G11 WP-DC34 Housing with Inon Mount Base or any other recommended mount base?

[hcvanzyl]

Nemrod,

Thank you for your interesting and thorough response! I am learning a lot! Initially I have set my mind on buying the Canon G12 with WP DC 34 housing, but now I am also considering the Canon S95 with Canon WP DC 38 housing. I need some advice before I finally decide.

1. Do you know if the Canon S95 has a TTL flash compensation function, because I want to use the Sea & Sea YS-01 strobe, which has a slave TTL flash function through the fibre optic cable. It should help a lot for me as beginner if the camera could control the flash output at first. The G12 has the TTL technology.

2. Do you think the bigger diameter of the G12 lens will result in better images because of more light that should reach the CCD sensor in comparison to the small size lens of the S95? Or is it not a factor for digital cameras? According to their same CCD size, HD dual anti-noise system, 10 mega-pixels, etc., the cameras should produce the same image quality.

According to me, the choice between the G12 and S95 is essentially between the better camera and the better lens.

Both cameras have advantages.

a) According to the specs of the G12, as flagship of Canon's compact cameras, it obviously should be the better camera.

b) A big advantage is the good functionality of the G12 which can be utilized via the many dials on the outside of the WP DC 34. It makes the camera more versatile and more friendly to the photographer for creativity and experimenting. On the other hand the S95 has limited functionality via fewer dials on the housing, but how frequently does a photographer really use it?

c) The big advantage of the S95 is the enormous 179 degrees of angle it delivers with the Inon UWL H100-28LD wide angle lens. It seems that the Inon UWL H100-28LD wide angle lens gives even better results with the S95 than the Inon AD wide angle lenses. The question is if the 80 degrees view that could be created by the Fantasea Big eye or Dyron air dome on the G12, is not sufficient? Is the 179 degrees the Inon UWL H100-28LD with dome delivers really necessary? The wide angle ability of the S95 is a great advantage to me, because if prefer wide angle photography above macro photography. The wide angle ability is also great, because I mainly dive at Cape Town and with the milky water, it is good to get as close as possible to the subject.

d) Another advantage is the relatively small Canon WP DC 38 housing, which makes it easy to handle underwater. Or is it perhaps to small when handled with 3mm gloves?

e) The advantage of the G12 is the 1 mm distance between the lens and subject against the 5 mm of the S95. But how many times do one go as close as 1mm?

f) The G12 has the advantage of producing 370 shots per charged battery and the S95 200 shots, but I suppose one does not take more than 200 shots per dive and can take spare batteries if you dive more than once a day.

g) It is a big advantage to use the Inon wide angle lens on land as well and it is easier to carry the S94 in your pocket, so one should probably use it more than the G12.

To me, it is essentially a decision between the better camera and the better lens. Although I have a passion for underwater photography and quality images, I want to keep the hobby affordable. At the same time I want to maximize my ability with the best equipment in a certain price class. I suppose I could buy the G12 and hope a manufacturer will produce a super wide angle lens for it in the future.

If I had more experience I could answer the questions myself, but could you please give me your opinion for me to make an informed decision.

Thank you for your time and advice.

Regards

Hermie

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod,

Thank you for your interesting and thorough response! I am learning a lot! Initially I have set my mind on buying the Canon G12 with WP DC 34 housing, but now I am also considering the Canon S95 with Canon WP DC 38 housing. I need some advice before I finally decide.

1. Do you know if the Canon S95 has a TTL flash compensation function, because I want to use the Sea & Sea YS-01 strobe, which has a slave TTL flash function through the fibre optic cable. It should help a lot for me as beginner if the camera could control the flash output at first. The G12 has the TTL technology.

The G12 does have a shoe, however, if you are running an optical strobe there is no functional difference between the G series and S series cameras, none.

2. Do you think the bigger diameter of the G12 lens will result in better images because of more light that should reach the CCD sensor in comparison to the small size lens of the S95? Or is it not a factor for digital cameras? According to their same CCD size, HD dual anti-noise system, 10 mega-pixels, etc., the cameras should produce the same image quality.

You realize that the S95 has a f2.0 lens vs f2.8 for the G12? This a full stop faster----the S95 let's in twice as much light at a given shutter speed at f2.0 than the G12 at f2.8--fact. The image quality is the same.

According to me, the choice between the G12 and S95 is essentially between the better camera and the better lens.

Both cameras have advantages.

a) According to the specs of the G12, as flagship of Canon's compact cameras, it obviously should be the better camera.

Obviously it isn't, I don't agree.

b) A big advantage is the good functionality of the G12 which can be utilized via the many dials on the outside of the WP DC 34. It makes the camera more versatile and more friendly to the photographer for creativity and experimenting. On the other hand the S95 has limited functionality via fewer dials on the housing, but how frequently does a photographer really use it?

Neither camera have controls for the rear ring in their Canon OEM housings and have to use the short cut button, I prefer the FIX housing for either which has controls for everything including the rear ring and in the S series that is amazing functionality.

c) The big advantage of the S95 is the enormous 179 degrees of angle it delivers with the Inon UWL H100-28LD wide angle lens. It seems that the Inon UWL H100-28LD wide angle lens gives even better results with the S95 than the Inon AD wide angle lenses. The question is if the 80 degrees view that could be created by the Fantasea Big eye or Dyron air dome on the G12, is not sufficient? Is the 179 degrees the Inon UWL H100-28LD with dome delivers really necessary? The wide angle ability of the S95 is a great advantage to me, because if prefer wide angle photography above macro photography. The wide angle ability is also great, because I mainly dive at Cape Town and with the milky water, it is good to get as close as possible to the subject.

I would probably prefer the Fisheye UWL-04 lens on the FIX95 housing or the equivalent Fisheye dry port on the FIX G12 as it is half the price and just as good otherwise in practical terms and it is unknown as to whether the Inon LD lens will work with the G series at this time.

d) Another advantage is the relatively small Canon WP DC 38 housing, which makes it easy to handle underwater. Or is it perhaps to small when handled with 3mm gloves?

e) The advantage of the G12 is the 1 mm distance between the lens and subject against the 5 mm of the S95. But how many times do one go as close as 1mm?

f) The G12 has the advantage of producing 370 shots per charged battery and the S95 200 shots, but I suppose one does not take more than 200 shots per dive and can take spare batteries if you dive more than once a day.

g) It is a big advantage to use the Inon wide angle lens on land as well and it is easier to carry the S94 in your pocket, so one should probably use it more than the G12.

To me, it is essentially a decision between the better camera and the better lens. Although I have a passion for underwater photography and quality images, I want to keep the hobby affordable. At the same time I want to maximize my ability with the best equipment in a certain price class. I suppose I could buy the G12 and hope a manufacturer will produce a super wide angle lens for it in the future.

If I had more experience I could answer the questions myself, but could you please give me your opinion for me to make an informed decision.

Thank you for your time and advice.

Regards

Hermie

If you are into macro, go G series, if you want wide angle, go S series.

I don't especially think much of the chintzy Canon OEM housings.

I always felt it was best to have a camera for underwater and a camera for surface use as the two uses often are so different as no one camera can do all, I used to shoot a Nikon F above water and a Nikonos III below the surface. Two then and two now, lol, actually more than two.

Again, the G series lens is not "better" than the S series lens, the S series lens is twice as fast optically at f2.0, it produces fine images of similar quality to the G series, it does have a barrels distortion correction in the software which which I seriously doubt anyone but a pro would care about and a pro would not be using either camera as a primary tool. The sensor is the same in both cameras.

N

 

[Vcelson]

There is a M67 Mount Base made by Deeproof that will allow you to use you DC34 housing with the INON UCL300 or UCL 165M67. I wouldnt recommend using it with a WA lens, but for macro you should ....


Has anyone used the Deepproof mount for the Canon WP-DC28? It looks like a good system to quickly take a nudi while swimming around. What's the downside?