I was looking at getting a good underwater camera for a $1000 or less. I did not know if I should go with a purly underwater camera or get a digital camera and a seperate housing. I had looked at a canon SD 800 IS "powershot 10.1mp" and a ikilite housing and it would cost about $800 total but I was not sure what kind of flash I would get without having to buy a seperate flash. Does anyone have any ideas.
Digital underwater camera combo?
- Thread starter Kkubiak
- Start date
fppf
New member
What are you trying to shoot?
Check out the Canon A640, here is a shot with the A640 in an Ike housing using its internal flash and a defuser.
This setup is good for shooting macro but if your going to shoot wide angle you will need an external flash. Check out Ikelite's substrobes.
Check out the Canon A640, here is a shot with the A640 in an Ike housing using its internal flash and a defuser.
This setup is good for shooting macro but if your going to shoot wide angle you will need an external flash. Check out Ikelite's substrobes.
Sweet Picture
Sweet Picture
Wher was that at. He looks like he is just about ready to take a bite out of you. I think I am going to go with aa Ikelite housing and wait on the substrobe. They are a little expensive for now. Still not sure what camera though. I'll check into the one you have.
Sweet Picture
Wher was that at. He looks like he is just about ready to take a bite out of you. I think I am going to go with aa Ikelite housing and wait on the substrobe. They are a little expensive for now. Still not sure what camera though. I'll check into the one you have.
fppf
New member
Yeah I can't say enough about Ikelite. Good products and great service, good prices too.
Here is a shot of my wife shooting her Canon A640, its a nice little camera and housing combo. She has really small hands so it fits her well. This was taken with my Nikon D100 in an Ike housing with 1 DS125 substrobe.
This is a shot of me with my D100, this is taken with the A640 without a strobe using whitebalance correction for color.
Both shots where taken from about 7-8 feet away, not ideal but vis was good enough for a quick snap, hey its digital, shoot all you want.
Here is a shot of my wife shooting her Canon A640, its a nice little camera and housing combo. She has really small hands so it fits her well. This was taken with my Nikon D100 in an Ike housing with 1 DS125 substrobe.
This is a shot of me with my D100, this is taken with the A640 without a strobe using whitebalance correction for color.
Both shots where taken from about 7-8 feet away, not ideal but vis was good enough for a quick snap, hey its digital, shoot all you want.
Was thinking all the Ikelights were much more... $800-1500. for the housing alone...
Consider buying a compact camera (Sony, Nikon, Canon, Olympus) and using a manufacturer housing ($200-250). There are plusses/minuses vs DSLR's w/ Ikelite housings. Add to the cost the strobe and other accessories and it quickly adds up.
Highly recommend an external strobe and eventually a wide angle lense (lets more light in and great on wreck sites).
I use a Canon S50 w Canon housing ($180) good to depths of 130ft, Sea & Sea strobe connected via fiber optic cable, and most recently got an Inon wide angle and macro lenses. I had to create my own screw to go through the wide angle lens holder and Sea & Sea base plate into the housing tripod mount but a simple eye hook and a file worked wonders. Ultralight has great arms and very compatible with everything (also expensive) but very helpful on how to connect everything. Worth the $$ for that type of service!
My own recommendation, stay away from dedicated dive cameras w build in housings (Sea & Sea) as they're expensive comparitively speaking and generally not up to par (features/megapixels) compared to the major players. Besides, I'd much rather have a good topside camera in the process.
Some day I'll switch to DSLR but that will be a huge outlay of $$. I've probably spend 1200-1500 for everything I have accumulated over the years.
Another option is look for used equipment. When someone upgrades to DSLR or a new camera, most of the equipment from a compact digital isn't compatible. You'll find people sell their old rig w everything together.
If you're worried about flooding, there's always dive equipment insurance out there.
I'll post a link or pdf gallery of pics from the Bahamas once it's up. We just got back from a week of diving.
Consider buying a compact camera (Sony, Nikon, Canon, Olympus) and using a manufacturer housing ($200-250). There are plusses/minuses vs DSLR's w/ Ikelite housings. Add to the cost the strobe and other accessories and it quickly adds up.
Highly recommend an external strobe and eventually a wide angle lense (lets more light in and great on wreck sites).
I use a Canon S50 w Canon housing ($180) good to depths of 130ft, Sea & Sea strobe connected via fiber optic cable, and most recently got an Inon wide angle and macro lenses. I had to create my own screw to go through the wide angle lens holder and Sea & Sea base plate into the housing tripod mount but a simple eye hook and a file worked wonders. Ultralight has great arms and very compatible with everything (also expensive) but very helpful on how to connect everything. Worth the $$ for that type of service!
My own recommendation, stay away from dedicated dive cameras w build in housings (Sea & Sea) as they're expensive comparitively speaking and generally not up to par (features/megapixels) compared to the major players. Besides, I'd much rather have a good topside camera in the process.
Some day I'll switch to DSLR but that will be a huge outlay of $$. I've probably spend 1200-1500 for everything I have accumulated over the years.
Another option is look for used equipment. When someone upgrades to DSLR or a new camera, most of the equipment from a compact digital isn't compatible. You'll find people sell their old rig w everything together.
If you're worried about flooding, there's always dive equipment insurance out there.
I'll post a link or pdf gallery of pics from the Bahamas once it's up. We just got back from a week of diving.
edr42
New member
The dedicated housings for the canon digitals are pretty good, i've had mine for 4 years and it's bulletproof. You can go for external lenses and strobe set ups on all of the in house housings as well, Inon fibre optic strobes work well with the canons.
My little IXUS 400 with the canon WP-DC800 housing gets some damn good shots:
This was with the no attachments, so you can easily use the basic package if thats all you can afford.
My little IXUS 400 with the canon WP-DC800 housing gets some damn good shots:
This was with the no attachments, so you can easily use the basic package if thats all you can afford.
zahner
New member
I would stay away from the Canon SD-series for underwater use since they lack manual controls. Shooting full auto is fine for the very beginning, but you will quickly outgrow it.
Look at the A-series instead as fppf mentioned. The A570IS, A640, A710IS would all be good choices, IMO and Canon makes cases for them which are a lot more affordable than Ikelite.
I just upgraded from the SD500 to the G7
Look at the A-series instead as fppf mentioned. The A570IS, A640, A710IS would all be good choices, IMO and Canon makes cases for them which are a lot more affordable than Ikelite.
I just upgraded from the SD500 to the G7
Enjoy. Pictures from the Bahamas - Bahama Divers & Stuart Cove. Stuart Cove is the recommended dive company. Average vis about 60 ft.
http://www.brianpaulus.com/Vaca/Bahamas07/index.html
Camera - Canon S50 w Canon U/W housing, Sea & Sea YS25 strobe via fiber optic cable and INON wide angle lens. Generally use AV setting, ISO 100, Cloudy, RAW & JPEG formats.
Camera shots came out much better than past trips contributed to the use of the wide angle lens.
Pictures developed and slideshow created using Adobe Lightroom.
http://www.brianpaulus.com/Vaca/Bahamas07/index.html
Camera - Canon S50 w Canon U/W housing, Sea & Sea YS25 strobe via fiber optic cable and INON wide angle lens. Generally use AV setting, ISO 100, Cloudy, RAW & JPEG formats.
Camera shots came out much better than past trips contributed to the use of the wide angle lens.
Pictures developed and slideshow created using Adobe Lightroom.
