What's the Canon of Choice these days?

[H2O Photo Pros]

The G series is definitely one of the most popular and for good reason. The G10 has been an amazing camera and several quality housings to choose from to fit a variety of budgets. The new G11 is out now, but as of now the housing choices are limited to just those of the Canon and Ikelite. The S90 is looking to be another popular camera among underwater users.

 

[Maddog59]

:mooner:

The G series is definitely one of the most popular and for good reason. The G10 has been an amazing camera and several quality housings to choose from to fit a variety of budgets. The new G11 is out now, but as of now the housing choices are limited to just those of the Canon and Ikelite. The S90 is looking to be another popular camera among underwater users.

Sorry Guys,
I have to throw my two cents into this G series vs S90 debate. Althought I can't deny the S90 is a good camera, Canon make the "G" series (9 - 10 - 11) for a reason and that is they are trying to bridge the gap between P&S cameras and DSLR's. The S90 is just another high end snapshot camera made to compete with Nikon ,Oly and the other camera manufacturers and it is not an answer to the U/Water debate as to what is the best camera for the original poster of this thread!

So bring it on because I know I'm going to be crucified for this comment!!!:mooner:

 

[Nemrod]

:mooner:

Sorry Guys,
I have to throw my two cents into this G series vs S90 debate. Althought I can't deny the S90 is a good camera, Canon make the "G" series (9 - 10 - 11) for a reason and that is they are trying to bridge the gap between P&S cameras and DSLR's. The S90 is just another high end snapshot camera made to compete with Nikon ,Oly and the other camera manufacturers and it is not an answer to the U/Water debate as to what is the best camera for the original poster of this thread!

So bring it on because I know I'm going to be crucified for this comment!!!:mooner:

You are probably right that the G11 and S90 are just high end snap shot cameras that try to bridge the gap between party toy cameras and SLRs.

Since both the S90 and the G11 have the same engine, sensor and innards with the S90 having a much faster lens (twice as fast) and a larger screen it would appear to be the better choice but alas, thus far, both are cripples underwater, one cannot use wide angle lenses, the other is hobbled by not having full control of the camera functions. Which one is the winner, I beg to differ, which is the bigger looser

N

 

[diver 85]

To the OP, you are using her 570 UW in the meantime, right???.....

 

[Nemrod]

The Canon of my choice now is this, Canon A570IS, shoots wide angle, up to 165 degree FOV:

Inon 165AD with my adapter in place:

Ikelite housing with AD adapter:

During the days of film photographers were all about the lens because any camera could use the same sensor, now the sensor is no longer portable and the photographer of today is all about the camera without consideration of the lens. As far as I am concerned both the G11 and S90 are flops because despite all of their digital wizardry they fall short. Somebody once said, It is the economy stupid, nope, it is the lens, without the glass, I don't care how cute, pretty, amazing or wondrous the G11 or S90 or whatever are.

Please don't make me buy a digi SLR.

N

 

[Maddog59]

Hi Nemrod,
All I can say is give me my Hasseblad 500EL and 40mm Lens back!!!! And thenI'll show you some glass!

 

[PNG Diver]

MadDog

I understand what you are saying about the manufacturer’s intentions. The hotshoe, the viewfinder and the more rugged construction make the G11 more like a DSLR. But if I’m only planning to use the camera underwater and to use fiberoptics for the flash, then the viewfinder and hotshoe wouldn’t seem to be much use. And the housing should determine its ruggedness. And the flip out screen won’t help much either. There is the zoom length of 140 mm versus 105 mm: But from your input on our other thread, I gather that I am unlikely to want to zoom that far.

Apart from housing issues, the only advantages of the G11 that I can find left are:
1) A dedicated ISO dial, Exposure control dial and an exposure lock button. And not having to rely on the inconvenient gear on the front of the S90 housing for the lens ring. All of which might be really useful.
2) Some (vague) reports that the optics of the S90 lens are inferior to those of the G11 (which I doubt I would be able to notice).

Now: To weight those two against the smaller cheaper S90 with a slightly larger screen, a lens that is one stop faster and a much easier configuration for wide angle wet mount lenses.

Two questions:
1) Am I missing any other advantages of the G11?
2) On our other thread (about the Patima Housing), you said that I would be unlikely to want to zoom out as far as 140mm on G11. Would that remain true if I started using wet mount macro lenses? I really am much more interested in macro.

Rob

 

[gert7to3]

Imaging Resource "Comparometer" ™ Digital Camera Image Comparison Page

Got to the above address; select your cameras to compare and look at the sample images. I use the "Still-Life 80" as my main comparison. Open each photo to maximum resolution then scroll around. You can set each image to the same area for comparison. Check the details within the photograph. There is slight color fringing apparent in the S-90 image. The silk fabrics in the upper left appear more detailed with the G-11, but the Proportional calculator wheel (lower right) is sharper with the S-90. Under normal viewing and printing circumstances I don't think the color fringing will matter much.

The one significant difference between the two cameras is macro focusing range, with the G-11 being better:


G-11 S-90

Normal Focus Range: 50 cm to Infinity 50 cm to Infinity
20.4 in to Infinity 20.4 in to Infinity

Macro Focus Range: 1 - 50 cm 5 - 50 cm
0.4 - 20.4 in 2.0 - 20.4 in

The S-90 probably will have a smaller housing if you go with Ikelite. My rig for a Nikon P-6000, roughly comparable to the G-11 in size, weighs 12 lbs including: two strobes, tray, arms, housing and camera.

 

[Maddog59]

MadDog

I understand what you are saying about the manufacturer’s intentions. The hotshoe, the viewfinder and the more rugged construction make the G11 more like a DSLR. But if I’m only planning to use the camera underwater and to use fiberoptics for the flash, then the viewfinder and hotshoe wouldn’t seem to be much use. And the housing should determine its ruggedness. And the flip out screen won’t help much either. There is the zoom length of 140 mm versus 105 mm: But from your input on our other thread, I gather that I am unlikely to want to zoom that far.

Apart from housing issues, the only advantages of the G11 that I can find left are:
1) A dedicated ISO dial, Exposure control dial and an exposure lock button. And not having to rely on the inconvenient gear on the front of the S90 housing for the lens ring. All of which might be really useful.
2) Some (vague) reports that the optics of the S90 lens are inferior to those of the G11 (which I doubt I would be able to notice).

Now: To weight those two against the smaller cheaper S90 with a slightly larger screen, a lens that is one stop faster and a much easier configuration for wide angle wet mount lenses.

Two questions:
1) Am I missing any other advantages of the G11?
2) On our other thread (about the Patima Housing), you said that I would be unlikely to want to zoom out as far as 140mm on G11. Would that remain true if I started using wet mount macro lenses? I really am much more interested in macro.

Rob

Hi Rob,
I can only go by what I have read about the G11 and that is apart from the swivel rear screen ( pretty useless IMHO) and the lower Megapixel rating to reduce highend noise (grain in film terms) at higher ISO numbers, there is not much difference between the G10 and G11.

Once again the problem with zooming out to a long focal length is the amount of water between the camera and subject. Most macro wet lens systems require only minimal zooming to eradicate vignetteing of the corners as the front element of the camera lens is a fair distance from the rear of the wet lens.

By the way Rob, Patima at this time only make a housing for the G10 I don't know when a G11 version will be available. So if this is the camera you go with, at the moment you would be limited to Ike housing or the Canon.

Peter

 

[RainyRide]

I know currently we are focusing on G11 and S90. How does SX20IS compare to them? I want the camera to be an all around one. Good for under and above water. I like the 20x optical zoom on SX20 for above water use. Only draw back for SX20 is that only Ikelite housing available for $700. Canon housing for G11 is less than $200.