S100

[chocolate]

I have an Olympus C5050 and think it is finally time to get a new camera...
I originally wanted to get a G12, but read in many reviews that the S100 is a better camera. But is it a better UW camera?

I also want to get a strobe for it (my first)... can anyone suggest a brand/model of strobe to go with it?
Also, what do I have to pay attention to when I buy a strobe? Would they all fit or what?

Thanks

[PatW]

They are different cameras. The S95 has a different lens. It has the same sensor (or is it the S95 and the G12 are the same?). The S95 is a smaller camera and takes smaller housings which is a good thing. From what I hear, the G12 is better at macro. I have the G11 and in order to do macro, you have to be in the wide angle range. That means you have to get REALLY close, which is not good. The camera does work well with an Inon wet lens. The limiting part of the G11 is that the wide angle is a functional 35 mm underwater and that is not wide enough. You need to get into one of the high end housings to be able to fit it with a dome that gives you true wide angle. Without a wide angle situation, I often found myself having to back off too far from large subjects: stingrays, turtles, divers, large grouper and landscapes to allow the strobes to adequately light them and to produce sharp photos because of the stuff in the water column.

As for strobes, it seems to me that the S95 is more limited with strobes but I am not sure.

Now, Canon has come out with a new version in its G series. The camera has a far larger sensor which puts its sensor nearly on par with a DSLR. Of course, the camera costs quite a bit. I have not heard of any housings for it yet but I am sure they will be out soon.

Now as I understand it, the S100 is more compact, takes a much more compact housing, does RAW (vital). I do not know if it will take wet lenses. I think if you want to do decent macro, you need the wet lens. Also, you will find yourself limited if you do not have a pretty wide angle capability.

[TheYellowSubmarine]

if you have the budget for it, get the FIX or RECSEA housing so you can take wet lenses and have full access to all functions.
A great first strobe is the INON S2000. Small yet powerful
I have the S90 and love it. S100 looks great.

There are many threads here dedicated to each of these item (regarding UW photography).
I don't think anyone will say something in this thread that hasn't already been said in those threads. Enjoy the reading!

[Lwang]

Why doesn't Canon make lenses that perform internal zooming so the lens doesn't change length during the process, thus the housing doesn't have to have a fat rectangular port. That fat non-round port makes adapting any type wet lens expensive because you have to have a huge lens in the rear, and you have to rely on mounts like bungee cords.

[smellzlikefish]

Lwang-I am not intimately familiar with Canon, but the answer is that they make the housings with the camera in mind, not visa versa. It is probably either more cost effective or results in better iomage quality to do it the way Canon does, my guess would be the former (cost).

[Gilligan]

Why doesn't Canon make lenses that perform internal zooming so the lens doesn't change length during the process, thus the housing doesn't have to have a fat rectangular port. That fat non-round port makes adapting any type wet lens expensive because you have to have a huge lens in the rear, and you have to rely on mounts like bungee cords.

Canon does not make "underwater housings". They make "Waterproof Cases" One of their uses is underwater. They can also be used for other environments such as in the rain, snow, boating, etc. They are not marketed as "underwater housings " on the Canon website. I use them and I don't advise getting one if you are going to use wet mount lenses.

[chile7236]

late chiming in here but after debating between the G12 and S100, i went with the S100 in the canon case. i prefer to shoot macro but inon's lenses can be used with the mount base on the WPDC43 case...so i feel like i can have my cake and eat it, too. can't wait for it to get here.