what starting model DSLR camera recommend me?
- Thread starter marmagi
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
vondo
Contributor
That's good news. Honestly, for me, Nikon is the same as Oly because I don't have their system. But if Nikon does it, maybe it will prod Canon in the right direction!
- Messages
- 472
- Reaction score
- 108
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
I started with a Nikon N80 (film), went to a D80 and within a year, moved to D300 about two years ago. I have not used it for diving (the price of the housing is choking me and I'm a new diver so let's work on the whole diving thing first). Three words - I love it. I made an initial investment in lenses for the N80 and stuck with Nikon since it was the camera most of my friends have. Another expensive hobby for sure!
I definitely like the durability. It's suffered through a few mishaps and life in a backpack. Managed to drop a lens a few feet and it survived nicely (and about stopped my heart). Really like the self-cleaning sensor compared to the D80. Battery life is very good and the picture quality is superb. I like being able to shoot in both RAW and JPG (which I'm sure is common with most cameras now), but, I'm told, is vital for underwater photos.
Drawbacks? It's heavy to lug around especially with a huge compliment of lenses.
I really like photography and found I could grow with the D300. Taking a class specific to the model helped tremendously and opened up a whole new world - my photos are getting better and I'm not at a loss with all the features. If you went with a D300, I don't think you'd be unhappy.
I definitely like the durability. It's suffered through a few mishaps and life in a backpack. Managed to drop a lens a few feet and it survived nicely (and about stopped my heart). Really like the self-cleaning sensor compared to the D80. Battery life is very good and the picture quality is superb. I like being able to shoot in both RAW and JPG (which I'm sure is common with most cameras now), but, I'm told, is vital for underwater photos.
Drawbacks? It's heavy to lug around especially with a huge compliment of lenses.
I really like photography and found I could grow with the D300. Taking a class specific to the model helped tremendously and opened up a whole new world - my photos are getting better and I'm not at a loss with all the features. If you went with a D300, I don't think you'd be unhappy.
There are many options available however I would first look at what the housing manufacturers have to offer first and for what cameras.
Many years ago I made a msitake of purchasing a Nikon F801 and then an Aqautica Housing for it only to discover that the port system was of a different size to the housings for the F90 and F4 that my friends had.
I also have an F3 in a Tussey housing but that is another story
Subsequently when I moved to digital my first housing was a Sea & Sea for a D70 and now I have one for a D300, ports are interchangeble so the progression was cost of the housing only.
Be prepared to spend a lot of money for the rest of your life
Many years ago I made a msitake of purchasing a Nikon F801 and then an Aqautica Housing for it only to discover that the port system was of a different size to the housings for the F90 and F4 that my friends had.
I also have an F3 in a Tussey housing but that is another story
Subsequently when I moved to digital my first housing was a Sea & Sea for a D70 and now I have one for a D300, ports are interchangeble so the progression was cost of the housing only.
Be prepared to spend a lot of money for the rest of your life
OP
You are all being very helpfull, thanks a lot
I have being looking into the EVIL solution, yes they are more compact than a DSLR camera, yes the body itself is much less expensive, but as I can see the lenses are quite expensive also in the EVIL cameras, what is the EVIL camera commonly used for UW photography? what is the EVIL lense most commonly used for EVIl cameras UW ? and if I am not wrong there are not so many UW cases for EVIL cameras available, if I am wrong please tell me what is best EVIL solution for UW photography
on the other hand what about buying a USED NIKON DSLR camera for UW photography? what model your ecommend me? beign used and being a little older model I am sure I can save lots of money, what models you recommend me to look for?
thanks
mario
I have being looking into the EVIL solution, yes they are more compact than a DSLR camera, yes the body itself is much less expensive, but as I can see the lenses are quite expensive also in the EVIL cameras, what is the EVIL camera commonly used for UW photography? what is the EVIL lense most commonly used for EVIl cameras UW ? and if I am not wrong there are not so many UW cases for EVIL cameras available, if I am wrong please tell me what is best EVIL solution for UW photography
on the other hand what about buying a USED NIKON DSLR camera for UW photography? what model your ecommend me? beign used and being a little older model I am sure I can save lots of money, what models you recommend me to look for?
thanks
mario
If somebody is selling a system because they are upgrading then that might be a good option, but make sure it all works before parting with your hard earned cash.
Most likely though anyone upgrading will be hanging on to their lenses and strobes at minimum.
Most likely though anyone upgrading will be hanging on to their lenses and strobes at minimum.
- Messages
- 472
- Reaction score
- 108
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
The D80 is a decent older camera for the price - I have zero complaints. I wish it had a few of the same features as the D300 (such as using the LCD to set up the shot for example), but overall, it had all of the options to go either fully manual or fully auto with lots of tweaks in between. It's also compact -- noticeably smaller than the D300. Yet the housing is going to be what sets you back even if it's used.
If you want to pay a bit more, a lot of people rave about the D90 and you get the movie mode which the D80 doesn't have.
With the Nikons, I looked more for lens compatibility. Some of the older lenses will not work with the newer models and some of the newer models don't work well with all the new DX lenses. I guess it's much the same with the UW housing with regards to the ports (?). Most of the ports seem to carry over if you move to a different model (though I'm not talking from experience here!).
If you want to pay a bit more, a lot of people rave about the D90 and you get the movie mode which the D80 doesn't have.
With the Nikons, I looked more for lens compatibility. Some of the older lenses will not work with the newer models and some of the newer models don't work well with all the new DX lenses. I guess it's much the same with the UW housing with regards to the ports (?). Most of the ports seem to carry over if you move to a different model (though I'm not talking from experience here!).
The majority (all?) of the current crop of Evils are 4/3rds cameras and they have only been out for a few years. As a result of that, the number of lenses is not as great as the number of lenses available for a Canon or Nikon -- but really, how many do you need? (The answer -- more than you have!!!!)
Yes, there appear to be fewer housing options for the Evils (the Pen EPL-x for example) but remember, there may not be that many housings for any particular model of a Canon or Nikon either and it is unlikely that any one housing will fit more than one model.
One issue for the Evil vs. a dSLR -- are you going to use Live View or use the View Finder while shooting UW? I have very limited experience with a dSLR underwater but I found using a View Finder to be almost worthless. That was ONE of the reasons I opted for the Pen when I finally upgraded from a PnS. I don't use manual focus (my eyes are not that good!) and I wanted to use a "live view" system for composing my image and the Evil (Pen) was perfect for what I wanted:
a. Interchangeable lens when/if I wanted to spend the money;
b. "Real" sensor -- yes the 4/3rds are smaller than my Canon but still a huge step up from a PnS;
c. Smaller and with the housing, significantly less mass (weight) than a dSLR -- and my Pen with the Oly housing and Inon strobe is very well balanced UW.
For me, the Pen was the right choice -- more sophisticated than a PnS -- lighter, smaller and less expensive (with the housing, much less expensive) than a dSLR.
Yes, there appear to be fewer housing options for the Evils (the Pen EPL-x for example) but remember, there may not be that many housings for any particular model of a Canon or Nikon either and it is unlikely that any one housing will fit more than one model.
One issue for the Evil vs. a dSLR -- are you going to use Live View or use the View Finder while shooting UW? I have very limited experience with a dSLR underwater but I found using a View Finder to be almost worthless. That was ONE of the reasons I opted for the Pen when I finally upgraded from a PnS. I don't use manual focus (my eyes are not that good!) and I wanted to use a "live view" system for composing my image and the Evil (Pen) was perfect for what I wanted:
a. Interchangeable lens when/if I wanted to spend the money;
b. "Real" sensor -- yes the 4/3rds are smaller than my Canon but still a huge step up from a PnS;
c. Smaller and with the housing, significantly less mass (weight) than a dSLR -- and my Pen with the Oly housing and Inon strobe is very well balanced UW.
For me, the Pen was the right choice -- more sophisticated than a PnS -- lighter, smaller and less expensive (with the housing, much less expensive) than a dSLR.
Olympus E-PL1 is the most common EVIL camera underwater that I've seen. I think I might be the only person with an E-P1 underwater.
The Olympus 9-18 lens is an excellent lens underwater.
Olympus is coming out with a 50mm macro lens sometime in the spring, that should also be a popular lens.
Similar threads
- Sticky
- Article
