Thinking of buying Olympus....

[WldAnimal]

hello. I'm thinking of buying an Olympus digital camera for diving, but my biggest hesitation is that I do not see an option for adding any external flashes. Am I missing them?

 

[Dee]

hello. I'm thinking of buying an Olympus digital camera for diving, but my biggest hesitation is that I do not see an option for adding any external flashes. Am I missing them?

I'm not familiar with all the Olympus models. Which one(s) are you considering?

As far as I know you can add an external strobe with any housing that will accept an Oly camera. Some, like the PT-XoXo series, will require you to use a fiber optic cable connection. Some, like Ikelite, will allow you the option to use a hard wired sync connection. But again, it depends on the camera and housing you choose.

 

[WldAnimal]

C-765, C-500, or C-740. I'm not really sure yet. But I found some pages of olympus sets (camera, housing, and strobe), and the strobe typically added $400-500. For a total of atleast $1,100.

I can upgrade to a 3.3megapixel reefmaster with a strobe for $600.

I'm probbaly going to buy a olympus digital camera, but doesn't seem like its worth all the extra money to buy the housing and strobe.

Unless someone can tell me that the strobes are not as expensive as I think.

 

[jlyle]

I'm probbaly going to buy a olympus digital camera, but doesn't seem like its worth all the extra money to buy the housing and strobe.

Unless someone can tell me that the strobes are not as expensive as I think.

Yes, I'm sad to say, the strobes are expensive. Is it worth the extra money to get the housing/arms/strobe for your Oly camera? IMHO, heck yes!

 

[WldAnimal]

Ya, but I saw toward the cheap side when I see the 3.3megapixel reefmaster with strobe for only $600. Even though I would like to take down a higher quality olympus camera.

 

[jlyle]

Ya, but I saw toward the cheap side when I see the 3.3megapixel reefmaster with strobe for only $600. Even though I would like to take down a higher quality olympus camera.

My garage is full of stuff that I went cheap on and then later replaced with the more expensive item that I should have bought in the first place! There's a reason the reefmaster is $600...it may take good UW pictures, but the Oly will take better ones!

The voice of experience!

 

[ReyeR]

I'm thinking of buying an Olympus digital camera for diving, but my biggest hesitation is that I do not see an option for adding any external flashes. Am I missing them?

Yes you can add external flashes/strobes to all the housed Olympus digital cameras. I will however advise that if you intend to add an external strobe you should choose the camera carefully - if it is a full auto camera (no Manual shooting mode) then whether you can reap the full benefits of the external strobe is questionable.

 

[scubaaaronh]

Whatever you decide take a look at http://www.17photo.com/
I got a c5060 pt020 housing uv lense and two year additional warranty for 749.00
Their prices are better than anyone elses i have found and they are USA market not grey market which you get from a lot of places that you get really good prices from. If you are not familiar with grey market they are cameras purchased from outside the US and "do not" contain usable warranties in the USA. They have the sealife sl145 and strobe for 554.00. I am impressed with my 5060 setup. I dont have a strobe and with internal settings in the camera can take really good pictures without a strobe. for macros i have the internal flash which does great for me.

Take a look at these pics in fresh water 30 ft vis max.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/holoway@sbcglobal.net/my_photos
i used a lot of the manual setting and no flash just ambiant lite.

from the reading on the reefmaster you cant set the white balance so you always need the flash. I am not totally sure on that so dont quote me but when i was researching i couldnt find anything on setting it.

Hope this helps a little.

 

[calypsonick]

Ya, but I saw toward the cheap side when I see the 3.3megapixel reefmaster with strobe for only $600. Even though I would like to take down a higher quality olympus camera.

Get the Oly!! I went the cheap route with the Reefmaster and got the 3.1 MP and had fun with it and learned to take UW phtos with it but when I got the Oly 5050 it was like going from driving a pick-up to getting behind the wheel of a BMW.

Things you can't do with a Reefmaster:

1. Control any settings - it is a point and shoot. Oly 5050 lets you modify many parameters to include aperture, shutter speed, film speed, sharpness, contrast, EV, and many more.

2. Although the Reefmaster strobes are nice for shots in the 1-3 meter range they cannot be adjusted. They fire at the same intensity. I found them to be too bright even with the diffusers and had to rig up some additional cloth diffusers especially for macro work. The internal flash on the Oly can be adjusted to different intensities and is quite powerful up to 1 meter.

3. You can get the macro lenses for Reefmaster which allow you to get as close as 6-8 inches from you subject but any closer and you are out of focus. The Oly 5050 allows you to get as close as 1 inch and this makes a big difference for all those little critters that are out there. I had many a frustrated day with the Reefmaster trying to get close to nudibranchs, shrimp and small fish because they often came out blurry.

Take a look at my gallery on SB to see what the Oly 5050 allows you to do with just the internal flash. I am saving up to get an external strobe.

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/9874

So, in brief, spend a bit more now and save up for a nice external strobe that will allow you more control with your shots. Also, with an Oly 5050 you will have a nice camera to take great shots with above water too!!

I hope that helps with your decision.

Nick

 

[scubaaaronh]

Get the Oly!! I went the cheap route with the Reefmaster and got the 3.1 MP and had fun with it and learned to take UW phtos with it but when I got the Oly 5050 it was like going from driving a pick-up to getting behind the wheel of a BMW.

Things you can't do with a Reefmaster:

1. Control any settings - it is a point and shoot. Oly 5050 lets you modify many parameters to include aperture, shutter speed, film speed, sharpness, contrast, EV, and many more.

2. Although the Reefmaster strobes are nice for shots in the 1-3 meter range they cannot be adjusted. They fire at the same intensity. I found them to be too bright even with the diffusers and had to rig up some additional cloth diffusers especially for macro work. The internal flash on the Oly can be adjusted to different intensities and is quite powerful up to 1 meter.

3. You can get the macro lenses for Reefmaster which allow you to get as close as 6-8 inches from you subject but any closer and you are out of focus. The Oly 5050 allows you to get as close as 1 inch and this makes a big difference for all those little critters that are out there. I had many a frustrated day with the Reefmaster trying to get close to nudibranchs, shrimp and small fish because they often came out blurry.

Take a look at my gallery on SB to see what the Oly 5050 allows you to do with just the internal flash. I am saving up to get an external strobe.

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/9874

So, in brief, spend a bit more now and save up for a nice external strobe that will allow you more control with your shots. Also, with an Oly 5050 you will have a nice camera to take great shots with above water too!!

I hope that helps with your decision.

Nick

do you really think you need an external your pics are awesome with just the internal. I was considering what to do before i go to bonaire in four months. But after looking at your saltwater pics i think i will just stay with the internal for saltwater macros and white balance for distance shots