Well I know you've all been asked a 1000 times BUT!!

I'm fairly new to diving and have always loved photography. I was planning on investing a couple to a few grand in a dry suit, but have about decided that I would enjoy investing it more in a good underwater camera and get a drysuit next year. What recommendations can you give me about buying a camera kits from the dive stores such as the sea and sea models verse getting something like a canon S-70 with underwater housing. And were is the best place to buy equipment like this? I don't see anything but the kits in the dive stores. I'm willing to invest 1500 to 2000 but would rather not if I can get a good camera cheaper. The camera kits from the dive stores come with 1 to 2 strobes and such. Is all that really needed? And when people on the board here are talking about the Sonys, cannons and such with underwater housings are they all using strobes with these or just the regular flash that is on the camera. I guess I would like to buy something that I won't need to replace in a few years and can add on to as my experience grows
Any advice is welcomed

Thanks
David

Will you be diving wet this winter then?

If you hurry I would suggest an Olympus 7070, camera runs about 500, housing 200 and for another 700 - 1000 you can get a strobe and tray.

For starters you can take you pictures using P mode (program) and as you learn your camera, and the settings, you can graduate to using the manual modes. You can also adjust the white balance. Then you also have the possibility to add lenses as the need arises.

It has been asked 1000 times and my answer is always the same. Take a look at the Fuji F810 + Ikelite housing for in the range of $700-$800. The two downsides to this camera everyone mentions are short battery life (60 or so pics on a battery) and slow write times for RAW pictures. Besides these two things the camera is great. Almost no shutter lag. Super fast auto focus. Works great in low light.

On top of that you can get an Ike DS50 or DS125 strobe and still be under $1500 or, like i do, just use the internal flash. You will be limited with the internal flash only but can take some great pics.

Depends on how complicated you want to go as far as underwater photography goes. If you want an easy point-n-shoot with very little learning curve, (don't get me wrong, there's a learning curve no matter what when it comes to u/w picture taking), something along the line of the Sea & Sea's is the way to go. they are small, lightweight & easy to use with some manual mode adjustments.

I payed $2000 for my DX5000G package that included the camera, YS-25 AUTO strobe package, 0.6 wide angle lens, pelican case & extra sync cord. the DX8000G is out now and the price may be about the same.

All the underwater pics in my gallery were taken with either the DX3000 or the DX5000G, the 2005 pics with the later, so you can see what kind of work can be done with these cameras. Remember some of these shots have been run through Photoshop, but it still gives you an idea of what kind of work can be done with a "point-n-shoot" set-up.

If you want to go more advanced the Oly is a great choice, many divers use Oly's one of my dive buddies has a 5060 and has done some very nice work with it, these cameras will allow you more manual options than the S & S. With most Oly's you may have the choice of Olympus housings or Ikelite. Can't give much advice on strobes for these as I'm still dealing with that learning curve myself.

My advice...buy the dry suit. Learn as much as you can about manual photography above water, then decide on taking the plunge! By that time you'll have a better idea of what to look for in UW photo equipment.

Some of my guidelines for your quest for PS cameras:

Camera should have a hotshoe, so you will not be at the mercy of the expensive strobes.

The widest lens possible 28mm or better, for shooting close wide angle shots, without the add-on lens.

Quick focusing macro lens.

Last but not the least, eBay.

For DSLRs...A rich, generous Uncle.

Dive Safe