Lens for Canon 20D

I order recently a Ikelite housing for my 20D.

I'm very happy with the camera on land, normally use it with several different lenses, wide, zoom and macro. Couple of them are great pieces of glass and the results are excellent with pictures that jump out of the paper.

When I had to choose a lens to use in the housing I decided to go for a zoom lens.

My prior underwater experience was with Sony cameras and their integrated zoom lens, also great results there.

I purchased the 28-105 USM. I look at my pictures and I really want to cry. Just return from Catalina ISland, I have from overexposed to underexposed, nothing has a nice "color punch".

Tried every possible combo of aperture, flash difusing, removing or concentrating flash.

Close to the surface or deep under a rock.

Is this lens a cheap piece of trash? I know the price is low and that in itself should be a clue. Has anyone used this lens with very good consistent results?

What zoo lens would you replace it with?

Would you use this camera only with primes?

PLease help! I'm ready to lay this housing in the driveaway and run my car over it.

Hugo

Hi Hugo,

The key to producing high quality underwater images with "color punch" is to get as close to your subject as possible. The less water you photograph tthrough the punchier those colours.

Its not your fault it is the lens you were using. Generally underwater photogarphers use ultrawide (weitwinkel) angles - that let them photograph big subjects from very close distance - or macro lenses that allow them to focus very close to the subject.

Just because a lens fits in your housing doesn't mean that it will be suitable for UW photography. Mid range zoom lenses are often problematic in this way.

Good places to start are the Canon 100mm USM macro lens. And the 10-22mm wide angle zoom. But wait and see what others say who use the same system as you.

Alex

I have just purchased the 20D, along with a 60MM macro lense. 1 went with the 60MM macro because it allowed me to get closer to the subject than the 100MM.

Although I would not class my self and qualified to answer which is best. a lot of comments I received were to go for the 60MM macro.

Plus I did not get housing for the camera yet either, so did not get the chance to try it out.

I have the 10-22MM wide-angle on my shopping list, but did not buy it yet. If you buy it let me know how you get on with it.

Alex, given your experience, is there a reason you would go for the 100MM.

Hugo,

I am also new to the 20D. I recently just returned from my first trip using a new 60mm lens and I love it! When I initially purchased the camera, I bought the 100mm but found it very challenging. On this trip, I found using the 60mm much easier to focus and that allowed me to concentrate on other factors such as lighting, etc.

What everyone says about get close and then get closer is so true. Attached are two photos that I am pleased with and I think have some punch. Of course, they are portrait shots and not special in any regard other than just nice pictures. I was told my one of the camera vendors at the last Seaspace, that the 100mm is an excellent lens but to put it into my closet and get it back out after I become more familiar with my new camera system. I think that he was right.

TomC

Well, I guess I do not know how to include an attachment. But I do have a website that is a work in progress. You can look at some of the photos from the Curacao trip for examples.

TomC

www.tpixs.com

Good places to start are the Canon 100mm USM macro lens. And the 10-22mm wide angle zoom.

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Hugo,

I agree with Alex, although I'd say the FIRST lense you should consider buying is the new Canon 60mm EFS macro. You'll likely find that the 60mm is actually a better "all purpose" (although there really isn't such a thing uw) lens than the zoom lens you have now. The 60mm will allow you to shoot nice 1:1 macro AND take some fish shots as well.

The second lens to consider is the 10-22mm wide angle Alex mentioned. Although you might have thought you were getting a wide angle lens with the 28-105mm zoom you bought, the 20D's 1.6x crop factor makes its widest effective focal length 45mm (28x1.6), which isn't really wide angle at all. The 10-22mm is a far better choice.

The THIRD lens to add is the 100mm macro Alex mentioned. You'll use it when you dive in tropical locations with crystal clear water, where it will allow you to take 1:1 macro from a greater distance than the 60mm. But diving places like Catalina (where the water isn't crystal clear), the 60mm is likely to offer you more "all purpose" utility.

If you end up with those three lenses, you'll be able to shoot 95% of what you are likely to WANT to shoot.

I was told by one of the camera vendors at the last Seaspace, that the 100mm is an excellent lens but to put it into my closet and get it back out after I become more familiar with my new camera system.

 

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I think that's excellent advice, except when you're diving very clear water during the DAY (it's not hard to use in those circumstances). The 60mm (or Sigma 50mm) is not only easier to use, but will work well at night, when the 100mm often struggles to focus in limited light conditions. I don't even attempt to use the 100mm at night any more; I find the smaller lenses FAR nicer!

Hi,

All excellent advice. If you are not using strobes and you aren't within about 18 inches of your subject, your photo will dominated by blue and green, and not to mention fuzzy to boot!

The two great starter lenses are the 60mm (for the 20D) and the 10-22mm. The 10-22 is a bit more expensive, but you will end up using it for about 50% of your underwater photos and maybe 90% of your topsides shots.

Hope this helps,

James

Alex told it as it is. Following URL has been in the Photo Tips and Help section for some time: http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/qlens.html

But, in the interest of salvaging said housing from your Ferrari, the lens should do reasonably well if you leave it at the 28mm setting, or for some macro photos if the lens has that capability.

The Canon EF28-105 3.5-4.5 is capable of stunning image quality. I find it indispensable for the varied fish sizes one encounters on the reef....JPG doesn't do justice to how these print out...

At 28mm....

and this is a 20x30 print in my house....

this was about 35mm

here's one at 105mm

Stop down the lens, F8 or more, get close and you WILL get results.

B)

Stu

HI. Thanks everyone for the responses.

I already have the canon 100 macro, I do a lot of macro photography at home, bugs flowers etc.... Matter of fact I called few days ago to Ikelite to order the flat port for the 100.

Specially thanks to scubastu. Your pics with the same lens I was complining about are enough to shut me up! The frog fish is a beauty.

What I see in your pictures is a great job at lighting. What's your set up? I use one Ikelite ds125.

Do you use this lens open pass f8 at all?

Do you go with this lens pass ISO200?

Thanks for the help, I also find out that another lens that I already have, the Tamron 17-35 f2.8 fits the same dome port I use with the 28-105 without close up lens.

It is going to be a very busy test time in the pool the next few days!

Thanks again. I will do some serious testing and post conclusions, may be some other poor frustrated soul other than myself can benefit from this.

Thanks again.

Hugo

Hi Hugo,

All the shots were done behind the Subal FP-94 flat port, the DSLR's crop factor is such that the lens does not vignette with the flat port. I did shoot this behind a dome but that was in my film days. So I do not need a close up diopter.

For lighting, I use 2 S&S YS120s, either at full or half, with or without diffusers.

As this is my "Fish" lens, I usually stay at F8, going all the way up to 16. F16 is usually reserved for Nudis and I put on Woody's push on diopter. (www.nexusamerica.com)

I shoot my 10D usually at ISO 200, only going to 100 for WA or extreme macro.

This lens is capable of stunning exhibit grade images if you do your part.

Stu

Thanks again Stu

Just one more question; What's a Woody's push on diopter?

I think that when I receive the flat port for my 100 I will set some test rig in my pool and try how compatible the flat port and the dome port are with each and every one of the lenses I could fit in them.

Is frustrating at times because while shooting my sony DSC V1 i was used to get very nice shots often, Nevert hougth of such a steep learning curve about submeerging a DSLR.

I guess we are in a way very twisted inside to get this curse of looking for beauty in places and situations that are so complicated.

Thanks again.

Hugo

Hey Hugo,

Like the saying goes, "If this were easy, anyone could do it!"

A Woody's Push on Diopter is a closeup lens that is removable underwater, it lets you get closer to your subject by acting as a close-up lnes. Go to his website at www.nexusamerica.com and order it from him. It is by far the cheapest thing you can buy that will actually add to the ease and quality of your underwater images.

The flat port I use is the one that is spec'd out for the 50 macro, not the 100. The flat port for a 100 will vignette if you're at the zooms wide setting.

I've only recently shot a compact P&S underwater, my wife's A80. She can keep it! Works out great, she hates the size of my housing and I can't stand the shutter lag on her's...

Remember to get close, shoot, get closer and shoot some more. Make sure you check the histogram as it's your most valuable tool...

Here's a WA shot with the EF16-35L

Keep on shooting!

Stu

"Most Lenses are Better Than Most Photographers" Michael Reichmann, www.luminous-landscape.com

Stu, those are great photos. Congratulations!

Thanks!

Stu, those are great photos. Congratulations!

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I agree with you Stu.

It is not the gear as much as it is the photographer. Taking pictures of fish is like babies…you got to get there attention without scaring them.

My camera cost me about 350USD and my “housing†cost me about 150USD.

I am using a pocket S50 Canon with NO strobe at all and a cheep Canon housing. Every time I take a picture I have to white balance on a sheet of white plastic I have with me. This only works if there is lots of light and of course I cant shot RAW if I use WB. I am a DM up in N. Sulawesi for a few months of the year so I have lots of neat stuff to sure.

[images deleted due to profane nature -editor]

Yeah yeah I know the pics are not that sharp and the objects and the lighting is not that good...but what do you expect for a camera and house that fits in your pocket and costs less then 500USD.

I am going to start shooting with a Canon 20D with strobes soon in a Subal. Looking forward to how my shots will improve. Think Ill use my 28-105 that I have for my EOS 50.

All the best

Erik Adler

Camera hunk of s*it Canon S50, no strobes, house el-cheapo 150USD thing

Great color.........

Well I did cheat a little with the color in Photoshop. I have to do this most of the time since I dont have a strobe and NEVER use the built in flash. Not so much to get the reds back (I WB before each shot) but to get some "punch" into the photos.

I am going to Komodo in Sept-Oct. Does anybody know what the "show up and pay" price is? I know it is much cheaper then if fix a liveaboard before you are there though a middle man. I will bring a real camera with me (Canon 20D) Any recomendations of filters to get a nice "blue water look"?

All the best

Erik Adler

Sweden

Hey Erik

Your images perfectly illustrate that it's definitely not the equipment! If that's the results you're getting with the S50, you'll be deadly once your 20D is housed!

I love that Kubaryana shot.

Stu