Looking to upgrade my photo gear

[cerich]

I don't think using TTL for wide angle will work very well, at least I've not really had much success trying it. And with the Ys-03 you're limited to TTL.

some tricks to use a Ys-03 in manual Sea & Sea YS-03 Review and Test Shots

 

[Hoag]

I'm looking to upgrade as well. Would you recommend the Sony a6300/a6500 as a decent UW camera? What about a decent housing to go with that? Too many options these days to try to whittle it down. Thanks!

Just to be clear, I have not dove with my camera yet. In fact, I don't have my housing yet. (It is on layaway, but not shipped yet.)

Right now, I think they are all good choices, but the A6000 is becoming "less good" every day. The current model is the A6300 and there are a number of housings made for it (Ikelite, Nauticam and Aquatica for instance). The A6500 is brand new, and I don't know of any housings that are available for it yet.

In my case, I got a deal on the A6000 that was "too good to pass up", so I went for it. (I got my A6000 for about half of what an A6300 would have been.) Doing so has put me into a bit of a time crunch since the housings for it are becoming more scarce. It is a big improvement over what I had (an Olympus E-PL1), but I also am well aware that I am getting a camera that is at least one "generation" old.

Once I committed to the A6000, my housing choices were pretty much limited to the Ikelite or the Nauticam housings. The Ikelite housing is significantly bigger and heavier than the Nauticam housing but is also slightly more than half the cost. In my case, I wanted to be able to pack my camera with a couple lenses, my housing with at least a dome port and two strobes into my carry-on. That requirement pretty much ruled out the Ikelite for me.

I have read several reviews of the A6300 where it received glowing reviews. There are a couple of good reviews on youtube about the A6300 and the Nauticam housing for it that are definitely worth watching.

If you opt for the A6000, I think (based on taking a few pics above the surface) that it is a very good camera. If you are considering it, before you buy, contact a retailer or two to make certain that you can get a housing for it before you take that route. If you opt for the A6300, that option will give you the most flexibility for housings.

 

[JackConnick]

Either is a great camera and can be setup in the Nauticam with the 16-50mm and Wet Lens system of CMC & WWL lenses. Or with the Sony 10-18 and a dome port for wide angle. There is a new 50mm macro that shoots fairly well.

We're just getting in a couple of the new Nauticam a6500 housings. Don't even have it on the website yet. It's $1900 including the tray.

 

[Hoag]

some tricks to use a Ys-03 in manual Sea & Sea YS-03 Review and Test Shots

Thanks for that. Mozaik is who I actually bought mine from. (Specifically, I was helped by Ran, who wrote that review.)

 

[Hoag]

My upgrade is starting to come together. So far I have:

2 Sea&Sea YS-03 strobes
Sony A6000 camera
Nauticam NA-6000 housing (Shipped and on the way. ETA 23 Jan)

Still required (short term):
Wide angle lens (probably going to go with the Sony 10-18 f4 OSS)
Dome port

Still required (long term):
Macro lens
Port for the macro lens

 

[Hoag]

As a note: Most a6000 housings are out of production. The Nauticam will take between 4-6 weeks to get, unless you find one at a dealer or used. Sea & Sea is just about out as well. Ikelite should be available for a little while. Most are selling the a6300 now and soon the a6500.

So the adage of "buy the housing before you buy the camera" is especially true when buying a camera that's a few generations back. We always recommend that you buy the latest version of the camera as you can take advantage of the fnew features and your resale is better late on. The housing costs are going to be pretty much the same.

My Nauticam NA-A6000 housing arrived yesterday. Thanks for stressing that I was in a very real time compression and that if I didn't act quickly, then I could be out of luck. As it was, it all worked out well.

So, I have my strobes, my camera and my housing. Next I need a (wide angle) lens and Dome Port. My goal is to keep things as small as possible (to fit in carry-on) and not break the bank while still having really good picture quality.

My options (as I see them) are:
Sony 16mm f2.8 lens and Nauticam 36125 4.33" Dome Port
Pros:
Small
Fast
Lowest cost option
Can use a Wide Angle or Fisheye adapter
Cons:
Image Quality that some have said is really not much better than the kit lens

Zeiss 12mm f2.8 and applicable Dome Port
Pros:
Outstanding Image Quality
Fast
Cons:
Cost
Size of the Dome Port + adapter

Sony 10-18 f4 Zoom and Nauticam 36129 7 inch Dome Port
Pros:
Very good Image Quality
Flexibility offered by a zoom lens
Cons:
A Moderately more expensive option than the 16mm lens
A somewhat larger Dome Port (7" vs. 4.33")

Question: Has anybody used, or does anybody know if the Sony 20mm f2.8 with the Wide Angle Adapter can be used in the Nauticam 36125 Dome Port? This lens is reportedly much better optically than the 16mm one and would appear to be a good compromise if it works in that Dome Port.

If it doesn't work in that Dome Port, then, my best compromise (for my needs) will be the 10-18 zoom.

 

[Hoag]

Well, the pieces of the puzzle have all fallen into place, and as they say, "The big parts are all attached."

Thanks to everyone who offered their opinion and advice.

When all was said & done, here is my "final" configuration:
Sony A6000 camera with kit 16-55mm lens
Sony 10-18mm f4 OSS lens (This is the lens that I will use underwater.)
A pair of Sea&Sea YS-03 Strobes with FO Cables
Nauticam NA-A6000 Housing
Nauticam 7" Acrylic Dome Port
iDas tray and ULCS Handles (not shown are the arms - a mix of Ikelite and ULCS)

It may not be a perfect setup, but it all fits in a carry on, and I think it will be a significant upgrade from my Oly EPL-1. I don't shoot much macro, so on those rare occasions when I do, I am willing to "settle" and use the kit lens behind the dome port for now. I know that this will give me "less than ideal" results, but I don't shoot enough macro to justify a true macro lens and flat port. I do, however, appreciate good optics, so I might go for the Sony/Zeiss 16-70 f4 lens since this dome port is designed to fit it as well, and it is hard to argue with Zeiss optics.

 

[Skeptic14]

I'd be interested in seeing your results once you've had some time to use it. I think I'll eventually upgrade from my tg-4 and I' leaning toward just a 1" compact but the possibility of jumping to a mirrorless exists; your setup doesn't look too big.

 

[Hoag]

I'd be interested in seeing your results once you've had some time to use it. I think I'll eventually upgrade from my tg-4 and I' leaning toward just a 1" compact but the possibility of jumping to a mirrorless exists; your setup doesn't look too big.

I hate cold, and I am very much a "Destination Diver". The next trip that I have planned is in late October on the Aquacat. Having said that, I might try to get in a trip to (Jupiter???) Florida this summer to do a couple dives before I go on a Live Aboard with equipment that I have never used.