$2000 Camera Rig - help!

[Ozgarr]

Hiii! :wavey: First post. Don't judge me for my newbish ways.

Anywayz. Buying a Canon rig around two grand, currently looking at s90. The idea was an ikelite housing with Ys-110a strobe package. However, to muddy the waters I'm a landscape photographer and shoot a 40d with 10-22 + 100 f28. To house it would blow my budget by another $1000, but would it be worth it...?

Appreciate the comments...

 

[AussieByron]

If your looking at spending $2,000 on a compact the Canon G12 would something worth looking into. If you want to house in an Ikelite housing then I would recommend that you also use a Ikelite DS strobe like the DS51 or if you can afford the DS160/161 as these strobe will give you TTL when connected to an Ikelite housing.

On the other hand finding a second hand housing for your 40D is possible and wouldnt be that expensive as you might think. Troll around and you could find a real bargain. I think this would be the way to go if I was in your shoes.

Regards Mark

 

[HerraduraDivers]

I have a G11 in a Patima housing and one Inon D-2000 strobe and i'm very happy with it. It's a small, lightweight rig and it stays in a briefcase size pelicase perfect for carry-on on your dive trips.
The picture quality is more than good enough for advanced beginners and to gain substantial and visible picture quality will cost you much more than one grand.
The good thing on the Ikelite G11/12 housing is the price, a semi professional, sturdy housing with e-ttl controller, but it's "bulky" and e-ttl will work only with Ikelite strobes - excellent strobes but they are expensive, bulky and heavy.

As Mark said, finding a used 40D housing and maybe stobes as well is possible and so you get a nice DSLR rig with all his advantages and backdraws.

I personally would go with the G11/12 or S90/95 rig for price and weight/size reasons.

Chris

 

[diver 85]

I have a G11 in a Patima housing and one Inon D-2000 strobe and i'm very happy with it. It's a small, lightweight rig and it stays in a briefcase size pelicase perfect for carry-on on your dive trips.
The picture quality is more than good enough for advanced beginners and to gain substantial and visible picture quality will cost you much more than one grand.
The good thing on the Ikelite G11/12 housing is the price, a semi professional, sturdy housing with e-ttl controller, but it's "bulky" and e-ttl will work only with Ikelite strobes - excellent strobes but they are expensive, bulky and heavy.

As Mark said, finding a used 40D housing and maybe stobes as well is possible and so you get a nice DSLR rig with all his advantages and backdraws.

I personally would go with the G11/12 or S90/95 rig for price and weight/size reasons.

Chris

gunna jump in here & take it a little further, money wise---What WA possibilities are available for the G12 or S95 ie what housings(manufacturers) do you have to go with to obtain WA photography with these 2 cameras...??......tia..Joe

EDIT, I want HD video so that's why I'm sticking with the 12 or 95 models....

 

[Peter_C]

Have you heard of Wet Pixel? More information about underwater photography then you could ever read.

 

[diver 85]

Have you heard of Wet Pixel? More information about underwater photography then you could ever read.

Come on Pete--tell me what to get---you did GREAT on the kayak (strap) recommendations....lol-------nah, thanks for the link, I had forgotten all about them.....

 

[HerraduraDivers]

There are no dedicated G12 housings right now on the market, the ones available can't use the front ring of the new G12 the only exception is the Ikelite G12 housing, AFAIK

I have the Patima G11 housing and use the Inon UWL-100 wet lens for WA photography.

The Patima G11 housing have a 67mm tread on the wa port and it will mount:
INON UWL-100 100° FoV Underwater
INON Wide Lens UWL100 Type1/Type2?[TOP]
INON UWL-100 + Dome Unit 131° FoV Underwater INON Superwide Lens Dome Lens Unit for UWL-100 [TOP]

Ikelite provide a WA Dome Port for the G111/G12 housing giving you back 28mm
WD-4 Wide Angle Dome for Canon G10

There are some WA-Lenses and Domes for the FIX and the Canon G11/12 housing as well.

www.unterwasser.at build a slide-over 67mm adapter for the Patima zoom port enabling to mount 67mm macro lenses, Ikelite has a Macroadapter as well.

Regarding the S90/S95 i hope that Nemrod will pop in, he is the S90/S95 guru....

Chris

 

[Peter_C]

Come on Pete--tell me what to get---

Sure no problem, I am GREAT at spending "other" peoples money Diver 85's new camera!

 

[PatW]

Well, I have a G11 with an Ikelite strobe. It is a great camera. I use a DSLR for surface shooting. The G12 is pretty near the same camera with better video but since I don't use the video, it is the same as far as I am concerned. The good thing about an advanced point and shoot is it is more flexible underwater than a DSLR (macro to wide angle and back whilst underwater). But it does not perform as well.

You should be able to pick up a Ikelite housing for your Canon new for about $1200. The DS51 costs about $600. So even with 2 strobes and housing, you are not much over $2000 oh but wait you will need ports too won't you? Still those will not push you too much higher. Of course that does not let you do macro. But you can add that later.

 

[diver 85]

Sure no problem, I am GREAT at spending "other" peoples money Diver 85's new camera!

well gee thanks, lol, there would be a dead diver 85 if the wife found that in my dive bag-----'A WHAT for HOW MUCH?!!'......I'm gunna stick with little P&S's, I believe.....

EDIT:-But I did dive along side a guy in Fiji with a 20+k rig(per him)-a D300, 180* WA, twin 250 S&S strobes---the works.....made me feel sick, he looked like an ant with long antennas down there.....most he kicked my butt, but a few I kept up with him when it was all over with....