Underwater lens recommendation

I'm headed out on a dive trip in early June and was wondering if anyone here could offer some insight on lens selection.

I plan to dive my 5D body and currently have the 100mm macro and the 35mm f/1.4. Is the 24mm f/1.4 important to have?

At just over $1100 USD, it isn't something I want to do if I don't have to do it. Gonna spend about $2000 on the dive trip and another $2000 on new dive gear (haven't been diving in 30 years, so the old stuff just won't cut it).

Anyone with some experience in this area care to help a guy out?

Regards

I wouldn't trust a 5D in any underwater case unless you have two or can easily afford a replacement camera.
A) Quality cases are VERY expensive.
B) Cannon probably would refuse your warranty (though the case may have one) if it leaked. Then you would be out a 5D.
C) Your already spending many thousands of dollars, so whats another $400 for an older body rebel which would deliver piece of mind and if everything goes well a 2nd body to use down the road saving you lens changes.

I'd think it would be cheaper, less bulky, and WAY easier in the worry department to buy an old rebel or PowerShot for this purpose.

AND, I have a gripped 10D for sale, PM me.

ha, shameless plug.

Sounds like you already have a u/w housing plan here. Would you care to share it with us

Nick

I use a 20D in an Ikelite housing with either a single DS51 or double DS51 depending on how deep/clear the water is, with a 17X85, 50mm macro or 100mm macro depending on what I am shooting. If you are going deeper than about 15-20 feet ( 4-7 meters or so) then you will need at least one strobe. I wouldn't go with less than a Ikelite housing on a 5D, do not use the bag type housings. I would also get insurance on the camera through DEPP (I have mine insured for loss through my homeowners, flooding from DEPP).

Mike

aquatica housings.

effective to 300ft.

No offence meant but are you kidding. IF you haven't dove in 30 years you need to firstly get back into diving, buoyancy, and maybe then into underwater photography. What you are asking makes no logical sense unless you have unlimited time & funds. A 5D in a housing is a big hand full underwater, and if you add a strobe or 2 you won't have any use of your hands & arms most of the time down there, which means that you had better have perfect buoyancy. My advice is to firstly get back into diving, and if you really feel the need to shoot some photos start with a basic P & S in a housing. Here is a photo of someone using a 5D underwater that did know how to use it & told me that she spent 2 years leraning to dive without the use of her hands & arms by always using them to hold her tank BEFORE buying the rig you see in the photo.
http://picasaweb.googl​e.com …photo#511729864​9898530370

Usually all you use your hands for in diving is to adjust bouyancy I would wonde about someone who needed two years to master "not using her hands" when diving. Anyway, I agree, you need to have very good control over bouyancy to be able to keep form crashing into reefs, other divers or, losing depth control and either suffering an unplanned descent or ascent while trying to get a picture.


Mike

Thank you all for your concern about my person as well as my equipment while diving. I am a certified diver and expect no trouble with that side of the equation. Plus, I already have a G7 with the Canon underwater housing and don't find this system to be adequate to the type of photography I want to do. Nonetheless, I intend to bring that system and add strobes to see if it is in fact adequate.

The dive trip is sponsored by Ikelite, one of the top manufacturers of underwater camera housings in the world. They are bringing along all the underwater equipment for divers to try out. This is a great opportunity to use all the various housing and strobe combinations to find out exactly what I want or need to do the type of photography I want to do without spending the money up front, or purchasing something I will find inadequate in a very short time.

I plan to use the 5D because it is a full frame sensor, and therefore lens focal length will not be affected by an APS-C sized sensor. Underwater, you most often need a wide angle to capture the image you want due to water magnification of about 33%. That alone will make a 35mm lens seem like a 50, and a 24mm seem like a 35 (or nearly so). To use my 30D, which I realize is much less expensive than the 5D, would add the FOVCF of 1.6 to these values. And I don't want to buy a 14 or 15mm lens because I would have very limited use for it on land.

My question still stands. Except for mikerault, no one has answered it. If any of you have any experience with diving and can offer an opinion on the 24mm lens' usefulness, I would appreciate it.

Regards

rent 1 then

Don't take your dive ability from 30 years ago as an indicator of what it is now. Many things have changed including your physiological condition and maneuverability, even though we continually try to kid ourselves we are in great shape. Do yourself a favor and do a check dive to begin with. There is no shame in that.

I work as an underwater cameraman and have been so for the past 20 years. Currents can come and go like the wind. being capable and comfortable with your dive ability could save your life. Be honest, be safe.

Best of luck.
Mark.
P.S I shoot HD and EHD underwater so no photographic feedback, unfortunately, on that lens issue.

The 24 mm will work for "wide" angle shots. For close up work I am not sure what it's focal distance is. Wow, how did you get an Ikelite sponsored dive set up? I want one!!!

Some sites are great for wide angle, if you have a lot of nice coral, large fish and good visibility (Caribbean/Pacific sites, generally speaking) then the wide angle is good. If it is a mucking site (lots of small critters like nudi branch, gobi, jaw fish, Sea Horse, etc) then you will want the macro.

If Ikelite is there, they will have various ports available, take both! I have three ports, one for the kit lens, one for the 17X85mm, one for the 100mm macro. Looks like the port for the kit lens will also work for the 50mm macro.

Mike

The photo I supplied the link to was shot while in a very strong current, and we had to abandon 1 dive that week due to unusually strong currents on just about every site we dove, 17 in all. Even in very strong currents she had amazing control of her gear and did it effortlessly. I do believe she was using a Sigma 30 mm or on our nite dive a 50 mm macro, but can't say for sure. Use these links for some far better sites to get your answers & view shots from similar set ups.
http://wetpixel.com/
Select the forums section and scroll down to the Digital SLR / housing section.
You can also use this link to scroll down to the underwater photography section.
http://www.scubaboard.​com/forums/
I still think that if it's been several years since you last dove you are in for a real challenge trying to use a housed DSLR without first relearning your dive basics.

If you want all the advice you can use, try:

http://www.scubaboard.​com/forums/index.php

It is the largest online website for divers with a whole subsection for photographers and one for Canon users.

Mike

Mark,
I come from a professional diving background where I did a lot of work with various camera systems. I was part of a commercial diving team that provided underwater services to the US Navy under a government contract.
I can't believe no one has suggested the 20 mm 2.8. to go with the Ike housing. This is an excellent lens if you stop down to f-8 or f-11 on the 5 D. It has great contrast and color rendition and is very affordable.

As far as the Ike housing is concerned, just keep an eye on the lens port to make sure it doesn't come unseated prior to entering the water. Once leaving the surface, the lens port will seal more significantly due to water pressure.

Hope this helps.

Pete