G11/S90/LX3

[terenceg]

Hi all,

I've narrowed down to this 3 cams. Which one would you strongly recommend and which casing if my interest is Wide Angle and maybe a tad bit on Macro.

Malaysia has plenty of wide angle and macro dive sites, Sipadan, mataking and mabul

[James]

Please review the thread in this subforum, "Great Summer Wet Lens Shootout" and this thread on scubieboard:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canon- ... x-s90.html

The S90 and FIX90 combination allow unequaled wet lens choices in macro, wide angle and ultrawide angle and fisheye photography.

James

[bvanant]

Hi all,

I've narrowed down to this 3 cams. Which one would you strongly recommend and which casing if my interest is Wide Angle and maybe a tad bit on Macro.

Malaysia has plenty of wide angle and macro dive sites, Sipadan, mataking and mabul

I would pick the new LX5. High def video, wider lens at the wide end. Great little camera (and I am a Canon Guy). The only issue is which housing are you going to use? The Canons have a bunch of potential housings available ranging from Canon to Ike, to FIx etc. THe only housing available for the LX3 is from 10bar AFAIK.
Bill

[scottg]

It's hard to say. If you get a G11 or S90 of course you'd want a Fisheye lens for wide angle. I've seen some great wide angle shots from the LX3 also.

http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/panas ... ar-housing.

For any of them you'll want a wet lens to do macro. The Canon's definitely don't do great macro out of the box.

[cyberon]

The Canon's definitely don't do great macro out of the box.

I think I'll have to disagree politely with Scott this time. I am pretty happy with my macro shot from my recently completed Sipadan trip on my Canon G11 and OEM housing. Sample image as follow:

[seekncritters]

If it were me, I'd eliminate the G11 from the choice set since you're more interested in wide angle, and I would strongly consider the LX3 with the 10Bar housing (or the new LX5 if you can wait for the housing which 10Bar will probably make!). With the LX3 you can use the hot shoe for the strobe (you'll need a compatible strobe of course). And you can get different lens ports for the 10bar housing if you want. It's great you can do HD video as well with the LX3! Shoots RAW, the sensor is large, good quality lens, and the focus is relatively fast, low shutter lag. What more could you ask for in a compact?

Have you seen this article about the LX3? Check out the sample photos! Lovely!
http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/panasonic-lx3-10bar-housing

There are some nice photos of the 10Bar LX3 housing here:
http://www.opticaloceansales.com/10bar-underwater-housings/10bar-lx3-housing/prod_369.html

UK-Germany also makes an aluminum housing for the LX3. Looks like it's pretty darned expensive though:
http://www.digideep.com/english/underwater/photo/housing/UK-GERMANY/UK-LX3/38/3573/

If you're on a somewhat tight budget, I'm guessing the S90 with Canon housing (add fisheye wet lens) will be the best/least expensive option (and it's not a bad option either), but if you have more $$$ to spend, then I would strongly consider the LX3 with 10bar housing... I guess it's a matter of how much $$$ you want to spend, since the choices are pretty good. There comes a point where the cost of an all new "advanced" compact setup can be close to the cost of a used DSLR setup, so that's something to consider...

Good luck with your decision, and let us know what you've decided!

-Dana

[bvanant]

Dana is right, there is a UK housing for the LX-3. The reason I didn't mention it is that it will be most likely impossible to get in the U.S. and if you do get it service will be even more impossible to get. Long ago UK was the first housing for DSLR's (Canon 10D) but they have mostly gone from the U.S. I too would wait a bit for the LX-5, it looks really nice on paper.
Bill

[terenceg]

LX5 i think is still new and a good housing i might have to cough up some pretty serious dough.

Yeah, thanks heaps for your advice, i'll go for the LX3 and 10bar.

cheers !

[terenceg]

If it were me, I'd eliminate the G11 from the choice set since you're more interested in wide angle, and I would strongly consider the LX3 with the 10Bar housing (or the new LX5 if you can wait for the housing which 10Bar will probably make!). With the LX3 you can use the hot shoe for the strobe (you'll need a compatible strobe of course). And you can get different lens ports for the 10bar housing if you want. It's great you can do HD video as well with the LX3! Shoots RAW, the sensor is large, good quality lens, and the focus is relatively fast, low shutter lag. What more could you ask for in a compact?

Have you seen this article about the LX3? Check out the sample photos! Lovely!
http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/panasonic-lx3-10bar-housing

There are some nice photos of the 10Bar LX3 housing here:
http://www.opticaloceansales.com/10bar-underwater-housings/10bar-lx3-housing/prod_369.html

UK-Germany also makes an aluminum housing for the LX3. Looks like it's pretty darned expensive though:
http://www.digideep.com/english/underwater/photo/housing/UK-GERMANY/UK-LX3/38/3573/

If you're on a somewhat tight budget, I'm guessing the S90 with Canon housing (add fisheye wet lens) will be the best/least expensive option (and it's not a bad option either), but if you have more $$$ to spend, then I would strongly consider the LX3 with 10bar housing... I guess it's a matter of how much $$$ you want to spend, since the choices are pretty good. There comes a point where the cost of an all new "advanced" compact setup can be close to the cost of a used DSLR setup, so that's something to consider...

Good luck with your decision, and let us know what you've decided!

-Dana

Dana, This dude is my fren, Edvin cool dude and he taught my fren OW.

[seekncritters]

Dana, This dude is my fren, Edvin cool dude and he taught my fren OW.

Great! Maybe Edvin can give you some pointers when you get your new camera! Looking forward to hearing about your experience with the LX3!

-Dana