Canon DSLR question...

[TruckDiver1981]

In that case, while I still stand behind the 3 cameras that I recommend, I will add that you should probably wait until you can afford the housing before you buy the camera. It can be very difficult to find a housing for a camera that is not a current model. Even if you don't buy the strobes, lens ports etc, until a later date, you don't want to buy a DSLR and then find a year or two later that housings for it are no longer available.

Yes that is a very good point. My G7x that i originally bought broke, by then the mk2 had come out and i ended up finding a second hand G7x to replace as the mk2 would not fit the housing

 

[sunnyboy]

A lot depends on how much money one is willing to commit to the system. As I said earlier, pro photographers will often elect to get the best, whether on land or underwater - it is their business, after all.

For the rest of us, it's usually a trade off between "how much do you want?" and "how much can you afford to lose to a flood?". As I said, I simply cannot afford to put something like a Canon 5DMk4 underwater, no matter how good the housing. The camera is actually more than I can afford for land use.

What I have found works is patience. When the 7DMk2 was announced, there was a flurry of activity from divers shedding 7DMk1 systems as they moved up. Some of these were incredible deals. In fact, that is how I got my 7DMk1 & housing.

I notice there are a few 5DMk2 systems for sale right now, so if that's up your alley then now is a good time to jump. Likewise a few 6DMk1 systems for sale.

The nice thing about getting an older system is the cameras are also coming down in price. I was able to buy a second 7D body for a very reasonable price.

I totally agree with having a second camera for the underwater system. Even if the housing floods, you can send it back to the manufacturer for a rebuild, but if you lose the (discontinued) camera, then the housing is a door stop. At least with a backup camera you can continue using the housing until you decide to upgrade.

 

[TruckDiver1981]

A lot depends on how much money one is willing to commit to the system. As I said earlier, pro photographers will often elect to get the best, whether on land or underwater - it is their business, after all.

For the rest of us, it's usually a trade off between "how much do you want?" and "how much can you afford to lose to a flood?". As I said, I simply cannot afford to put something like a Canon 5DMk4 underwater, no matter how good the housing. The camera is actually more than I can afford for land use.

What I have found works is patience. When the 7DMk2 was announced, there was a flurry of activity from divers shedding 7DMk1 systems as they moved up. Some of these were incredible deals. In fact, that is how I got my 7DMk1 & housing.

I notice there are a few 5DMk2 systems for sale right now, so if that's up your alley then now is a good time to jump. Likewise a few 6DMk1 systems for sale.

The nice thing about getting an older system is the cameras are also coming down in price. I was able to buy a second 7D body for a very reasonable price.

I totally agree with having a second camera for the underwater system. Even if the housing floods, you can send it back to the manufacturer for a rebuild, but if you lose the (discontinued) camera, then the housing is a door stop. At least with a backup camera you can continue using the housing until you decide to upgrade.

I am now considering just having a 'point and shoot' for underwater and the DSLR for above the waves, unless a deal on something comes up at the right price at the right time...

 

[Hoag]

I am now considering just having a 'point and shoot' for underwater and the DSLR for above the waves, unless a deal on something comes up at the right price at the right time...

The Panasonic Lx10 and the Sony RX100 series of Point and Shoots are very well reviewed for underwater. Having said that, here is something that you might want to take a look at. It is from 2017, but it was updated in June 2018.

 

[TruckDiver1981]

I have also ben recommended an Olympus Olympic TG5 as a good underwater point and shoot from a near pro videographer...

 

[kmarks]

I have also ben recommended an Olympus Olympic TG5 as a good underwater point and shoot from a near pro videographer...

I've never heard of anyone who was unhappy with the TG-5. There are only two real downsides I see to it: it has no manual control (my preferred shooting method), and even though it is billed as an underwater camera, you still need a housing to take it to scuba depths. The housings that have optical ports that allow the camera to trigger an off camera flash (like my YS-03) cost more than the camera. The image quality and true 1:1 macro ability are quite impressive, though.

 

[TruckDiver1981]

I've never heard of anyone who was unhappy with the TG-5. There are only two real downsides I see to it: it has no manual control (my preferred shooting method), and even though it is billed as an underwater camera, you still need a housing to take it to scuba depths. The housings that have optical ports that allow the camera to trigger an off camera flash (like my YS-03) cost more than the camera. The image quality and true 1:1 macro ability are quite impressive, though.

After seeing my friends photos i am seriously tempted to go this route

 

[Barmaglot]

The housings that have optical ports that allow the camera to trigger an off camera flash (like my YS-03) cost more than the camera.

Say what? Meikon housing for TG-5 has fiber optic ports and costs $213 shipped worldwide.

 

[kmarks]

Say what? Meikon housing for TG-5 has fiber optic ports and costs $213 shipped worldwide.

That's good to know. The Nauticam and Recsea housings are $525-800, and were the only ones that looked like they could support optical slave strobes, but looking closer, that isn't the case. The Ikelite ($299) looks like it does actually have ports on it, but the first pictures I saw made it look like it didn't. I don't think you can use the camera's built in flash on the Ikelite. The Olympus housing ($299) allows the camera's flash to be used and says that it can support two off camera flash units, but it might need to be reconfigured to add the ports.

 

[TruckDiver1981]

Well a little update (for anyone interested!) I have bought a Canon 7dmk2, but i have no initial plans to get a housing and take it underwater, but that could change. My good friend has just returned from a diving holiday, and on the first day part of his housing (i cannot remember which bit he said exactly) came off, and fried his DSLR, but he has a 7dmk2 as a back up body, which would work in the housing afterwards. So one thing i am considering is getting a cheaper DSLR body at some point and housing, but we will see.

Thank you one and all for your imput/advice, it is much appreciated