Help getting a Camera

[Tristan 0]

HI guys and gals,

 

I'm relatively new to the underwater photography scene. currently i have a Casio QV-R51 and am using a DiCAPac WP-300 Waterproof Case

 

it works ok how ever cannot go as deep as i free dive and the camera require you to be rather stlll to take the photos, and as you know its kind of hard to sit still when the swell is swaying you back and forth.

 

so i have been looking to get a new camera to take with me on my diving adventures, at present i free dive but in the near future will be doing suba diving so i need a cam that can go deeper as well.

 

i have been looking at the following 2 cameras how ever i do not know enough about photography let alone underwater photography to know what i should be looking at.

 

i'm after something simple for now but still with enough features so that as i learn/get better i can still use it with more advanced options/expansions. im also looking at around the $1000 mark

 

also i live in Perth Western Australia, so im mostly diving along the west coast areas.

 

the 2 cameras i have been looking at are

 

Sea&Sea DX-1G

 

SeaLife DC800

 

im really liking the look of the sea life DC800

 

 

any advice would be appreciated

 

Thanks

Edited April 23, 2008 by Tristan

[Halabriel 0]

Hi

 

Like you I am a relative newbie at the U/W photography game. I am just past the point and push stage, but not yet up to the DSLR knobs and whistles stage.

 

Buying any camera is a personal choice at the end of the day, you need to handle the units, get a feel for what is good in your hands, how all the knobs and buttons feel to you. No-one can ever tell you which is the right feel for you.

 

However... You asked an opinion and here is mine - DX-1G

 

As to why...

 

Their major tips for producing better shots I have found are

1) Go Manual

2) The 5 tricks to good pictures are ISO / White balance / RAW / Metering patterns / Adobe RGB

3) Fix speed and flash, but change f-stop as you get closer

 

Going through these stepwise...

 

1) It's a no brainer, take the decisions away from the camera and set the options yourself, almost universally agreed upon. For you both the DX-1G and DC800 meet the standard.

 

2) ISO - You want to manually adjust for ambient light levels. Again both the DX-1G and DC800 meet the standard.

 

3) White balance - Both have dedicated underwater settings (I should hope so) as well as the ability to set a manual white balance. Still neck and neck in the DX-1G / DC800 race.

 

4) RAW vs JPG - For more advanced photo editing you want to shoot RAW. The DC800 does not list this as an option on it's spec sheets. 1point for the DX-1G

 

5) Metering Patterns - how the camera assesses the light levels, you want spot or center weighted options here. Most modern digital have the ability to switch between these. The DC800 doesn't state this ability exists, but it probably does. DX-1G states it emphatically in their literature. +1/2 point to the DX-1G

 

6) Adobe vs sRGB - read this sRGB vs Adobe and if you understand it let me know. Bottom line is Adobe RGB is better for prints, and sRGB for publishing on the internet. However neither camera seems to offer the ability to switch between them anyway. So still the DX-1G by 1 1/2 points

 

7) Strobe / F-stop - If you have TTL monitoring, the camera tells the strobe when enough is enough and the strobe shuts off preventing over exposure. If you don't have TTL, you need the ability to alter the F-stop of the camera to reduce overexposure as you get closer to your subject. Listen here for a better explanation TTL Podcast. Either way the DX-1G wins because it has both TTL and the ability to control F-stop. The DC800 I don't think has TTL, I can't find anywhere that says it does, but it does have the ability to control F-stop. So 1point to the DX-1G

 

So there we have a clear winner - the DX-1G by 2 1/2 points

 

However the points are won in advanced features (RAW, TTL, Adobe RGB), the straight forward features are common to both, these are the features that you will be using exclusively at first. So it comes back to my original point. Handle the units, get a feel for how they fit your hands.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Edited April 24, 2008 by Halabriel

[garter10895 0]

HI guys and gals,

 

I'm relatively new to the underwater photography scene. currently i have a Casio QV-R51 and am using a DiCAPac WP-300 Waterproof Case

 

it works ok how ever cannot go as deep as i free dive and the camera require you to be rather stlll to take the photos, and as you know its kind of hard to sit still when the swell is swaying you back and forth.

 

so i have been looking to get a new camera to take with me on my diving adventures, at present i free dive but in the near future will be doing suba diving so i need a cam that can go deeper as well.

 

i have been looking at the following 2 cameras how ever i do not know enough about photography let alone underwater photography to know what i should be looking at.

 

i'm after something simple for now but still with enough features so that as i learn/get better i can still use it with more advanced options/expansions. im also looking at around the $1000 mark

 

also i live in Perth Western Australia, so im mostly diving along the west coast areas.

 

the 2 cameras i have been looking at are

 

Sea&Sea DX-1G

 

SeaLife DC800

 

im really liking the look of the sea life DC800

 

 

any advice would be appreciated

 

Thanks

 

 

You know its kind of funny, i was wondering the exact same thing! but i went for the sealife dc800, mainly because of the price. They each have their own unique fetures, they are very much alike, but the DX1G is better overall, but just barely. So if your looking for a great starter camera (for an amazing price) i would say go with the dc800 camera, but it really does just matter what your going to be shooting, and how. So in the end i think that the dc800 would be a great buy, but its up to you.

[tlrlc 0]

there is a big price difference....especially now with the dc800 on sale for 400.00 ...you can get it with a strobe for 700 and the dx1g is 950 with out strobe....

I am trying to get a new camera myself and would like a dslr but i would like my whole set up (camera, housing, strobe) to come in under 700.00, is this possible?

[Hexanchus 0]

Hi all!

 

I've retired my A35 and am looking at replacing it with the DC1000 elite kit. Anyone played with this unit or have any feedback?

 

Thanks!

[ornate_wrasse 0]

I've retired my A35 and am looking at replacing it with the DC1000 elite kit. Anyone played with this unit or have any feedback?

 

Hi Tim!

 

I'd like to give you a warm welcome to Wetpixel.

 

Hmmm....the A35, was that by any chance the old Ikelite film camera? I seem to remember lots of folks using it when I started diving. Of course that's before digital took over!

 

I am not familiar with the DC1000 elite. I did check online and it seems to cost about 999.95 List with an advertised price of 899.95 at the places I checked. Hopefully someone will jump in that's used it or knows someone that's used it.

 

Good luck in getting answers to your question.

 

Best regards,

 

Ellen

[Hexanchus 0]

Hi Tim!

 

I'd like to give you a warm welcome to Wetpixel.

 

Hmmm....the A35, was that by any chance the old Ikelite film camera? I seem to remember lots of folks using it when I started diving. Of course that's before digital took over!

 

Thanks Ellen!

 

Yep, that would be the one......put a lot of 35mm film through it, but it's time to replace it.

 

I had a fubar with the PM you sent me on the other board....could you please give me the contact info again?

 

Thanks!

 

Tim

[ornate_wrasse 0]

Yep, that would be the one......put a lot of 35mm film through it, but it's time to replace it.

 

I agree. It will be nice to be able to get more than 36 images on a dive

 

I had a fubar with the PM you sent me on the other board....could you please give me the contact info again?

 

I sent the PM again, this time to your email address. Let me know if you don't receive it OK.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ellen

[danielwoilfan 0]

hi i am a new diver and looking at two cameras set ups and want your opinion on which would produce better pics the first "Sea & Sea DX-860G Sport Plus Package" for $798 or "Sealife DC1000 digital underwater camera elite set" for $899. both have strobes

 

DC1000 http://www.joediveramerica.com/page/JDA/PROD/cam/SL108

 

DX-860g http://www.joediveramerica.com/page/JDA/PROD/cam/SS-06549SP

 

Thanks

[wkng 0]

Hi,

 

I used DX-860g before for round 10 dives, then sold it.

 

It was difficult to control the exposure in different modes that the camera offers. I used YS-110 as well.

 

No idea about DC1000.

 

Hope this help.