Choosing new camera (NOT DSLR)

[eXeC- 0]

ill be looking into both these models..

thanks a lot

[TomR1 5]

derway is correct.

 

LX-5 is better says Reef Photo and generally they are accurate in their analysis.

 

However, the housing they recommend is more expensive.

 

Still, the XZ-1 takes great shots as you can see. For an inexpensive setup Mamel's daughter's setup is my recommendation.

 

Just to confuse you:

 

The original request was for a setup about $500. If the budget changes the analysis does also. I happen to be a big (and probably only) proponent of the Olympus e620 in an Olympus housing and a 14/54 lens because that particular SLR (although deadended) has a great general purpose lens (and port) that will take decent macro and semi wide angle shots. Once you start getting close to the camera/housing/port/lens price of $2000, I believe that an extra $500 for the e-620 is a consideration. In fact, once you add in wet lenses for macro and wide you are nearly @ $2000 even for the XZ-1 and over for the LX-5.

 

e-620 shots from my wife: http://www.tomandginnie.com/Wakatobi-It...he%20Reefs.html

[eXeC- 0]

alright! i'm unfortunately not wealthy and still young to be able to afford these full sets..

one part at a time maybe if i do get more passionate about this.. but the moment it's just a coincidence that all my cameras are dead.. so i need a new one for land and uw.

 

i'll be checking up more comparisons between the XZ-1 and LX-5 ... they are in my shortlist

 

or... i don't know.. this is complicated :/

[eXeC- 0]

ok i've been comparing a bit..

 

can i allow myself to ask these questions about these 2

 

Based on many reviews and comparisons on the net.. the LX5 is better... but the lens of the XZ1 itself appear to be much bigger and impressive!

ok ok.. no more questions abt that one.. the LX5 is better based on many reviews on that !

 

 

which casing to get for the LX5? :/ their UW case looks expensive .. the camera itself is $369 .. very nice price!

UW case.. only the ikelite? :/ sold around $600! that's expensive :/

what lens / strobe is totally necessary add on?

Edited October 1, 2011 by eXeC-

[TomR1 5]

Neither REQUIRES a lens. A macro from INON would be nice. I may have one laying around you can have.

 

The Ikelite case really needs an Ikelite lens. I never liked my Ds-51. IMHO, try to find a used Ds-125. The DS-160 is the current indicated model. Very nice but BIG. (Derway may have more info on the DS-51. I found it weak.

 

The Olympus case wants an INON s-2000 or Z-240.

 

Both need cords, Ikelite electrical and Inon fibre optic. Both need chargers. The Inon needs 4 eneloop batteries. (So will a Ds-51)

 

And you need a tray and arms for either. UCLS for either IMHO.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Tom

[derway 2]

The ikelite case for lx5 is $550 at reefphoto:

 

http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=p...roducts_id=5241

 

If you dive mostly in VERY clear water, you can shoot a bit with ambient light, and the built in flash, using the diffuser from ikelite. The built in strobe will cause serious backscatter in anything other than perfectly clear water.

 

Possibly you could start out this way, and then add a strobe later. But your results will be much improved when you add the strobe. So might be worth doing now, if you can stretch for it.

 

To me, the size and weight of the ds-125 or ds-160 is not a good match for a compact camera. The ds51 is fine and appropriate in my own experience.

 

You'll need a singe arm tray, (or dual arm if you like to hold it more solidly).

 

If you call up reefphoto, they will give you good advice, and an extra discount on the whole package...

[JackConnick 76]

I have an article comparing all of the LX5 housings on the blog: Three Ways to Get Your LX5 Wet

And yes there are 3 housings available, not just two.

 

That being said, I'm having a great time with the XZ-1 while I wait for the next Nikon. I like the front bezel, the software, and it has very good performance. On board macro is pretty good, likemost Oly's, but adding a couple of macro lenses allows for some great opportunities. I think the key with all these cameras is a good strong focus light. I like the Nauticam housing, but I don't think the Oly is all that bad.

 

no wide angle lenses, 1 strobe.

 

2 stacked FIT lenses = +13

 

Jack

[eXeC- 0]

the casing for the XZ-1 is just 211$ on amazon...

that would make my set cheaper than going for the LX5 but now i've taken a liking to the LX 5

 

camera + housing for XZ-1 around $650

camera + housing for LX-5 around $950

 

ps... i love close up shots... my budget can extend to the $900... but.. is it worth ?:/

[TomR1 5]

I would add an INON s-2000 to the XZ-1 if that $300 difference means waiting for a strobe. However IF you can't squeeze for a strobe this round then I do the LX-5. I think the s-2000 strobe is about $450, the optical cable about $70 and the tray and arms about $300 and the ball adaptor for the Inon about $25

 

I can give you a deal on a used UCLS single tray and some arms if you like. I can probably put something together. However I don't have any spare clamps.

 

You need to price out the entire setup, both of them and decide. You may decide to go with the XZ-1 even if you can't afford a strobe right now once you find out what the entire setup will cost.

[eXeC- 0]

hmm

 

thanks for all the advice..

some people are also recommending the Canon S95 over these 2 :/ my shortlist for camera is the only problem actually

for the strobe.. i'm thinking about the Inon S2000 or the S&S YS110a ... that will be an upgrade as soon as i believe i can progress

if i'm a total noob at this.. i'm not gonna invest more

[TomR1 5]

A s-2000 in an Ike case defeats the best part of Ike, the ttl built into the case. You run an electrical cord to the Ds-51.

 

What is best about the s-2000 is the internal circuitry that mimics the built-in strobe. It produces very accurate exposure, although with a slightly different temperature light (better for macro, worse for wide)

 

(My experience with the YS-110A is not good. A fellow diver had one and it was unreliable and weak. I lent him a S-2000 and the results were obvious. True, that is only one instance. Still.....)

[derway 2]

I had the same experience with the ys-110A. Got one in the mail, it failed to work well even dry, sent it back.

[eXeC- 0]

ok.. avoiding the YS-110A

hmmm thanks

[eXeC- 0]

Ok here is my shortlist

 

Canon S95 with Ikelite housing - total to around $675 from what i've researched

Panasonic LX-5 + Ikelite housing - total to around $970

Olympus XZ-1 + oly housing - Total to around $705

 

Should i conclude with the S95 ?

it's cheaper and have read some good comments about it...

 

Thank you everyone for helping! i wish i manage to decide 1 between these 3

and for strobe.. i'll go for an Inon S-2000

 

and i prefer macro shots... i'll see what macro lens i can add on to that

[Steve Williams 0]

ok.. avoiding the YS-110A

hmmm thanks

 

 

I married a blonde once, terrible experience, drove me to drink and probably was a major contributor to increasing the symptoms of my future Alzheimer’s. I must have killed millions of brain cells. I told everyone I knew not to get involved with blondes. Then a few years later I met a wonderful lady and we’ve been married now for 25 years. Amazingly she was also blonde but luckily my Alzheimer’s kicked in and I had forgotten about the first one.

 

OK, a silly story, but deciding not to consider a piece of gear because some of us have had issues with one of the units is even sillier. I’d offer that there isn’t one piece of equipment that someone hasn’t had problems with.

 

Just for the record, I consider the 110s I’ve used to be a very solid product. I carry a couple as spares for my Ys-250s because the 110s always work.

 

Good luck,

Steve

[TomR1 5]

Actually, Steve, I checked with your wife. She says that the 110's fail often. You just have forgotten (:

 

If I remember correctly reefphoto ranked th s-95 third behind the other 2 but it could have been the s-85

[derway 2]

The reef report does have the s-95, as coming in 3rd.

 

For me, a major issue is how much you want to use this camera on land.

 

For me, a camera without a viewfinder of some sort, is not useful on land.

 

There are EVfs available for the lx5 and xz1. They are expensive to absurdly expensive, and black out when the camera is busy, just like the LCD.

 

Give me a good old fashioned range finder any day. But the canon Gxx is notorious for class lagging auto focus performance.

 

To me, the nikon p7100 is a much better over all camera than any of these. It appears they have finally gotten all the bugs ironed out of the p7000, and that it autofocuses like a champ.

 

It has separate wheels for SS and F-stop in M mode. No clicking and using the menu buttons to make changes.

 

I just ordered one to try out. We'll have to wait and see on ikelite's housing. They have a housing for the p7000, so I have hopes.

[eXeC- 0]

i didn't decide to avoid the Ys-110 only because of that !!!

it's more expensive too! and S-2000 has been recommended to others too!

that is why i am avoiding it

[eXeC- 0]

hmmmm...

 

getting crazy i wish i could afford to test these units and compare but they aren't available in a shop in Mauritius!

....

LX-5 is the better one of the 3 with an UW housing of $600 :/

almost twice it's price

..

is it really worth the extra ?

 

+ i don't know if it's worth mentioning.. but i don't really care about portability .. whether they are compact or not.. i just want the best product for the price ... and they are all in the price range i am willing to pay.. compact is not a major +

Edited October 6, 2011 by eXeC-

[TomR1 5]

CertainlyRichard of Reef Photo considered it better, even with a $1000 housing. That's what he told me at the Scuba Show. However, budgets are budgets and the extra money will go a long ways towards a strobe, tray and arms. It really depends on what you want or can invest in a rig. My housing cost $3800 and that is without ports which are another $2000, all for a camera worth $1700 and a lens worth $900.

[jwood1 0]

I would also go for the Canon. RAW shooting gives you more possibilities to edit but it is not (always) necessary when you shoot with good light. At the moment I get quite nice effect using a LED torch and partially light the subject and shoot without flash.

 

Camera: Canon Ixus 85; LED torch; no flash.

 

Outstanding! I have an S90 and will be getting a housing to do some available light photos while snorkeling. I have been looking for someone who used an LED torch to augment their shooting without a strobe. Can you provide some more details: Type of torch, number of lumens that work well, how you mount it?

Thanks

Jerry

[jwood1 0]

Ok here is my shortlist

 

Canon S95 with Ikelite housing - total to around $675 from what i've researched

Panasonic LX-5 + Ikelite housing - total to around $970

Olympus XZ-1 + oly housing - Total to around $705

 

Should i conclude with the S95 ?

it's cheaper and have read some good comments about it...

 

Thank you everyone for helping! i wish i manage to decide 1 between these 3

and for strobe.. i'll go for an Inon S-2000

 

and i prefer macro shots... i'll see what macro lens i can add on to that

 

I too am a newbie with respect to underwater photography, but not land. I have an S90 and am also looking for housing and assorted accessories to give me a good setup on a budget. I absolutely love my S90. Have taken it on two sailing trips and it takes fantastic pictures and video. The main difference between it and the S95 is that the S95 has HD video. If I were on a budget, I would go for the S90 and save some bucks there. The video on the S90 is outstanding, even when shown on a 50 inch flat screen TV. If I had the S95, I probably wouldn't shoot much in HD just because of the enormous file size. You will also save some bucks with an S90 housing. The ikelite for the S90 is about $75 less than for the S95. Also missing in this thread is that the Canon WPC DC35 housing has an adaptor made by Inon for the 28AD mount lenses (about $80). So, with this, you have the capability of adding Inon AD (bayonette mount) lenses, both wide angle and macro.

 

Here is an example of such a set-up, including a strobe and WA lens, sold on ebay for $500.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-S90-WP-DC35-...e-/260856836350

[eXeC- 0]

wow! thnx for the advice! that bundle's price is just great!

 

that's exactly what i want!!!