mikerault
Contributor
Of course the XT series is looking very good as well.
Mike
Mike
Thinking of buying a Canon. But which one? Any suggestions?
- Thread starter Sonet
- Start date
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SFLDiver3445
Contributor
You live in Ft. Lauderdale, so just take a 5 minute drive on over to Reef Photo (Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros) and chat with them - I'm sure they will be able to suggest something that will meet your needs.
ScubaCatgirl
Contributor
Here I go again, butting into someone else's thread, but I just hate starting another one when someone already has one going with the same questions and/or topic that I do. Btw, Sonet, THANK YOU for starting this thread!!! I too want to purchase a Cannon & the recommendation made bperrybap makes a lot of sense. Of course I'm practically a newbie when it comes to uw photography (been using a sealife DC500 & want to bump up) but have no idea what all the jargon is, lol. My question is I am thinking of going the strobe route so why would the 850is not be a good route? Also there are 2 new cannon's on the market. The SD790is and the SD770is both 12 mp. I figured if I was going to spend close to $400.00 I might as well get 12 mpixel vs. the 8mpixel but as stated previously am no genius here on cameras. Can someone give me some input on why the 790 or the 770 may be a better purchase over the 850?
Btw, I go to Roatan quite frequently & dive 4 to 5 dives a day so having to change batteries twice to 3 times daily might be a pain.
Bpeerybap, what kind of batteries does the 850is use? If you have to dig your camera out to answer or if it's a lot of trouble, just let me know, I can go to the Cannon site too to find the answer.
Thanks for all your help guys & once again, Sonet, thanks for letting me but in & starting this thread!!!
Btw, I go to Roatan quite frequently & dive 4 to 5 dives a day so having to change batteries twice to 3 times daily might be a pain.
Bpeerybap, what kind of batteries does the 850is use? If you have to dig your camera out to answer or if it's a lot of trouble, just let me know, I can go to the Cannon site too to find the answer.
Thanks for all your help guys & once again, Sonet, thanks for letting me but in & starting this thread!!!
bperrybap
Contributor
Bpeerybap, what kind of batteries does the 850is use? If you have to dig your camera out to answer or if it's a lot of trouble, just let me know, I can go to the Cannon site too to find the answer.
Thanks for all your help guys & once again, Sonet, thanks for letting me but in & starting this thread!!!
The 850is uses a Canon NB-5L battery. While it looks alot like the DC-500 battery,
it isnt. The 850is gets alot more photos per battery.
I was changing my batteries every dive with the DC-500.
The 850is seems to get triple or more shots than the DC-500 on a battery.
The 850is will easily go 2 dives and can usually go 3 if you don't take too
many flash photos, 4 if you push it and don't take a ton of shots.
Unlike the DC-500, the canon comes with an external charger. So all you need
is an extra battery so you charge one while you are using one. Charge time
is about 90 minutes.
If you want something that can go really go all 4-5 dives/day, then you
may want something else.
Here is a site with tons of great reviews, specs, and information.
DpReview
Lots of good stuff.
PM me and I can fill you in on more comparison details between the sd850is
and the DC-500 if you are interested.
--- bill
ScubaCatgirl
Contributor
Thanks Bill
I'll go check out that site. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I run across more info. All these technical terms tend to confuse me. I'm more of a point & shoot gal, but I like professional looking shots so I try to get quality equipment for the budget minded individual. Quite a big order to fill, huh?
I was pleased with the DC 500 with the exception of not being able to do Macro. It's a good beginning camera, especially with a strobe attached to it, but I'm ready to bump up to the next level in order to gain better stabilazation, long range reef shots, & of course the macro as mentioned earlier. We'll here I go rambling again. Anyway, I'll check that site out & get back with you. Thanks for willing to go that extra mile for me.
I'll go check out that site. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I run across more info. All these technical terms tend to confuse me. I'm more of a point & shoot gal, but I like professional looking shots so I try to get quality equipment for the budget minded individual. Quite a big order to fill, huh?
I was pleased with the DC 500 with the exception of not being able to do Macro. It's a good beginning camera, especially with a strobe attached to it, but I'm ready to bump up to the next level in order to gain better stabilazation, long range reef shots, & of course the macro as mentioned earlier. We'll here I go rambling again. Anyway, I'll check that site out & get back with you. Thanks for willing to go that extra mile for me. 
Rickg
Contributor
Excellent recommendation. These guys are really good.
dampcooker
Guest
Just found this board - great place! Found this thread since I am looking to buy a new digital camera to use above and below the water. I don't like to take an extra camera on a holiday, nor things that are too bulky, hence my focus on a very compact camera I can use for both.
My old Sea & Sea has clicked its last, and I am upgrading to digital. Unfortunately, since I need a new mask and dive computer also for my fall trip, I am severely cost constrained for an UW rig. I am very happy with my old (above water) PnS Canon S410, and I was just in the process of trying to decide between an SD800 IS, an SD 850 IS, or an SD 900 IS (all used, $100/$200/$300 respectively) I would pick up an Ikelite housing probably because I like their housings better than the Canon ones (but when I am ready to buy it, I'll probably do some discussing on the forum here) and I like their external strobes for their housing better also.
So...anyone care to give me any advice as to which one of these would best fit the price/performance curve best? It is a little hard to decide since the housings are not interchangeable and if I don't really like the camera, I have to change the housing as well if I change the camera.
I have looked at a used G5 (also used and cheap) in a housing (on eBay) but I have an old G2 and don't use it simply because the tiny compact cameras hanging on one's belt are so much more convenient if you are not a serious photographer (which I am not) so will go with a compact. Dunno if the lack of manual overrides will hurt me badly underwater.
Anyone want to offer any advice to this half-broke diver? (I'd have more money if I didn't dive, but then what would be the point? )
My old Sea & Sea has clicked its last, and I am upgrading to digital. Unfortunately, since I need a new mask and dive computer also for my fall trip, I am severely cost constrained for an UW rig. I am very happy with my old (above water) PnS Canon S410, and I was just in the process of trying to decide between an SD800 IS, an SD 850 IS, or an SD 900 IS (all used, $100/$200/$300 respectively) I would pick up an Ikelite housing probably because I like their housings better than the Canon ones (but when I am ready to buy it, I'll probably do some discussing on the forum here) and I like their external strobes for their housing better also.
So...anyone care to give me any advice as to which one of these would best fit the price/performance curve best? It is a little hard to decide since the housings are not interchangeable and if I don't really like the camera, I have to change the housing as well if I change the camera.
I have looked at a used G5 (also used and cheap) in a housing (on eBay) but I have an old G2 and don't use it simply because the tiny compact cameras hanging on one's belt are so much more convenient if you are not a serious photographer (which I am not) so will go with a compact. Dunno if the lack of manual overrides will hurt me badly underwater.
Anyone want to offer any advice to this half-broke diver? (I'd have more money if I didn't dive, but then what would be the point?
)pick your price first is my suggestion. i am supposing you are going to use this for underwater also, So check the price of the camra and UW case. I think Canon makes their own UW cases.
i have used a A630 and now have a A720 grat cameras. If you do not care fro the flipout viewing screen , Canon makes the same version for about $100 less. shop, shop, shop, check adorama, amazon, and bestprice on the internet..
good luck,
and take hundreds of pics ( use the rapid fire shutter option ) if it is worth photographing then photograph it 10 times
russ
i have used a A630 and now have a A720 grat cameras. If you do not care fro the flipout viewing screen , Canon makes the same version for about $100 less. shop, shop, shop, check adorama, amazon, and bestprice on the internet..
good luck,
and take hundreds of pics ( use the rapid fire shutter option ) if it is worth photographing then photograph it 10 times
russ
I recently purchased a Canon AS570IS (recommendations from several Scuba Board members) as an upgrade from my Sea & Sea MX5 and I'm pretty happy with it; it was my first underwater digital. I took it to the 'Keys ealier this month and I was surprised at the ease of use... of course I didn't get into the nitty gritty of the functions but all in all a good experience. The battery life was good for about 1 1/2 dives and the memory card that comes with it only holds 3 or 4 photo's so toss that. I picked it up on Amizon for $313.00 (camera & housing) and there are several strobes that can be purchased for it. Good luck
dampcooker
Guest
I am not going to go with the A series as I like the thinner profiles and the image stabilization of the SD series, not to mention the rechargeable batteries. Its big advantage is going to manual, but I found with my old Sea&Sea that I spent so much time mucking about with the manual settings that I generally lost a shot anyway. One of these days I will upgrade to a MUCH better camera and housing (full SLR), so I really am looking at just a convenient underwater snapshot camera that I can also use all the time on land.
I can get either the SD850 IS or the SD870 IS for a bit over $200, and I think I'm going to go with the Canon housing instead of the Ikelite despite the issues with the hinges just because Ikelite didn't put in the button that allows you to do a manual white-rebalance with one push instead of thrashing with menus.
So...which one considering the price is almost identical? The SD870 has a wider angle lens and shorter telephoto, and no manual viewfinder (but a bigger LCD screen). There are more SD850s out there, and Ikelite does not make a housing for the 870 (but may someday). The SD850 also looks like it has a closer macro autofocus limit (.9 inches vs. 1.2 for the 870).
Decisions, decisions.
Can anyone weigh in with an opinion between these two cameras? I looked over the website with the St. Croix photos posted by one of the members here (can't recall the name now...) and the pictures look very nice indeed (I am no pro; I am basically after nice underwater snapshots to show my disbelieving friends and relatives how beautiful reefs really are).
Opinions and/or recommendations anyone?
I can get either the SD850 IS or the SD870 IS for a bit over $200, and I think I'm going to go with the Canon housing instead of the Ikelite despite the issues with the hinges just because Ikelite didn't put in the button that allows you to do a manual white-rebalance with one push instead of thrashing with menus.
So...which one considering the price is almost identical? The SD870 has a wider angle lens and shorter telephoto, and no manual viewfinder (but a bigger LCD screen). There are more SD850s out there, and Ikelite does not make a housing for the 870 (but may someday). The SD850 also looks like it has a closer macro autofocus limit (.9 inches vs. 1.2 for the 870).
Decisions, decisions.
Can anyone weigh in with an opinion between these two cameras? I looked over the website with the St. Croix photos posted by one of the members here (can't recall the name now...) and the pictures look very nice indeed (I am no pro; I am basically after nice underwater snapshots to show my disbelieving friends and relatives how beautiful reefs really are).
Opinions and/or recommendations anyone?
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