The new crop of DSLRs...AAAARRGH!!

[dhaas]

Larry (and others),

If you're reading this far you're hooked to getting a dSLR. I agree with BurBunny on the small compact size of the Rebel XTi being very portable and easy to use.

I don't mind the small size and having 2 bodies is definitely possible due to the price and for traveling.

One point, don't discount the Canon 18-55mm EF-S "kit" lens. I have over 10,000 photos in my current always being culled database. When I scroll through and look at some of the great pics I check the "info" data (I'm on a Mac") and am constantly surprised by how many have been taken with that cheap $100.00 lens. Shot anywhere from f5.6 -11 it performs pretty damn well. Focuses to 10" too!

That and the Tokina 10-17mm for underwater will keep you busy for quite a while......

Just one guy's opinion........

dhaas

David Haas Underwater Photography

 

[jeraldjcook]

If you do go with the XTi, I'd actually recommend against the two kit lenses - with what you'd save you'd be able to get a Sigma 17-70 or even the Sigma 18-200, which I feel are superior to either of those two lenses. Just buy the body only for around $550 and put the rest into quality glass. Everyone else is right, glass is the key, baby.

I'm in the same boat as the OP, getting ready to drop some money on a DSLR, first for topside and UW at a later time. At first I was only looking at bodies, but after some research, both Shutterbug and Popular Photography have recommended buying the kit lenses.

Best Buys: Lenses - - PopPhotoSeptember 2007

 

[ce4jesus]

Yes. I'm curious how Gary (CE4Jesus) will do with his. He's taking it underwater next week.
Warren, I'm not ready for a $5000 camera. $2K is pushing it.
David, be nice to F3, he has issues.
Ken, if you had to pick one topside lens for the D2/300 which one?

Hey Larry,
My take on live view on the E410 topside is that it will only be useful for reef scenes and supermacro. I've actually had the camera with housing in a pool and really don't miss the live view. The viewfinder is very bright, clear, can be adjusted for eyesight. Just one other note, there are two ways to obtain live view shots on the E-410. One of them is to depress and hold the AEL while in live view and it will preset the camara's mirror, do a white balance and set the exposure, then finally while holding the button you can snap a photo. This is much faster than just trying to take a photo in live view by itself. BTW, any camera that has 1 sensor and live view is going to have this delay. The E330 got around this by having a seperate sensor for the viewfinder. I'm heading off to Oahu on Wednesday, I'll be diving on Saturday and Sunday and then returning on Tuesday the 4th. I'll give you an update and show some shots. My take on the DSLR thing is very simple.

Sensor - Canon
Lenses - Olympus (there is some crazy good glass out there for the oly line). They have a zoom lens that can stay at 2.8 throughout the zoom....:11:

...... I'm sure the above will create controversy

No one seems to beat Canon's low noise at high ISOs on their cameras. While high ISO has limited use underwater (IMO) it can come in handy topside. Nikon runs a close 2nd in this catagory and might have caught/surpassed Canon with the D300. In any case, I'm very happy with the Olympus E410 topside. Its very fast and the 14-42 lens is better than all the competitors kit lenses. I can't wait to get it underwater. The pool shots I took are great but next Saturday and Sunday will be my ultimate litmus test. BTW, I think you're running into the same issues I ran into when buying my first DSLR. I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised no matter which one you purchase. However, I would definitely take into account the housing costs of each one (I know you're coming to the darkside soon) WHEN you decide to submerse it. I think the cheapest options for housings belong to Canon (fantasea) and Olympus. Ikelite, of course is the middle price range. I purchased my camera, two lenses and the housing/port for under 2K. Yes Anakin...it is within your budget :14:

 

[Warren_L]

I think I will put all my $$'s into glass and strobes. I figure that the body will be dead within 5 years either from the normal salt water environment or from a flood. The insurance will replace the lens but the body will most likely be out of production. So, when that does happen, I may be stuck with a dead body and a housing with no camera. Plus, as with all electronics, 5 years is an eternity and the low end cameras 5 years from now most likely will rival the high end ones today.

But the lens and strobes should be available and working for 10+ years.

So Ike housing, the largest strobes I can pay for (DS-125??) and good glass.

Now Nikon or Cannon - the enteral debate. Once I have bought the glass, I am married to the line for just about life. After all changing glass and getting a divorce is just about the same expense.

It's always a good investment in buying quality glass. If you do, there will be good resale, so really, you're not married to a specific camera line. It will cost you a bit to switch, but if you choose wisely, there really shouldn't be an issue down the road.

 

[dbh]

I just picked up a D300 yesterday........sweet!!!!

Dave

 

[jonix]

I just picked up a D300 yesterday........sweet!!!!

Dave

sweet! congrats on the new toy

 

[Eskasi]

I got a DX-1G on a heavy base/handle with a YS110 strobe.....I do have a Sony Alpha DSLR with a whole lot of Glass from Konica Minolta and Sony. However, I liked the idea of being able to go from Macro to WA just by slapping on a WA lens over the standard 24mm lens on the 1G.

However, with just 10 dives with this setup, I am slowly realizing that I simply can't get the quality out of a PnS as I can out of a DSLR....but of course, that is to be expected. I really like having to carry so much less gear around though. However, with all the manual controls and RAW storage, I still can't seem to squeeze out the kind of pictures which I managed to do so easily with my DSLR.... This may change I hope with much more practice

SO....I have come to the conclusion.....once Seaandsea makes a housing for the D300, I will move over to the dark side....try to sell all my gear and glass....buy another YS110 srobe to add on to the one I already have....get myself a D300.... by the time they make a housing for it, I would have made many more dives with my current rig and may get better at UW photography...

Of course....if the itch turns into a rash, I could get the soon to come Nexus housing for the D300 and the 45 degree viewfinder...I just love that idea....

Edit: I just read wetpixel's DEMA 2007 report from Sea & Sea's booth....I guess a D300 housing will be available in Dec!...looks fantastic too! Damn....my itch is starting to get worse.....must....resist....

 

[Larry C]

I went to Wolf's and fondled the D300 with a 60 f1.2 and a 18-200f3.5/5.6. Ooh baby, I think I'm in love. Don't think the wife's going to bite on $2539 w/18-200 lens, though. Her first words were, "but then you'll need a $4000 housing, won't you?" "Not till next year" said I. We'll just see what's under the tree.

 

[Matt S.]

While high ISO has limited use underwater (IMO) it can come in handy topside.

IMHO, high ISO is great everywhere. If you want to take a wide angle, available light photo of an underwater vista... high ISO means high shutter speed which means less chance of motion blur.

Then again, what constitutes high ISO is relative. On my scuba camera (Canon s70) 400 is high ISO, and even 200 is noisy. On my DSLR, noise begins at 800 and is tolerable at 1600. On the new DSLRs, 1600 is clean and 3200 is tolerable.

I much prefer wide angle and available light to macro. I have considered taking a tripod down with me, it's hard to get a sharp shot at low ISO in my dim waters.

 

[RonFrank]

If I had to purchase a new DSLR right now, I'd go with a D300. If I had to purchase a used DSLR, I'd purchase a D200. I'm a Nikon guy, but I don't think there is anything out there that offers a better set of value vs. features.

If I wanted the BEST resolution, and price was no option, well gotta go with the Canon 1DS Mark III. That is not a very practical solution for a LOT of photographers, but hey, Full frame 21mpix, what is not to like.

IMO the entry level DSLR's shoot great, but they are not as well made, and I see a lot more people complaining about problems with things going wrong. This might be because there are more out there, but then again, I've NEVER had a body in the shop in over 25 years of shooting. I generally purchase pro or higher end bodies.