Canon T1i Questions

[Wick]

I am currently looking to upgrade to a SLR for both underwater and land photography. Right now all I have is a Canon A620 PowerShot.

After looking at a bunch of SLR's, I found the T1i to be in the lead of the pack for my price range (around $1000). My price range can increase if there is alot of value added to go with it.

Anyways I would like to know everyones thoughts on the T1i.

How is the HD video mode?

How is the Ikelite housing for it?

What wide angle lense is would be a good match?

Are there any drawbacks?

Is the camera fully functional in the Ikelite housing?

I am also NOT planning on purchasing a strobe at this time. In the future I probably will. I am going to Isle de Guadelupe to dive with Great Whites. Will I get good pictures without a strobe?
I figure since the shark will be further away, that I wouldn't want a strobe causing back scatter. I also think I will want to use a wide angle lense to get the best pictures. Is there anything I am missing here?

Thanks for the help

Wick

 

[bvanant]

Several comments. First the camera is very cool and depending on what you want to do with the video it should be fine, 720P is quite nice but not quite 1080p quality. Yes I know that the t1i claims 1080 but only at 20 fps which is too slow underwater. I would also take a look at the Sea&Sea RDX housing, about the same price as ikelite but a bit nicer (to me) ergonomically. I would strongly recommend the tokina 10-17 lens (not the kit lens) for shooting the great whites. I think not getting a strobe is a very bad idea personally but you might be able to get by without lights. What you will most likely get though are great silhouette shots or lots of blown highlights if you aim it at the sky and try to get the front of a shark well exposed. It can be done but it will be quite tough in my opinion. Good luck
Bill

 

[Wick]

Won't I get back scatter if shooting great whites and they are +8 ft away?

Will the T1i without strobe get me ALOT better than my current Powershot A620 (with internal flash)?

 

[bvanant]

Certainly the t1i will give you a lot better pics than your a620. The advantage of an external strobe is that you can position it off to the side so you won't get any (or much) backscatter since the strobe will not be inline with the lens. If the sharks are really 10 feet away and you can shoot high iso and downward you might get some really neat pics. The problem is that if you shoot up into the sun all you will get is a silhouette. Depends a lot on how things are set up for the shark dive.
Bill

 

[Wick]

I would get a strobe but I have no experience using one, and the Great White trip would be my first chance (2 months away). Using a strobe when your not sure what your doing can ruin pictures as I've seen from newbies who bought top of the line setups and never shot underwater before. I guess that is why I am worried about getting a strobe now.

I will take a look at the housing you suggested but do you know if the Ikelite housings come with the dome on the housing? or is it bought separate? What does the dome help?

 

[txdano]

Ikelite housing do not come with ports, you need to purchase the specific ones you need for your lens separately.

 

[bvanant]

Sea & Sea will require ports too. As for the strobe, I would take it and see if you need it. One of the big advantages of shooting TTL will be that fast moving stuff will be exposed correctly. Both tje Ike and the Sea&Sea have TTL options.

 

[BackscatterUW]

Just to re-iterate what Bill said - the 10-17 is a fantastic lens optically and is perfect for shooting great whites. Having the versatility of the zoom is a tremendous advantage in a fisheye. This lens is really worth it. A strobe will enhance the color and contrast in the photos tremendously. The visibility in Guadalupe is excellent, so you won't have to worry about backscatter quite as much. As long as you have the strobe parallel to the camera, you'll be in good shape and will get the hang of it quite quickly. Let me know if we can help you with any further questions.

All the very best,

Sterling

 

[Mel Moncrieff]

I agree 100%. Get an Ikelite DS 160 and you'll be in great shape. Those trips to Guadalupe are expensive, and you don't want to go and not get the shots you want.