Advice needed on digital camera system

Hi. I am building up a digital underwater camera system and would appreciate advice on how to proceed. I am considering two options, but please let me know if I'm overlooking a better alternative. I want this system to produce images that could be used in scientific publications. I want to be able to take close-up and wide-angle images.

Option 1. Use currently owned Sony DSC S70 camera and Ikelite substrobes with newly purchased Ikelite housing and TTL sensor. The benefit here is price since I already own two expensive components, but will my 2-year old 3.3 megapixel camera produce acceptable images?

Option 2. Purchase the Nikon 5000 digital camera and Ikelite housing and use them with currently owned Ikelite substrobes. This option is attractive to me because the Nikon can be direct-wired to the substrobes for TTL metering, the camera supports 5 megapixel resolution, but the lens is not as sharp as the Sony.

Ikelite can make a housing for the Sony with a lens port that supports an Inon wide angle lens, and their housing for the Nikon has an available dome port to use with Nikon's W/A adapter. Both cameras have nice close-up modes.

Many thanks for any advice that you can offer.

Cheers,

Joshua

Hi Joshua,

Which Ike strobes do you currently own?

You're not going to like to hear this - but since in almost ALL cases digital housings cost more than the camera - I'd recommend you "toss" your Sony and get the right camera and the right housing from the git-go.

The Sony cameras take great pictures topside because they have great "point and shoot" capabilities. But they don't have the manual control (in my opinion) that you are going to want underwater. If you are shooting TTL, you will want to be able to use Manual exposure and Flash +/- on the camera.

You can do great wideangle with the Coolpix native lens or even go as wide as 19mm with the WC-E68.

Most importantly, you can't just use any old strobe with the Sony. You need the Ike DS125 or DS50 with sensors or a YS90DX. With the Coolpix you can use just about anything.

Here are some of my shots with the Coolpix 5000:

Native 28mm lens:

Native macro:

Attached INON macro lens:

HTH

James

The Sony has severe limitations, but it sounds like you already have the complete system. I'd say go shoot it and see what happens.

I don't see 3.3mp as an issue.

The inability to control exposure manually will be a killer. It does allow a +/- 2 EV adjustment. Find out how it works and what button will control it. You will need it.

If you really need wider than the 35mm angle of view, I wouldn't waste money on a new housing.

My standard advice is to use whatever you've got until you are sure you are getting as good an image as can be made with the system. If that's not good enough, upgrade.

Joshua,

The 3.3 MP are no problem as long as you don't want to print posters, but

no manual control and shutter delay of your old camera will cause trouble sooner or later.

I'd either go the cheap way and try to get a used housing for your Sony or - as James said - buy a new setup for the Coolpix. I would not buy a new housing for an old camera.

I've seen incredible macro shots taken with a Coolpix 5000 from a fellow traveler, the lens seems to be more than ok.

Sabine

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. Here's some feedback.

jamesw - Your images are beautiful! I currently own 2 Ikelite substrobes, an MV (like the newer 50) and a 200. I have learned from an Ikelite representative that they WILL work with the Sony, but if I want to use them with the Nikon, I'll need to send them in for a minor electronics upgrade. That's because the Sony doesn't use a preflash allowing me to use their old-style TTL sensor to drive my existing strobes. The Nikon will drive the (modified) substrobes directly from the hotshoe connected to an Ikelite bulkhead fitting.

scorpio_fish - It wasn't clear in my original post, but I currently own just the camera and substrobes. I also have a spare battery, several memory sticks and other accessories that would have to be duplicated with any new non-Sony camera I purchase.

I've had a careful look at the Nikon 5000 and it looks like a very nice unit. Sabine - after looking at the specs, I'm no longer worried about the optics. I hate the shutter delay in the Sony, but have gotten used to it. Does the Nikon 5000 not have any delay?

So, here are the options:

1) Use the Sony and buy a housing, TTL sensor, TTL connecting cord and Inon W/A lens. I estimate that this will cost about $1300.

2) Buy a new Nikon 5000, housing w/dome port, TTL connecting cord, Nikon 19mm lens, smart media, extra battery, and electronic upgrades to substrobes - about $2300.

So, I'm vacillating over the extra $1k. Part of me wants to "cheap out" and go for the Sony package and upgrade in a few years when D SLRs become more affordable. Another benefit of this system and a "wet" W/A adapter lens is that I could switch back and forth between macro/normal and wide angle on the same dive. Another side of me appreciates that you have come up with a Nikon 5000 solution that works well, so I should just go for it.

Just to give you some background, I'm a pretty experienced Nikonos V photographer. And, at the risk of dating myself, I cut my U/W photographer teeth with a Nikonos III system (totally manual). When I was competing in underwater photo contests, I used manual control a lot, but for my scientific shots I rarely use the Nikonos V manual functions. I really like the way the TTL flash metering works in this system. It allows me to take repeated well-exposed shots while doing other work underwater. Other than for artistic expression is there a reason why manual control is so important in digital underwater photography? Doesn't the TTL sensor cause the shot to be properly exposed? The answer to these questions may just make the decision for me.

I find that I can't do nearly as well as TTL can for macro shots, or for shots where the subject fills the frame. However, for wide-angle shots with a smaller subject, I've found that TTL almost always over-exposes (maybe I did something wrong).

However, I do know people who only shoot TTL. I just don't use it because I CAN'T. :angryfire:

Does the Nikon 5000 not have any delay?

Yes but it's not that bad and with the firmware upgrade (there was a thread some times ago) it seems to be almost acceptable.

Other than for artistic expression is there a reason why manual control is so important in digital underwater photography?

With working TTL probably not. But there are always situations when you'll want to take full control.

Sabine

However, I do know people who only shoot TTL.   I just don't use it because  I CAN'T.

What kind of system are you using?

I just noticed your sig line - oops.

Do you think the Sony system I'm proposing would be any better ... or worse?

Do you think the Sony system I'm proposing would be any better ... or worse?

Most likely, the output of the proposed Sony setup would be worse. After all, the D60 body alone costs more than the entire Sony setup.

But that doesn't mean that your exposures won't be more accurate.

Hi Coraldoc,

If you're used to shooting a Nikonos V then the Coolpix 5000 with a TTL sync cord will feel very familiar to you. Put the camera in "A" mode and it's just like a Nikonos - but here's the kicker, you can take flash photos at incredibly fast shutterspeeds!

Yes, you can take shots at 1/500th!!!!!

It sounds like the decision for you at this point is purely an economic one - that none of us can make for you. We have provided some information to help though.

FWIW, there is an Ike TTL sensor for sale on Ebay now. Here's a link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=1395139387

Dunno who's it is so I take no responsibility if it doesn't work...

Cheers

James

The other issue is that you should be able to easily set the aperture and shutter speed while in manual mode -- on whatever camera you choose.

Most digicams that are popular underwater have both controls easily accessible (up/down for aperture, and left/right for shutter, or vice versa). It was not convenient from the Nikon Coolpix 990 that I used to use. You had to hit a button to toggle aperture/shutter "mode" and then turn a dial to change the setting.

The coolpix 5000 only has one command dial, so you don't have to push any buttons in aperture priority or shutter priority. But you do have to push a button while in manual.

Cheers

James

Hi-

I just found this forum and am impressed with all of you and your experience with UW systems. I own a SONY DSC F707. Ikelite offers a housing and the DS125 strobe. Do you think I will have enough control to make good images? The one thing I don't like about my Sony is the manual focus - it's darn hard to focus manually. Any thoughts on this? Has anyone out there tried this set up?

I am a fairly experienced Nikons V user and want to get at least the same functionality out of this very pricy approach to UW digital photography.

Thanks for any insights you may have.

Cheri

I would look at Ike's notes (on the Ike web site, though you may have to hunt for them) on the difficulty of putting a wide angle lens on the 707 UW. With the digital cameras you are always going to have a shutter lag problem in comparision to a Nikonos. I have saved my Nikonos for backup and for snorkeling with Dolphins, WS, Sea Lions, ect.. :ph34r: