drcolyn
Contributor
I recently upgraded from a G10 Compact to a Canon 550 DSLR.
I got the 60mm macro lens first since I used the G10 in macro mode all the time. I also learned with the G10 that conventional wide angle photography equipment is not a very useful addition where I dive. I never got to use the Fantasea big eye lens in 6 months after I bought it. The viz was simply not adequate, 2-5 meters most of the time and 10m on the exceptional day.
My best results (Underwater Photographer David Colyn's Gallery: Animals close up) with the G10 came by sneaking to within 2-3 feet of a subject and then using the 5X optical zoom to get very close. That way I had the whole subject comfortably in frame and the 14.7 Mpix left me with enough room for a bit of cropping afterwards.
My 60mm Macro lens works fine for ¼ to 2 subjects but on bigger ones framing is really difficult. The ever present surge of the waves (the critters that I am after live in the kelp forests close to shore) cause me to regularly cut off parts of a fish when trying to make use of the view finder with faster focus speed. Its like trying to scan the horizon through a telescope you can only see a very small bit of it at a time. I really miss the G10s wider angle of view that enabled easier composition.
Now the question is what zoom of fisheye lens do I need?
According to the Sea & Sea RDX550 System chart I have the following zoom and wide lens options all with a dome port.
Wide: Canon EF 14mm F2.8L USM
Canon EF15mm F2.8 Fisheye
Sigma 10mm F2.8 EX DC Fisheye
Zoom: Canon EF-S 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM
Sigma 10-22mm F4-5.6 EX DC
Tokina 10-17mm AT-X 107 DX Fisheye
I know the Tokina 10-17mm is the most popular choice and a bargain at 2000 ZAR cheaper than the Canon or Sigma lenses above but I am not sure if it will suit my zoom technique.
Unfortunately there is no photography shop where you can try out lens and port combinations in my part of the woods so I would really appreciate any feedback that can help me make an informed choice.
Then there is the Dome port. I was ready to order the Sea and Sea NX Compact dome port (ref 56601) for two reasons. Firstly price since UW photography is a hobby and it generates no income return and secondly because the scratches can be removed much easier from plastic than from a glass dome. The compact dome also appeals to me when bearing in mind that my difficult shore entry & exits favors compact equipment .
Then I was told that the small size of the Compact domes give such poor results that I should rather go for a bigger/flatter glass dome like the 100mm Zen dome (DP-100-NT) which is WAY more expensive. Is there anybody who can confirm that I will waste money with the NX compact dome as I would really have to break the bank if I have to get something like the Zen.
I got the 60mm macro lens first since I used the G10 in macro mode all the time. I also learned with the G10 that conventional wide angle photography equipment is not a very useful addition where I dive. I never got to use the Fantasea big eye lens in 6 months after I bought it. The viz was simply not adequate, 2-5 meters most of the time and 10m on the exceptional day.
My best results (Underwater Photographer David Colyn's Gallery: Animals close up) with the G10 came by sneaking to within 2-3 feet of a subject and then using the 5X optical zoom to get very close. That way I had the whole subject comfortably in frame and the 14.7 Mpix left me with enough room for a bit of cropping afterwards.
My 60mm Macro lens works fine for ¼ to 2 subjects but on bigger ones framing is really difficult. The ever present surge of the waves (the critters that I am after live in the kelp forests close to shore) cause me to regularly cut off parts of a fish when trying to make use of the view finder with faster focus speed. Its like trying to scan the horizon through a telescope you can only see a very small bit of it at a time. I really miss the G10s wider angle of view that enabled easier composition.
Now the question is what zoom of fisheye lens do I need?
According to the Sea & Sea RDX550 System chart I have the following zoom and wide lens options all with a dome port.
Wide: Canon EF 14mm F2.8L USM
Canon EF15mm F2.8 Fisheye
Sigma 10mm F2.8 EX DC Fisheye
Zoom: Canon EF-S 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM
Sigma 10-22mm F4-5.6 EX DC
Tokina 10-17mm AT-X 107 DX Fisheye
I know the Tokina 10-17mm is the most popular choice and a bargain at 2000 ZAR cheaper than the Canon or Sigma lenses above but I am not sure if it will suit my zoom technique.
Unfortunately there is no photography shop where you can try out lens and port combinations in my part of the woods so I would really appreciate any feedback that can help me make an informed choice.
Then there is the Dome port. I was ready to order the Sea and Sea NX Compact dome port (ref 56601) for two reasons. Firstly price since UW photography is a hobby and it generates no income return and secondly because the scratches can be removed much easier from plastic than from a glass dome. The compact dome also appeals to me when bearing in mind that my difficult shore entry & exits favors compact equipment .
Then I was told that the small size of the Compact domes give such poor results that I should rather go for a bigger/flatter glass dome like the 100mm Zen dome (DP-100-NT) which is WAY more expensive. Is there anybody who can confirm that I will waste money with the NX compact dome as I would really have to break the bank if I have to get something like the Zen.
