Ready for the Next Step- Please Help Me Choose

[matts1w]

Hi all:

I am hoping to get some help and advice about my next step in underwater photography. . I live in Jakarta, Indonesia and good information/advice/products is limited here- at least in my circle. I have saved enough money and am ready to upgrade, but have no idea what next.

I have been shooting a Canon G16 in an Ikelite housing with Sea and Sea YS-01 strobes for about seven or eight years. I do well with it, but also feel I have gone as far as I can and things are very stagnant. I want to go to the next level, but not even sure what that means. Mirrorless? SLR?

1. I LOVE macro. It is really all I do. I spend most of my diving time in Tulamben, Lembeh and Ambon here in Indonesia. Macro is the number one priority.

2. Video is not a priority.

3. I would like to expand to some wide angle.

4. Simple is better for me. I will have to figure out a lot by teaching myself.

5. My strobes are in good shape...maybe I should keep them?

6. I have a budget of around $5000.00. Its a big chunk of money for me and I really want to spend it well.

7. Nauticam, Ikelite, Sea and Sea, and Fantasea are readily available here, as well as some other brands.

Keeping all this in mind- if you were me would would you choose? Thanks so much in advance. I looking forward to learning from y'all.

 

[Skeptic14]

@matts1w Do you have any links to some of your favorite shots you've gotten with your current rig?

You mention that macro is what you love and the top priority but you'd also like to expand into WA. If you really want to expand into WA you might want to consider upgrading your strobes for more powerful ones, but that would mean using about $1,200 - $1,500 of your budget on strobes alone that might not be warrantied if you still will mostly shoot macro.

So it depends on if you feel stagnate because of only shooting macro and the same types of subjects over the last 7-8 years of if there are specific limitations your current rig presents. Is it just generally that you aren't happy with the image quality of your current rig?

If you want to keep it simple that might mean sticking with a compact rig, then again after a few years using a mirrorless or dslr it might start seeming more simple.

So if you can identify specific limitations with your current setup, address those with your upgrade.

If you want to venture into WA vs macro that'll change how you spend your budget, or if you just want to improve the image quality capability of your rig that might mean spending your budget differently.

 

[DavidFL]

Hi @matts1w ,
I have a similar rig: a Canon G-15 in an Ikelite housing but with Ikelite DS-161 strobes. Since that rig gives us full manual control, and there are 'add-on' lenses for both macro and wide-angle, the question that comes to my mind is: what do you feel constrains you in your current rig, especially since you already have said it isn't video? Are you frustrated with image quality that shows up with large prints? Have you not been able to find an add-on wide angle lens for your current rig that meets your expectations? Since you have been doing macro for awhile, do the wet lens stacks you are using have limits you feel wouldn't be present in some more expensive or newer configuration?

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't upgrade; I'm just trying to figure out what part of your current setup has reached the point where you want to invest in changes. The attached horizontal 180 degree fisheye was shot in Kona a few weeks ago with my rig and a Dyron fisheye lens that replaces the standard port on the Ikelite G-15 housing.

 

[matts1w]

DavidFL and Skeptic-

Thanks so much for your replies. These are the exact kinds of questions I want to explore. I think it is a very accurate to wonder if I feel stagnant more because I am shooting the same subjects in the same ways... I dont know if I have specific answer as to what I to accomplish with a new rig... I just feel my shots have not improved in the last few years... I want my shots to be better than they are now, and, more importantly, where I feel the excitement of learning and improving on every dive again.

Here is a link to a FB album I shot in Bali a few months ago. I am very happy with the many of these...but beyond an "upgraded rig" have no idea what other options are to be "better." Replacing ports? Other lenses for a G16? New Strobes? Are these real options worth exploring, or will I feel I have outgrown those in a little over a year?

Seriously thanks again for your replies. I am so excited to hear some other ideas.

 

[Skeptic14]

Great macro shots, love the mantis shrimp!

How did you shoot the napoleon wrasse?

If you want to do more shooting and improve shots like the napoleons you'll need a WAL and probably more powerful strobes.

To improve your macro shots you probably just need a camera with a bigger sensor, whether that's an advanced compact up to dslr will depend on budget and learning curve you are comfortable taking on.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I’m going to throw out a curve ball. The replies in here have been excellent so far. Here is another angle.

Have you thought about different strobe positioning and/or using creative lighting either with the strobe or a separate torch to get different shots? Additionally, using a snoot might change the effect and be what you’re looking for.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

There are a lot of nice cameras and housing available on Ebay. Underwater photographers tend to upgrade a lot and sell their previous units to offset the cost of the new rig. It's easy to get a housing, strobes and arms, camera and all chargers for less than your budget.

 

[bvanant]

One thing looking at your album the shots are all pretty much looking the same (and a bit dark). If you really want a new camera for macro, I would get an Olympus OMD-10 mark whatever is newest and the Oly 60 lens. Great macro setup. Your strobes should be fine for a while. BUT take a look at the Facebook macro photography page and pick some pictures you really like. Then ask around or play around about how to get those kind of shots. One thing about the Oly is that there really is minimal shutter lag compared to the G16 and you will have a bit more latitude on getting shots (the IQ is better). What I do on a trip is pick a type of shot I want to get (say backlit nudi) and then spend a dive or two working on it.

Bill

 

[matts1w]

One thing looking at your album the shots are all pretty much looking the same (and a bit dark). If you really want a new camera for macro, I would get an Olympus OMD-10 mark whatever is newest and the Oly 60 lens. Great macro setup. Your strobes should be fine for a while. BUT take a look at the Facebook macro photography page and pick some pictures you really like. Then ask around or play around about how to get those kind of shots. One thing about the Oly is that there really is minimal shutter lag compared to the G16 and you will have a bit more latitude on getting shots (the IQ is better). What I do on a trip is pick a type of shot I want to get (say backlit nudi) and then spend a dive or two working on it.

Bill

I have been talking with a friend about this very issue- shooting the same subjects in the same way over and over again. Thanks for your comments.

Based on options here I am considering the Olympus OMD E-M5 Mark II. The entire package will send me a bit over budget.

I am playing with the idea of a Sony RX DSC100 VI as it is so much more affordable, ranked awesome for macro, big sensor, etc... I'm a high school teacher so my budget isnt...well...you get it. The Sony is obviously a better set up than the g16, but I worry I again will end up where I am now in a year or so.

Thoughts.? Anyone?

 

[Chris Ross]

If your budget is limited and macro is your main thing, being able to keep your strobes would be a big help. A micro 43 system is a nice option if you can afford it, the EM-5 II is a nice camera and you could do something good with a 60mm macro and maybe the panasonic fisheye. In Australia the camera would about $A1000, the 60mm $490 and the Pany 8mm $980, incl GST -Olympus prices over here are very competitive! That's $A2470 or $US1730 Leaving about $A2500 for housing and ports. The prices on the Australian Nauiticam distributors website shows $US1460 for a housing, $US480 for the fisheye dome (acrylic) and $330 (excl GST @ 10%) for the macro port totaling up to just short of $US4000, you don't need focus gears, but may want to add the tray/handles and vacuum valve.

The fisheye is probably the cheapest way into wide angle as you don't need to buy the bigger dome ports and zoom gears. You can probably get away with your current strobes but may be shooting on full power, if you stick to f8, f5.6 is probably quite usable. Just how affordable will depend on your local prices I guess.

On housing choice it's relatively limited for EM-5 II - Nauticam, Olympus, Ikelite or Isotta. And savings compared to the Nauticam are relatively small. Bear in mind the Olympus housing uses the smaller PEN port system so availaibility of ports is relatively limited and some lenses can;t be used like the bigger 12-40 and 7-14mm lenses.