (14 x with a resolution of 1600 x 1200).

Focal length: 6.3 – 63mm (equivalent to 38 – 380mm lens in 35mm format).

Maximum aperture: F2.8 (wide)/F3.7 (tele).

Working Range Standard mode: 0.6m (wide): 2m (tele) – infinity.

Working Macro mode: 0.07m – 0.6m (wide); 1.2m – 2m (tele).

Working Super Macro mode: From as close as 3cm.

Olympus C-5060 WZ -->

Optical zoom: 4x.

Focal length: 5.7 – 22.9mm (equivalent to 27 – 110mm lens in 35mm format).

Maximum aperture: F2.8 (wide)/F4.8 (tele).

Working range Standard mode: 0.8m – infinity.

Working: Macro mode 0.2 – 0.8m.

Working Super macro mode: From as close as 3cm.

Olympus C-8080 WZ -->

Optical zoom:5x.

Focal length:7.1 – 35.6mm (equivalent to 28 – 140mm lens in 35mm format).

Maximum aperture: F2.4 (wide)/F3.5 (tele).

Working range Standard mode:0.8m – infinity.

Working Macro mode: 0.2 – 0.8m.

Working Super macro mode: From as close as 5cm.

The lens on the 770 is NOT better for underwater photography in my opinion. Unless it's a typo, the spec says it's widest equivalent is 38mm.

Underwater, you want as wide an angle lens as you can get, so that you can get close to your subject and light it with your strobes. The zoom is only useful if it can focus close at all focal lengths. A 1,0000x zoom wouldn't do you any good if the closest focus at the telephoto end was 10 feet, right? See how the working range on the 770 is 2 meters at tele? That is pretty much useless underwater - you can't light the subject and what would the magnification be at that distance anyway...

A good lens for underwater use is one that is wide, and can focus close.

I hope that is of some assistance.

Cheers

James