How many DSLR users here?

[taipeiflyer]

thanks alot Nickbot and N Architect. so far, i am really enjoying the EF 50mm f/1.2L. i have had the most success with that one so far. it has been great for taking pictures similar to the beautiful picture Nickbot captured of the frog.

[nickbot]

Eek, i just Googled the EF 50mm f/1.2L and almost had a heart attack at the price hehe! From what little I know, you should get some great DOF effects with the 1.2 - very much looking forward to seeing them! Is Isabelle taipeiflyer being as obedient a model as Nibbler nickbot? The poor boy has to put up with me snapping away on a regular basis whilst trying to hone my technique

[nickbot]

that is so frickin cool. i will glady trade someone the 6 or 7 starbucks insulated thermoses i have around the house for one of those!
p.s. sorry, i posted the previous comment in the wrong reply. mods, can you please delete my previous comment, so as to avoid double posting.

Just had a quick look on eBay and they are available on pre-order for circa £40 inc P&P - expected to be released for general sale later this month I believe. Now I just need them to start manufacturing an equivalent mini Lumix 20 mm vodka flask!

[SQflyergirl]

that is so frickin cool. i will glady trade someone the 6 or 7 starbucks insulated thermoses i have around the house for one of those!

The 6 or 7 you have around the house are only good enough for saver redemptions. Since this is an L lens thermos, you'll have to exchange them at Standard redemption rates. Which means 12 or 13.

[taipeiflyer]

The 6 or 7 you have around the house are only good enough for saver redemptions. Since this is an L lens thermos, you'll have to exchange them at Standard redemption rates. Which means 12 or 13.

laughing my butt off... well done!

[haf]

congrats on the purchase/gifts taipeiflyer! looking forward to some photos!

here are a couple of shots from australia a few weeks back...

[taipeiflyer]

thank you very much haf. you and N Architect really do take some amazing pictures! i very much look forward to seeing more of them.

[N_Architect]

Nice shots, haf.

Thank you for the good words, taipeiflyer. Be alert with the 50/1.2L, depending on the copy it can give some slight focus errors (generally called "back-" or "front-focus"). If you use it and doubts are cast that the lens is not 100% sharp, let us know. This is glass that, in combination with the 5D II, can assist the photographer greatly in getting stunning shots. The aforementioned issue applies especially in low light, so beware.

[taipeiflyer]

just a quick question for those in the know: would anyone recommend purchasing an underwater housing unit for the 5d? the girlfriend and i will be taking a trip to the maldives this winter, and we are in the process of getting scuba certified. i would love to do some dives while i am out there, but was wondering what people's experiences with underwater housings are. at b&h the prices range from $1500-4500, so it is a really big investment. if others out there recommend using the 5d underwater, what housing compartment do you suggest? thanks so much.

[nickbot]

I don't have any experience of DSLR use underwater, but have previously had a couple of compact underwater cameras. IMHO, as the housing is such a significant investment, I would probably tend towards buying a decent digital compact with dedicated housing for a fraction of the 5D housing price and save the decent camera for above water shots. Reckon I'd be paranoid about damaging my best camera underwater, and would prefer a cheaper compact that doesn't matter so much if it leaks/scrapes on rocks etc.

[taipeiflyer]

I don't have any experience of DSLR use underwater, but have previously had a couple of compact underwater cameras. IMHO, as the housing is such a significant investment, I would probably tend towards buying a decent digital compact with dedicated housing for a fraction of the 5D housing price and save the decent camera for above water shots. Reckon I'd be paranoid about damaging my best camera underwater, and would prefer a cheaper compact that doesn't matter so much if it leaks/scrapes on rocks etc.

thanks nickbot! that is precisely the direction i was leaning towards. do you recommend any of the compact underwater cameras you have used?

[taipeiflyer]

Eek, i just Googled the EF 50mm f/1.2L and almost had a heart attack at the price hehe! From what little I know, you should get some great DOF effects with the 1.2 - very much looking forward to seeing them! Is Isabelle taipeiflyer being as obedient a model as Nibbler nickbot? The poor boy has to put up with me snapping away on a regular basis whilst trying to hone my technique

isabelle taipeiflyer is much more obedient with ms. taipeiflyer than with me... i let her get away with too much so she never listens to me anymore.

[nickbot]

thanks nickbot! that is precisely the direction i was leaning towards. do you recommend any of the compact underwater cameras you have used?

Unfortunately both of mine were/are film cameras and are quite dated now. I do have a friend with a Nikon (IIRC) compact and dedicated housing that he purchased on eBay,...seeing him on Friday night so can ask. He's just returned from the Dominican Republic so might have some sample underwater shots to share.

isabelle taipeiflyer is much more obedient with ms. taipeiflyer than with me... i let her get away with too much so she never listens to me anymore.

nibbler never listens to anyone!

[N_Architect]

So taipeiflyer probably wants to give us something like this when he and his other half return from the Maldives... Nice!

To be honest, if you have the time to put this thing over your 5D II and don't mind splurging the cash, then I reckon it is a memory that you'll always have with you. Not many people can get this kind of video underwater.

Since you bought such lenses and this type of camera, perhaps it wouldn't be that much of a deal to get the underwater housing as well (I said perhaps - for this amount of money, no matter how financially able one is, it is still a big purchase). Of course if you're only going to use it once, then I really don't know, it's a tough call. It's a lot of $$$, you can get two-three L primes with that money (not mentioning that you can get a Leica M lens - but I'm not supposed to talk about this since instead of the M9 you got the 5D II , same as I did three months ago).

[N_Architect]

To be honest underwater housing such as this type is for divers, really.

As I am not very familiar with underwater gear, I did a quick search for you in the boards, taipeiflyer, and opinions suggest the "Ikelite" housing but also a cheaper housing for your P&S if you prefer to leave your 5D II out of water. Here is a nice link with pics on the 5D underwater.

People also say that the Ikelite cannot take the big diameter lens like F2.8 zooms. For some the issue is less the camera but the real need for some serious flash as apparently you loose all the colors once you are down there. A good P&S with a big flash is sometimes better than a 5D II without flash - just think about that.

Another thing to remember, with many housings, you don't get to decide what lens to take, it's what the manufacturers will support. The 24-70/2.8L for example has a large lens barrel and that may prevent a zoom gear from fitting on the lens and in the housing. Many people also buy u'water housing, then convert/adopt it themselves to suit their shooting style underwater. Strobes are needed for good lighting, though.

And one more link with shots here.