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Moving to DSLR - Why Olympus vs Nikon or Canon - Do you have an opinion?
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Doubler
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There are several ways to go here:
Olympus Pen System - small great for travel, can get into camera and housing for under $1200 with the Oly housing but you can't use your Ikelite strobes. There is another housing, forget the brand, that allows use of Ikelite strobes. Shots 720p HD video, not many lens to pick from. What I've read indicates that people that have them love them.
Canon G-11 - great P&S, shots raw, people that have them love them
After researching the above I went with the Canon T2i, 18mp, RAW, 1080i Video, lots of housings, strobes and lens to chose from, I have it and love it. Read somewhere that it was voted Camera of the year.
Olympus Pen System - small great for travel, can get into camera and housing for under $1200 with the Oly housing but you can't use your Ikelite strobes. There is another housing, forget the brand, that allows use of Ikelite strobes. Shots 720p HD video, not many lens to pick from. What I've read indicates that people that have them love them.
Canon G-11 - great P&S, shots raw, people that have them love them
After researching the above I went with the Canon T2i, 18mp, RAW, 1080i Video, lots of housings, strobes and lens to chose from, I have it and love it. Read somewhere that it was voted Camera of the year.
bvanant
Contributor
I guess that I am confused. You say that lenses for Nikon are better but you are shooting the Tokina 12-24 f2.8. I don't think that there is in fact such a lens (I think it is f 4.) The Tokina 11-16 rectilinear is in fact f2.8. But if you are going to use Tokina lenses why do you think they work better for Nikon than the exact same lens does on a Canon?
Bill
bvanant
Contributor
I think that the mirrorless systems are quite neat and for the money not so bad on land but underwater the shutter/focus lag will drive you nuts. Entry level DSLRs from Canon and Nikon (T2i and D90) are $699 and $799 respectively. The Sony NEX 5 with a lens that you probably won't want to shoot underwater is $699 as well. Get the T2i, a canon 60 macro and a Tokina 10-17 in a S&S housing. You can grow the system later to better bodies if you need but the responsiveness of the DSLRs compared to the mirrorless systems can't be beat.
Bill
Bill
arkstorm
Contributor
Another vote for the T2i here. This camera does most of what the higher-end Canons can accomplish for under $800.
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Sorry, the 12-24 is on my Pentax for UW, the 11-16 is what's on the Nikon. The actual Nikon Lenses IMHO are better than Canon, and I have them for land use. A lot of this is a moot point and it's similar to saying which regs should I get, Scubapro's or Apeks. Well it's not that one is actually any better than the other, it's personal opinion. I prefer Apeks, others prefer SP. I prefer Nikons over Canons, and Pentax over both. No housings for Pentax, so that's out, I had to build mine, and it doesn't work any where near as well as I'd like for manual control. You see a lot more Canons in the sports world because Nikon was out for a while in the long fast lens department, but like what was said earlier, you aren't investing in the body, you're investing in the glass. Don't go all out in the body because you won't need it yet and it'll be obsolete in a year or two.
I use a PEN underwater, and have no issues with focus lag. Shutter lag is pretty nonexistant (about the same as my Nikon D90 dSLR), focus lag can be an issue with certain lenses.
Focus lag is around 1/4 second with a 20mm f/1.7, 1/2 second with a kit zoom lens, 1 or 2 seconds with my 8mm four-thirds fisheye lens on a FT-MFT adapter. I think these cameras have a reputation for focus lag because of the cheap kit zooms, when that's really a lens issue more than a camera issue. I've heard that the 14-150 superzoom also has really fast focus speeds, so it's possible in a zoom lens, although I don't have experience with any of the high-end micro-four-thirds zoom lenses.
Compacts, mirrorless cameras, and dSLR's all have their pluses and minuses, and can take great shots. I've actually been underwater recently with all three (not at the same time).
However, Bill has made some great points.
For moving subjects, as your photography progresses, you will find that you often need to take a photo underwater at a precise moment, with zero shutter lag or focus lag. A dSLR will do the best job at that. A canon T2i with a S&S Housing is an excellent choice and a great value.
Scott
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However, Bill has made some great points.
For moving subjects, as your photography progresses, you will find that you often need to take a photo underwater at a precise moment, with zero shutter lag or focus lag. A dSLR will do the best job at that. A canon T2i with a S&S Housing is an excellent choice and a great value.
Scott
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vladimir
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I don't regard housing floods as inevitable. Use a little vigilance in o-ring lubrication and maintenance and it is not an issue, even under less-than-ideal conditions. I have gone about 15 years without one, dating back to a NikonosV and a Nikon F90x in a Subal housing, both of which had to be opened after every dive to change film. These days I can go a whole day without opening my housing, so flooding is even less likely.
stano
Contributor
I shoot a 5dmk2 on land and a 40d in the water. I am far from an expert underwater but hold my own on land. In my opinion there are two camera manufacturers to consider Canon and Nikon. This is as mentioned about the lens primarily. The bodies change but the lens can last a long time. I use Canons L series lens which as far as I am concerned are as good as It gets. This is a very old argument that has raged for years. If you watch pro sports events you will see a sea of white canon lens, you will also see some nikons. (bring it on Nikon guys lol)
I kept my 40d to avoid ruining my "good" camera. For the money you are talking you can get a very decent camera. The trick here is once you choose and buy a few lens the path is chosen for the long haul.
The other problem is that uw cases are camera specific obviously and you need to consider resale when you are ready to upgrade. You would likely have to sell both as a package at likely a big discount. So get one you can keep for a while.
I am obviously a Canon guy but your money is safe with either canon or nikon in my opinion. Spend as much as you are prepared to sacrifice.
Good luck
Stano
I kept my 40d to avoid ruining my "good" camera. For the money you are talking you can get a very decent camera. The trick here is once you choose and buy a few lens the path is chosen for the long haul.
The other problem is that uw cases are camera specific obviously and you need to consider resale when you are ready to upgrade. You would likely have to sell both as a package at likely a big discount. So get one you can keep for a while.
I am obviously a Canon guy but your money is safe with either canon or nikon in my opinion. Spend as much as you are prepared to sacrifice.
Good luck
Stano
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