Hi Guys

I am looking for the impossible. I guess there are many of you like me out there.

In looking at point and shoots/Semi Pro’s Non DSLR I assumed that there would be a semi professional unit with a decent housing that did the following:

1.  Had a good quality ie sharp lens across its range from 28 - 200 equivalent.

2.  Had a limited shutter lag without pre-focusing.

3.  Had an excellent macro ability ie 1:1 or better.

4.  Would have a ttl flash available and take manual flashes as well.

5.  The hard housing would cover the range of the lens and be of good quality, preferably to 60m but 40m would do at a pinch.

6. The pricing for the camera and housing of about $US1500.

I have looked at the Olympus SP-560 and housing and that set up ain’t sharp enough, is plagued by shutter lag and also has some flash issues.

The Canon G9 and housing has many followers but I haven’t read any ringing endorsements for it either. I am interested in the Sony and the Panasonic (I have a FZ20 without a housing) mainly because of the lens quality write ups I have come across.

Any further ideas about a set up before I abandon this quest and look at a DSLR?

BACKGROUND:

I currently have a Nikon F4 35mm film camera with an Aquatica housing and all the flashes etc etc

Having just made a dive trip and lugged all this stuff halfway around the world I have decided that enough is enough.

The Nikon F4 camera must go but I dont want to drop off too many abilities. My stuff is amateur but I get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

Main interests are ‘Muck Diving’ and obviously macro but still do a lot of fish stuff with my 105 macro lens. Also use a 20mm lens for wide angle but I am prepared to abandon some of this great lens abilities.

regards

Ardy - Australia

Hi,

Look at the new Panasonic DMC-TZ3K, with LEICA (yes!!!) Optical 10X zoom for under $250. See pix attached. It has an easily found housing (Amazon USD$205.50, free freight) 7.2 MP, and takes fantastic pix underwater.... here’s a link to pix (not my site):

http://www.letsgodigital.org/html/review/underwaterphotography/panasoniclumixtz3/underwater-gallery.html

I have a Panasonic DMC-LX2 (10MP, 4x zoom optical, leica glass ,too) and I’m getting the TZ3 and the housing, Panasonic did not make a housing for mine. Booooo!

FSONLINE

Thanks a lot for the links and info. I have a Panasonic FZ20 which gives great results.

The pictures from this small point and shoot are great for the money, possibly the best I’ve seen. The detail is amazing. The only part for me was a softness around the edge on the close up shot of the fish and a couple of other photo’s, the darkness in the front left is evidently the same for all compacts using the inbuilt flash. An external flash would fix that.

I think I will buy one as my partner is a keen snorkler and would like a small camera to record what she see’s and it is still a camera I would be happy to use on a dive if I don’t want to lug my Nikon film set up.

My hope was to find a ‘prosumer’ set up that would give me most of the features of a DSLR ie no shutter lag with a great fixed lens (therfore no dust on sensor issues). I am sure Panasonic could build this easily with the quality of lens that they provide but unfortunately I don’t think they see the value in the dive market.

Think I will do what I planned to do originally, and that is wait until a full frame prosumer camera with a great lens 28-400 and a housing is available. I hope within the next 2 years.

regards and thanks again.

Ardy