firas

Thanks DrHils. I ended up buying a Sony RX100 VA with a Nauticam housing and a set of Inon strobes instead. Much happier with this setup (other than the dent it left in my bank account). Managed to sell the Sealife complete package to my brother at a discounted price as he's dabbling in UW photography/videography as well.

Thank you for the tip on the RX100. I'll look into that alternative option.

Thanks for the feedback Interceptor. I was actually considering this initially as a mid-way solution (lighter than DSLR and more affordable while having better image quality and AF performance than compacts,the Olympus' especially are tempting). However, even with affordable 4/3 mirrorless bodies, the lenses, ports and housings are still much more expensive, bigger and heavier than a compact setup. At the end of the day, I'm not sure I can justify the added expense as a beginner hobbyist UW photographer and more importantly I don't want to shoulder the added weight burden while traveling with the restrictive baggage allowances these days. This blog post shares similar thoughts to mine just articulated much better, in more detail and with actual on hand experience with the different systems (for those going through a similar dillema to mine): https://aquabluedreams.com/page/my-digital-de-evolution/

Thanks for the feedback & advice Dave. I am actually trying to sell the Sealife but there's not much of a market for used uw photo gear where I'm at unfortunately. Actually thinking of selling it abroad and paying the shipping myself if I find a buyer. Thanks for the tips on the wet lenses, I'll keep that in mind later on when I consider buying them. The short battery life is a concern but as you said it might be offset with several spare batteries I guess. Thanks again!

Thanks for all the advice Chris. I was actually torn between the two (Sony RX100 VA & Panasonic LX10) but I'm probably going to be ordering everything except the camera itself online and purchase the camera locally for warranty purposes. Unfortunately the LX10 isn't available in our local photography store, so that kind of ruled it out. Thanks for pointing out the shipping restriction, I should be able to work around that by using my US based DHL forwarding mailbox address (it's how I order items from Amazon US all the time). I've read a lot of reviews and comparisons between the two such as: http://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-photography-special-features/article/2019-top-best-compact-cameras-housings-underwater-photography-video And it seems the Sony is a good all rounder (possibly better for still photos) while the Panasonic is especially good for video (although the lack of Auto ISO in manual video mode is a con it seems). While I do want to eventually want to try out both with whichever compact I get, I'm focusing on still photos at the moment and will try video later on. Any idea how the Sony RX100 custom white balance compares to the Panasonic LX10? Thanks for the confirmation on the vacuum vale and the forum link. I'll delve into it.

Hey folks, After having used my Sealife DC2000 Pro Duo set on a one week liveaboard and other dives before & after that, I've decided to cut my losses and switch cameras as I'm not happy with it. So after doing some research, I've narrowed it down to the following camera package: Nauticam NA-RX100V Underwater Housing AND Sony RX100 V Camera w/Dual Inon S-2000 Strobe https://www.housingcamera.com/id5198-nauticam-housing-sony-rx100-v-pkg.html Any thoughts on whether this is a good package to start out with as I would like a small and light setup for travelling? I was thinking of getting the following accessories as well: Shutter release extension button (now) Focus light (any recommendations on one? Can it double as video light if I mount it on the hot-shoe? Can I salvage my Sealight Sea Dragon 2000 Dive Light SL986 and use it as a focus/video light somehow?). Vacuum pump (do I need this?). Nauticam WWL-1 Wide angle lense (later) Much appreciated.

That's great to know, thanks again Barmaglot! This way my current investment in the SeaLife Pro Duo (Strobe & Light) won't be wasted if I decide to use another camera in the future. I can also buy another SeaLife strobe without feeling that I'm locked into their system. Thank you for sharing all these different options with me. UW photography sure is quite different from land-based photography

Thank you for the tips and suggested items Barmaglot! Much appreciated My main concern is that the SeaLife uses non-standard arms, hence my thinking if I should keep investing in this system or switch to another one now. Decisions, decisions...

Hi folks. I returned to diving after a long hiatus last year on a family vacation to the Maldives. I started using a GoPro Hero which I still use for video and love. I then bought a SeaLife DC2000 compact package with a dual tray, strobe & video light. I used this setup on a recent Liveaboard trip to Port Sudan (Red Sea). I came away from this trip with several frustrations using this setup... a) Trying to use the top shutter release button on the housing is very cumbersome especially when trying to shoot subjects from below (aiming the camera up). b) Trying to actually see what's on the lcd preview screen before & after taking the shot is also difficult. So what I'd like to get some advice on before I invest any more on this Sealife setup is the following: 1. Are there any 3rd party accessories to allow having a shutter button on the handle? This would allow shooting with both hands on the handles which is more natural and stable. I couldn't find any such accessories from Sealife themselves. 2. Are there any 3rd party accessories for a rotating or titled viewfinder for the Sealife? If the above 2 aren't possible with the Sealife then I'll have to consider swapping to another compact camera setup and cut my losses with the Sealife (considering the Canon GX7 mark II or Panasonic Lumix LX10). Would either of those 2 have accessories to address the above issues or are those options only available on DSLR housings? I do have a Canon 70D but am reluctant to spend the high investment on a housing for it at this point since I'm still relatively new to UW photography and would prefer a compact setup for lighter traveling. Eventually I would like to have dual strobes, strobe arms, a focus light, a wide angle port/wet lense and a macro one. Appreciating any advice/suggestions on this.

Hi folks. Firas here from Kuwait. I've recently returned to scuba diving after a 13 year hiatus last year. I'm also a hobbyist photographer so naturally started underwater videography & photography with a GoPro and later on a Sealife DC2000. Looking forward to learning all that I can from this great community and hopefully contributing back as well.