1D-X or 5Diii ?

[Turbohamster]

Hi Everyone

First a bit of background.. I'm a very experienced photographer topside, but a newly certified diver looking to get into underwater photography. And I was looking for some advice from you experienced guys.

Basically I already own 2 Canon 1D-X's for my topside work..
But looking at the price differential between the Nauticam housings for the 1D-X and 5Diii I can almost pickup a used 5Diii and housing for a similar price as just the 1D-X housing.

Therefore I was wondering obviously although the 1D-X has a few more advanced features higher framerate etc. I was wondering if the 5Diii would be preferable for underwater work due to the fact it is significantly less bulky/more streamlined...

Or with an 8 inch done port on it doesn't make much difference?

I know either option is going to be a lot of money and might seem a bit crazy for my first underwater setup. But I know this is something I really want to do, so would rather not waste money on a compact setup to upgrade later.

Thanks for any advice in advance

 

[seansrs36]

The 1DX is a more of a topside camera. Underwater you do not high iso capabilities. The 5DM3 is higher MP as well. It is hard to compare top side shooting to UW shooting. I own a 5DM3 and love it for my UW camera.

 

[Turbohamster]

Thanks Seansrs36

Yeah I was thinking the 5diii might be more suited to UW than the 1D-X

Although Im experienced topside Im a complete novice underwater so welcome any advice!

 

[seansrs36]

Thanks Seansrs36

Yeah I was thinking the 5diii might be more suited to UW than the 1D-X

Although Im experienced topside Im a complete novice underwater so welcome any advice!

My first question is how many dives do you have? Before you start trying to do underwater photography get your diving skills down. I see to many people who their basic skills suck and take up underwater photography. Get your buoyancy down pack.

Underwater photography is not a cheap hobby. My 5dM3 with the two strobes in a Aquatica housing and dome is almost $10k. Do you dive a lot? Or just once a year on vacation? These are other things you need to take into consideration.

 

[Turbohamster]

Thanks again Seansrs36

Ive got just over 20 dives in the book now and just finished my advanced open water cert, but still very much consider myself a beginner.
I totally agree with you when you say I should concentrate on my diving skills.

I get to dive a couple of times a month. Being an airline pilot I also travel a lot and Im able to dive on some of the long layovers and get very cheap flights to the some of the worlds best diving spots in my time off.

Photography has been a passion of mine for a long time and I've made some fairly decent money out of my topside shots, so just looking to combine my love of photography with my new found love of diving

 

[seansrs36]

Thanks again Seansrs36

Ive got just over 20 dives in the book now and just finished my advanced open water cert, but still very much consider myself a beginner.
I totally agree with you when you say I should concentrate on my diving skills.

I get to dive a couple of times a month. Being an airline pilot I also travel a lot and Im able to dive on some of the long layovers and get very cheap flights to the some of the worlds best diving spots in my time off.

Photography has been a passion of mine for a long time and I've made some fairly decent money out of my topside shots, so just looking to combine my love of photography with my new found love of diving

Since you are a pilot I think you can relate to this analogy. Think of doing underwater photography as handling an inflight emergency. UW Photography is task loading. Glad you concur you should work on the basic skills first. I would get more dives under your belt. How is your buoyancy? Also before you drop like $10K into UW photography how much do you enjoy scuba diving? These are some of the things you should consider before dumping a lot of money into a setup. Drop me a line at seansrs33@hotmail.com if you have more questions.

Sean

 

[Turbohamster]

Hi Sean

Thanks for all the advice!
Don't think I can disagree with anything you say.

My buoyancy is ok as far as I can tell.. (My Instructor said its ok but maybe he was just being nice )

So far I have really enjoyed my scuba dives, my only regret is that I didn't start sooner! I honestly didn't realise what I was missing...

 

[decidedlyodd]

Something else to keep in mind is not just how big the camera or the housing is underwater, but how big it is to travel with. If you're not diving locally, you'll need to bring everything with you on a plane, quite likely along with other dive gear plus of course your normal luggage (clothes, etc.).

Any semi-serious underwater photographer is going to be bringing the camera, the housing, arms, clamps, multiple lenses (at least 2, possibly 3 or more), ports to go with those housings (domes can get quite large and awkward to pack), 2 strobes, probably a focus light, batteries to go with strobes and lights and cameras, chargers for all those batteries, strobe cords, spare parts, lubricants, and the list goes on. With a small crop frame DSLR, you're already pushing the limits of fitting everything in a carryon sized bag or Pelican. For larger setups, you're going to be checking a large bag or box full of expensive camera equipment.

It can still be worth it, but just keep in mind how big and how much of a hassle packing a larger camera system can become.

 

[Turbohamster]

Thanks Decidedlyodd

Some very good advice there, one advantage that I have is very generous baggage allowances :cool2:

But I can foresee that going to some of the more remote islands that require a small floatplane transfer, that the weight could soon become a problem! So something I will definitely keep in mind!

 

[darook]

Living in Qatar you are just a quick hop from some great diving and UW photography destinations! The 5D3 would definitely be the choice between those two but I would also consider a crop camera too. Something like the 70D might be an option as you would definitely enjoy its smaller housing and better DOF. For WA the 5D3 would be the winner. I shoot a crop (T2i) underwater and enjoy the smaller housing for travel. The IQ is still excellent though the 5D3 would win that a bit at WA. Glass is what really matters in that regard and the crop versions are going to be smaller, lighter, and cheaper but not useful on your 1Dx.

As you refine your diving skills you may find WA a bit easier because it is much easier to shoot on the fly vs. macro when you are getting up close and personal with a subject.