Do any of the newer Canon +

[RonFrank]

Sandra,

I attempted to PM you, but you must have PM's blocked in your profile or something. Let me know how to get in touch with you about the DS125?

 

[Chad_Ordelheide]

Sandra,

I know a lot of these guys love their systems with multiple strobes etc. I'd take them if they gave them to me ;-) Anyway, I've had great luck with the Canon A-Series without a strobe. Grant it you can't get much light on anything further away that 5 feet or so but that doesn't bother me too much. Canons housings are small and easy to carry around. Unlike some Ikelite housings the are larger, square and not that easy to manipulate with one hand. Feel free to check out my pics....They are with a Canon A80 ( a little old) without a strobe. Right now I'm debating on a Canon a640...the reviews are a little mixed so I might wait a few more weeks. Anyway, best of luck on your choice!!

 

[HowardE]

Here's a photo of my wife in Action with her S70 with WP-DC40 housing. Both purchased off of ebay. Also she is using the Inon UCL-167 close up lens (from reef photo) - If you look in my SB gallery at any photo from may or earlier... they are shot with the S70 - if you look at photos older than last October... They were shot with an S70 without strobe (by my wife - shown below)

Yes the S70 has a slower write time, but it does allow for multiple shots (buffered) while still writing. In other words... You can shoot a photo, and then 1/2 press the shutter, and be ready to shoot again.

 

[sandrascuba]

Thanks guys. I'm leaning toward the Canon A710IS with it's respective Canon housing. I'll probably go ahead and sell the DS125 (Ron, my PM is on now) and replace it with an Ike Ds51 (I think that's what it's called or some other strobe smaller than the DS125). I have some strobe questions - like can I use my Ikelite arms and ball joints with the Ds51 strobe, but I'll ask those questions in the strobe section. I think the Ike rep monitors that section. I do have one very basic question about strobe though and since you guys brought it up and have been so kind to help me I'll post it here....

I have the Ikelite wireless slave sensor on my DS125 setup and it's been recommended that I go with the manual controller. That wireless setup really is cow dung. Looking over the Ike page, I see the terms EV manual controller, TTL sync cord and manual controller. Is the EV manual controller and manual controller the same? I have no idea how these manual controlers work but would one or the other be best and work with the A710is? If the EV manual controller and manual controler are different, which one would be best? Would the TTL sync cord work?

Thanks so much again. I really do appreciate all the advice and pictures. You're the best.

Sandra

 

[CompuDude]

Sandra - The A710is is a good camera, but doesn't get you raw support. Of the cameras under discussion, only the long-discontinued S70 allows that. The A710is is also not available yet

The S80 is closest thing you can find right now that has it all, IMO. It has plenty of MPs, a wide 28mm lens, and the underwater mode that you spoke of earlier on.

There is a lot of confusion about the capabilities of Canon camera lines, in part because of Canon's naming scheme. The A series and S series cameras both have full manual controls. The SD series (Different from the S series) do not. All current Canon P&S cameras have the underwater scene mode.

I will note that you can take fantastic shots with the underwater scene mode, and simply not worry about white balance. The scene mode is a compromise setting, as manually setting is the only true way to nail the WB setting appropriate for that depth and ambient light level, but it really does a pretty good job at getting you there. You can't use the manual controls and the UW scene mode at the same time, however, with any camera.

RAW brings it's own set of challenges, despite the WB advantages. The slower write times are due to the monstrous file sizes, and lengthy transfer times, and far lower number of photos per chip due to those huge sizes. I am not a fan, personally, and it sounds overkill for your purposes.

The main differences between the S series and the A series are lithium batteries vs. AA, and a smaller size. The S70 and S80 also have the wide angle lens built in, which is very nice to have. The OEM Canon housing for the S80 supports adding on Inon lenses, which is another bonus... no larger Ikelite housing needed.

For the type of shots you have described, IMO the best camera for you is probably the S80, which can still be found new if you work a little. (Try eBay... there are power sellers that have new ones still.) The OEM housing is nice and compact, there are lens options, you can use it with a strobe by adding a tray and arms later (check out www.ulcs.com for the best arms, btw), but it also works quite nicely with just the stock housing alone, for bulk-free shots using only the base lens. There are some excellent A series cameras currently for sale as well, but there are issues with add-on lens availability if you don't get the Ikelite case, and they do not have a wide angle lens.

 

[Peter Guy]

Sandra, I went back and forth (and back and forth) between the Oly Sp-350 and the Canon S80 -- RAW (Oly) vs. Wide Angle (S80). I ended up with the Canon and gave up on RAW (in part in the vain hope that someone would hack it and make RAW available, but no one has so far -- at least that I've found online).

I now that RAW is vastly preferred for UW photography, but it is NOT the only thing to consider. As the DPReviewer wrote, Lack of RAW was a big deal, but the JPEG's were so good he overlooked it.

Here are some pictures I took with my S80 last month (whole series at Indonesia Trip ):

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It is my belief that it "ain't the camera" it is the "eye behind the camera" that will make the difference.

 

[sandrascuba]

Ok, I'm looking at the S80 as well. Does it have the u/w scene setting and u/w white balance? That's one of the things I liked about the A710is. It has both and it took me a long time to find those details from the available info on line. I really don't care too much about being able to use RAW as I don't plan on adjusting histograms, etc. I appreciate that the S80 can be "grown" with additional lenses and strobes. Thanks for the info.

Sandra

 

[sandrascuba]

Hi Peter. Thanks for the pics. I was in Indonesia last month as well. I was at Wakatobi for 11 nights, the Pelagian live aboard for 7 nights and then I went up to the Kasawari Resort in the Lembeh Strait for another 8 nights. I love Lembeh so that was my 2nd trip there. I'm off to Yap, Pohnpei and Palau for a month in February and for sure want to take a new camera rig. I did take my Sony camera to Indonesia but left the housing and strobe behind. I was the true odd-ball. Only 3 of 15 (I was one of the 3) didn't have u/w cameras with them. But I'll be all set for Micronesia thanks to all the help here.

Sandra

 

[sandrascuba]

Ok I've been able to answer my own question. The S80 does have u/w scene setting and u/w white balance setting. Good. I don't know if you just set one or both but I'm willing to give it a try.

Peter, are your pics above taken without flash, with the S80 flash or an external flash. Manual or auto settings?

Thanks again everyone.

Sandra

 

[clgsamson]

I appreciate that the S80 can be "grown" with additional lenses and strobes. Thanks for the info.

Sandra

Ah thats where the INON system comes in. You can use Inon wet lenses 105 wide angle and 165 ultra focus (macro) mounted on an inon port (compatible inon port on a canon housing) and tray along with an Inon D2000w or Z240. I know it gets more confusing...

Here, try browsing through this site http://www.uwdigitalcamera.com/En/default.php?pathID=0_0_0 and you'll find compatible ports and lenses for a compact dgcam/housing.