View topic - HELP - NEED ADVICE RE DSLR/HOUSING :: DivePro - Info

Serving The Scuba Community Since 2004

Jan 08, 2009

HELP - NEED ADVICE RE DSLR/HOUSING

DivePro - Info Forum Index » THE WORLD OF DIVING » U/W Photo & Video

Author

Message

scubaduo

Post subject: HELP - NEED ADVICE RE DSLR/HOUSING

Posted: Aug 16, 2007 - 12:24 PM

Guppy

Joined: Aug 16, 2007
Posts: 4

Status: Offline

Hi Guys.....I'm an instructor, taking a sideways step into becoming an U/W photographer. I'll be needing to snap critters and customers below the water and also sailing and sports above. I've dabbled with point and shoot U/W for years and have used film SLR's before. I'm struggling to work out what kit to buy to meet my requirements. Question

I like the idea of the new Olympus models with live view for U/W (please don't all you SLR puritans spit on me!) I thought I'd hit it on the nose with the new 510 with built in IS..................only to find nobody makes a housing for it yet except a scary looking EWA bag! Any advice would be happily digested...Please drown me in your superior knowledge! Very Happy

Lsdeep

Post subject: my 2cents

Posted: Aug 18, 2007 - 12:05 AM

Site Admin

Joined: Feb 18, 2007
Posts: 125

Status: Offline

while slr's / dslr's are nice and should be the goal at one point, if you get more serious about u/w photo, they have a big downer - the price!!! usually the camera is the cheapest investment. if you have / had good old film slr's before, go with something where you have lenses and flashlights already (like - have canon, stick with it...have nikon, stick with it). the prices for housings will bring you to tears fast enough!!!! housings cost you easy 2 to 5 times of the camera and more!

anyway, that said - i met several photographer working for dc's and using "point and shoot" cameras with nice results.

the ewa "shopping bag" housing is a cheap but kinda dangerous choice. it is "toughish" but nowhere close to a solid housing. i wouldnt put a camera in it - beside snorkeling...maybe.

when you say olympus 510 i assume you talking about the sp510????
if so, check out http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/oly_sp500.html for a housing option in the affordable range.

if youre looking at the e510 you might have to wait a little, downgrade to the e410 (olympus offers a housing for it, so do others) or try to figure out if the pt-e03 housing might fit the e510.

i am sure a housing will be available shortly for the e510, considering the success of the 3 and 4 series predecessors.

_________________
Idealism is what precedes experience - cynicism is what follows.

scubaduo

Post subject: RE: my 2cents

Posted: Aug 19, 2007 - 10:19 AM

Guppy

Joined: Aug 16, 2007
Posts: 4

Status: Offline

Thanks for your advice. Very Happy

It was the E510, I was considering. The reasons I'm looking at it is the live view and the IS built into the body which Olympus doesn't seem to combine in any other model. As far as I'm aware no other manufacturers combine these in a DSLR either????
Since my 1st post I contacted Ikelite and they replied that the Olympus E510 housing will be available in a couple of months. Next brainteaser....lighting... Shocked

.OMG I have so much to learn!

Lsdeep

Post subject: RE: my 2cents

Posted: Aug 20, 2007 - 08:16 PM

Site Admin

Joined: Feb 18, 2007
Posts: 125

Status: Offline

well, considering that i just got out of hurricane dean - i am fast LOL.
youy got any flashes from old cameras? if so look into housings for them. there is a halfway good selection for the big names in the biz. otherwise ikelite is good for choice and value.

_________________
Idealism is what precedes experience - cynicism is what follows.