Need help with set-up $2200

[linder 3]

Hi Everyone !

 

I'm new to the forum and reasonably new to UW photography.

 

I currently use a Canon G9 with the original Canon housing, a Fantasea "BIG Eye" wide-angle lens and a very basic Sealife storbe.

 

Me and my GF are going to New York (we live in Stockholm, Sweden), and as photo equipment (especially UW) is way cheaper in the states I'm looking to sell my G9 set-up and purchase an upgrade whilst in NY.

 

However I really need your recommendations on what to get. I'm not a advanced UW-photographer but I have been playing around with my G9-set up for a few years and I'm getting used to working some manual settings on both the camera and storbe (although I prefer it to be as simple and automated as possible).

 

I'm looking to get a versatile set-up for both macro and wide-angle shooting, that has a somewhat decent video capability, and I have no more than $2200 to spend (preferably less but that is the absolute limit). I've started looking at the Canon S95 with the Fix S95 housing a Fix UWL-04 Wide Angle Lens and a Sea & Sea YS01a strobe.

 

Now to my questions:

 

Is this a good set-up or what else do you recommend with my kind of budget? (I'm a bit lost as to the many different possible set-ups out there, I am in no way prone to Canon cameras so any suggestions are welcome)

 

Can I shoot macro using the Fix Wide Angle? Or do I need to get a separate macro lens?

 

Should I aim for one or two strobes? What about video light, should I just shoots with natural light (guessing that a dedicated video-light will be expensive?)

 

Many thanks for your thoughts and recommendations, like I said feel free to recommend something completely different!

[mozaik 0]

Hi,

 

I hope you have a great trip in NY.

 

First of all , I would suggest getting a couple of strobes. With 2200$ , you will not be able to get a DSLR package and I believe that strobes make more of a difference that one camera or another.

 

Your budget should be enough for the Olympus Pen Micro 4/3rds cameras , housing and 2 strobes , maybe you will go a little bit over.

 

Amazing review of their previous model can be found on Backscatter

 

Here are some links to get you going:

Olympus Camera and Housing Bundle

BTS Olympus Pen Arm and Tray set

2 x YS-01 Sea and Sea Strobes

 

You will also need a couple of fiber optics cables.

 

If you want you can go for a Sea and Sea arm and tray set , they have a couple of options as well.

 

I think the Olympus Pen will give you the best results for your budget.

 

If you have any specific questions , PM or email me and you are welcome to ask more questions in this thread , I will do my best to recommend and there are many other professionals here which will for sure comment and recommend themselves.