suggestion for inexpensive underwater camera set up

[Moose016]

Hello,

I'm on my second underwater camera setup (a canon point and shoot with marine case) and have had pretty good luck with basic point and shoot cameras in marine cases. I'm taking a month long trip to Australia next month and will probably do somewhere between 20-30 dives in total so I'd like to have a decent camera. I'm not looking to do any lights or strobes, just the camera and housing. I was thinking of something like a Sony NEX-5N with an 18-55 lens. Does anyone have any experience with this type of camera or have another setup they recommend? I'll be traveling with several other cameras for land and am trying to keep the weight down, I'm also looking to buy used and not spend over $500. Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

Jamie

 

[Wiggsy]

Mmmm...Depends on how good a rig you want. I just bought an Olympus EPL-1 with the 14-42 kit lens (they're discontinued but you can find them around the place new for under $300 (less for used)...and Adorama have the excellent Olympus EP01 housing for $250 (which is incredibly cheap - it is a full on pro quality housing)...it has fibre optic ports if you chose to upgrade to a strobe later on). NB - you will also have to purchase a zoom ring fro the 14-42mm lens otherwise no zooming underwater! I'm very impressed with this rig - it does a great job with macro and standard fish portraits. BUT....if you want to go wide angle, that will mean the added expense of a ZEN port and a separate wide angle 9-22 mm lens. The advantage with this rig is that it has basically the same sensor as the Olympus DSLRs and it has potential to be a full on pro-quality rig. A steal for around $500new - a few years ago this rig would have cost over $1200.

 

[Peter Guy]

Funny -- I was just going to suggest the E-PL1 too! A friend just bought a factory reconditioned E-PL1 and new housing from Adorama for about $400. To really get the best out of it, you'll need a strobe too. e-pl1 : Buy or Learn at Adorama

 

[Moose016]

Thanks a lot guys. I saw that case on sale a few years ago and that is what got me thinking about that kind of set up. I didn't realize it was still that cheap at Adorama. I Just bought it along with the zoom gear. I hope I got the right gear, it's hard to tell until I get the lens. I probably won't do a strobe due to cost and luggage restrictions on this trip, but will hopefully expand in the future.

 

[Peter Guy]

As I recall, the part number for the "type 1" 14-42 is "1" and the type 2 is 2 (plus some other letters!).

 

[raftingtigger]

I have a SeaLife DC1400 and dislike 2 things. First the slow focus and 2nd the opaque case. Would the above camera be an upgrade? Do I need to get a wide angle lens? Any other suggestions? Price for the Olympus EP-1 and case is about right for me.

I'm also looking at a Fantasea Nano strobe. I dive murky dark and surgy water. I need something that works well with close-ups and needs little in water adjustments. I already have a good diffuse video light.

 

[Peter Guy]

I don't know the SeaLife camera -- I do know the E-PL1. It is an entry level "EVIL" (electronic viewfinder, inter-changeable lens) camera -- all of which tend to have much greater resolution and image quality than any "small sensor" camera. In my opinion, yes, it would be an upgrade.

Do you need a wide angle lens? Maybe, maybe not. At 14 mm. the kit lens is effectively a 28 mm lens and has about a 90 degree field of view (as I recall). Is that wide enough for you? The Wide Angle lens for the system is 9-18 mm and has a 110 degree field of view with a dome port (again, as I recall).

The benefit of the EVILs, like the SLRs, is that the body is replaceable -- the lenses are the key and as you move up the ladder, you keep adding lenses and getting more sophisticated (or not!).

Ah -- "little in water adjustments" -- well, you can use the camera in auto or program mode and take what it gives you OR you can use it in Manual mode and take control of your images -- your pick!

 

[raftingtigger]

Thanks, I have one on order from Adorama. Decided to hold off on the manual focus ring for the housing - at least for now. Still thinking about the strobe. Anyone have any thoughts. I do have a very even about 400 true lumen LED light on my tray. Supposed to have 2 but having technical glitches with the output on the second one. The single light does seem to bring out the colors well when I'm in my photo range with our murky water.

 

[Peter Guy]

Raft -- "manual focus ring?". I believe you are referring to the zoom ring which is really something you want -- trust me! I'm actually not even sure you can manually focus the kit lens (I know I never have).

 

[raftingtigger]

Raft -- "manual focus ring?". I believe you are referring to the zoom ring which is really something you want -- trust me! I'm actually not even sure you can manually focus the kit lens (I know I never have).

Clearly I something new to study. Yes I do mean zoom ring.