Newbe Olympus OR SONY

[Cecil]

Sailor you're preaching to the choir about the external strobe but we are voices in a wilderness with most photographers. The major reason they site for the external strobe is the reduction of backscatter. A problem that will occur more ofen with an internal strobe but in my experience has not been a big problem.

The other points about the Sony vs. the Olympus, the Sonys also have automatic white balance, focus to 4" vs. 1" for the 5050, do not have as many manual settings as the Olympus and the DSC-P9 is also 5 megapixels. On the housings, Sony makes inexpensive housings for the DSC-Px series. The Sonys also have the shutter delay problem which can be minimized by half pressing the shutter first then pressing the rest of the way to get the shot with little delay.

 

[Jonathan]

sailor025 once bubbled...
Digital cameras that have the ability to manually "white balance" can adjust (correctly I might add) the colors according to available light. So, at 60 feet, without a strobe you can "show" the camera what white is and it can adjust all the other colors accordingly, giving you perfect pictures at 60 feet without a strobe.

"show" the camera what white is? I've seen people out with white slates both on and below the surface and never really worked out what they are doing - asking them is not an option as my Japanese is not good enough.

I'm a sony fan but if I was to do it all again I would go for Olympus as they are much better supported for the u/w world.

Jonathan

 

[TURTLE696]

Dee,
I live in League City, Texas is there a local place to go and see the Olympus C-5050 and Sony??

 

[sailor025]

Jonathan,

I use my white slate. There is a diver on this site that uses his/her white gloves. I have the 5050 and set the camera to the manual white balance mode, point the camera at my slate, press OK and the white balance is set. If you change depth by more than 10 feet, you may need to white balance again.

Cecil

I seldom use even the internal flash. I only use it in difficult shots, when it is dark, or when I want to stop motion.

Turtle,

Houston Camera Exchange has the C5050. It is on Richmond. That's where I got my camera but they were sold out of housings.

 

[Dee]

TURTLE696 once bubbled...
Dee,
I live in League City, Texas is there a local place to go and see the Olympus C-5050 and Sony??

There's a small camera shop in Webster on Bay Area Blvd in a small shopping center at the corner of Bay Area and Hwy 3/Old Galveston Rd. I can't think of the name of it. At the opposite end of the center is the Dos Mas Mexican Restaurant. (great guacomale!) Sport Divers also used to be located in the center. Do you know it? I was in there last Sat. and they had a C-5050 plus several other brands so there's a good chance they have the Sony's.

If they don't have the Sony's, you might try the stores like Circuit City, CompUSA, etc.... even WalMart!

Other than that I usually go to Houston Camera Exchange on Richmond.

If you want to come out to Twin Lakes on Sunday, I'll show you my C-5050 and PT-015!

 

[TURTLE696]

I really appreciate everyones input and help.

Dee
I know where you are talking I will try to get by there Wed. after work. I am working nights this weekend. What time will you be at Twin lakes? I can try to come by.

 

[TURTLE696]

TTT

 

[Dee]

TURTLE696 once bubbled...
I really appreciate everyones input and help.

Dee
I know where you are talking I will try to get by there Wed. after work. I am working nights this weekend. What time will you be at Twin lakes? I can try to come by.

Sorry I didn't get back with you in time. Something came up and I didn't make it to the lake on Wed. And todays efforts have been cancelled do to rain! I WILL be there tomorrow by noon, rain or not, to try out my new housing.