Outfitting a Canon 20d

[ahplee]

Hi all,

I am considering housing my Canon 20d in Ikelite housing to replace my Olympus c5050.

What are going to be my trade offs and benefits? I currently use the setup with one ds125 strobes plus I have the Inon uwl-100 wide angle lens which can be removed or added under water.

I will be traveling to Curacao in a few weeks and cannot afford to buy a full range of lenses at the current time.
I need a base lens to start with. I wanted to know if anyone would recommend the canon 17 to 85 lens as a starting lens and has anyone had any experiences with this lens. Are there any other recommendations that you can make? Should I just buy a macro lens or just a wide angle lens or is there a compromise that will allow me good all around shooting of fish scenery and little creatures.

Thanks in Advance

Patrick

 

[alcina]

Patrick - you're asking the hard questions.

- what is your passion? Macro? Behaviour? Scenics? What you like to shoot the most should dictate your choice of lens.

The 50, 60 & 100 are all great for macro - the 100 gives you a bit more room to work with and is better for skittish subjects but there is a trade off. I'd invest in Woody's dioptre (if it fits the Ike port) to give you more options with teeny subjects on the 100. The 60 lets you closer but then you trade off on skittish critters.

I haven't seen a lot of photos from the 17-85, but I am considering housing this or something similar as a "recon" lens. The shots I have seen are pretty good. You can get reasonably wide (about 27mm) and can also photo relatively small subjects with it. This range is always a trade-off, especially at the wide end and focus distance. But I still think it would be a good fish and general lens.

If wide is your passion, the Sigma 15 or the Canon 10-22 should be on your list.

Trade offs for moving to dslr? Cost, weight, size, restricted choices underwater, cost, time of setup, learning curve, cost...

Benefits of moving to dslr? No lag, fast focus, wide range of lenses.

One thing you can think about is keeping your current system for WA and recon dives - the 5050 is an extraordinary system...I certainly haven't outgrown mine yet. Then you can add macro lenses to your Canon 20D. This will give you lots of flexibility on a trip (perhaps not the same dive but at least on the trip itself) and is a durn bit cheaper to get started. As you get the feel of the 20D and establish what you really want from your underwater photos you can add bits and pieces.

You could also simply add some Inon macro 165s to your 5050 setup and you'd never want for something else underwater lens-wise. I carry both my WAL and my two macro lenses on every dive.

 

[PapaBob]

Patrick:

I will try to add to Alcina's post. I now dive a housed 20D and you will be pleased with the Ikelite housing. I was already heavy into Canon glass so I invested in the 10-22mm EFS with the 8" dome for wide angle and the 60mm EFS macro and flat port for the close up stuff. I am very happy with my choices.

If I had to start over with one UW lense, I would pick the 60mm macro. You have macro down to 1:1 and a great "close up" lense for medium sized subjects. If you are planning to shoot wrecks and large animals, by all means get a WA first or stick with the 5050 for WA as Alcina suggests (if you have enuf room in your case). I tend to do more close up work and the 60mm is my main workhorse now.

Ultimately, you will want to add a second 125 strobe.

I do not have experience with the 17-85. I hope Kevreid will post. He went with the 17-85 to have a starter lense for both UW and landlubber shots. I dont know how the compromise worked out.

Check out my 20D Inaugual album and the Conch Republic Dive album. All were shot with the 20D and the EXIF info will tell you what lense was in use at what settings.

Let me know if I can answer any specific questions.

---Bob

 

[alcina]

Bob -

Thanks for that. I am trying to build my arsenal, too, and although I know some of the lenses that I am buying more input is always appreciated!!

I, too, hope Kevreid posts as I would be very interested in hearing how he likes that lens!

 

[segal3]

I am considering housing my Canon 20d in Ikelite housing to replace my Olympus c5050.

What are going to be my trade offs and benefits? I currently use the setup with one ds125 strobes plus I have the Inon uwl-100 wide angle lens which can be removed or added under water.

http://www.carbonos.com/reports/provo20dtripgear.htm

A full gear/trip report on the switchover. Hope it helps.

~Matt Segal

 

[electricskin]

What sort of set-up for the 20d would you get if money were no object? I have heard good things about the Aquatica housing.

roxy

 

[PapaBob]

Roxy:

I dove Grand Cayman one day last month. The DM had a housed 20D in an Aquatica with twin Ikelite 125 strobes, the 10-22efs WA zoom and the 8" dome port. The stobes were mounted on TLC arms. Looked real sweet. Patrick's website is here.

I went with Ikelite because I am a long standing customer and have been extremely pleased with the service over the years. The housing is a bit bulkier than the Aquatica, but I have not had any difficulty. It is practically neutral underwater. What I like about the Ikelite is the clear polycarb housing that lets you see what is going on inside. This feature has already saved my posterior once.

Matt:

Thanks for the link. I cruised your site before I set up my rig. Very usefull info. Thanks.

Alcina: I sent Kev a PM. Hope he will respond.

---Bob

 

[kevreid]

I do not have experience with the 17-85. I hope Kevreid will post. He went with the 17-85 to have a starter lense for both UW and landlubber shots. I dont know how the compromise worked out.

---Bob

I have had a blast with the 17-85,topside and underwater. I used it exclusively on my first trip to Roatan and was extremely happy with the performance. Pages 1 thru 6 of my gallery were all shot with the 17-85.
Coming from a 5050 the 20D with 17-85 lens was a comfortable transition. I shot sharks to seahorses giving me the chance to really get to know my new rig. I wasn't ready to commit to just macro or WA so using the 17-85 was a great compromise. I'm satisfied that using this lens replaces all I loved about the 5050 as well as all I hated.........shutter lag, focus time, write time. That said, it's a very expensive 5050!!!
I have since purchased WA and macro lenses (as well as telephoto for topside). I have never had so much fun with a camera. The capabilities of the 20D with the specific use lenses are incredible. I will still use the 17-85 underwater, but it will be as Alcina calls it, a recon lens. It's a lens that will allow you to take great pictures to remember your dive but you will soon want the other "tools" that will let you get much more creative.
Ahplee, regarding purchase recommendations for your trip to Curacao, if you are not prepared to go dual strobes, I wouldn't do the WA. IMHO, with one strobe, the best bet is the 60mm macro behind a flat port.

 

[James S]

http://www.carbonos.com/reports/provo20dtripgear.htm

~Matt Segal

Matt, you have really fantastic photos of the T&C. Congratulations!!

I am using the Canon 300D with the Ikelite housing and find it interesting that I have not met one person who kept the ikelite tray and arms. They really aren't flexible underwater, not to mention they weight a ton. Everyone uses the ultralight system.

I also have double D125 Ikelite strobes and am very happy with them. Unfortunately, I had a problem with right at the beginning at my last trip to T&C (but didn't realize it till afterwards). Ikelite is going to replace the sync cord for me.

Lense wise: I have a Sigma 14mm for wide angle which is great and use the Canon Compact Macro EF 50mm for my macro.
the challenge with macro is the manual focus - if you are working with anything slightly skiddish given that you are right up on top of it.
I also have the 28-105 canon ultrasonic but have only used it once underwater. It uses the same dome port as the macro lense.

- Alexandra