scubaTIM: The scubaTIM set-up

Best compact camera model you can buy today...great shooting in low light, able to shoot on speed, aperture, manual modes...with great controls using the front and back wheels (that can be accessed in your underwater housing).

Great for strobe-use as you can set your manual setting so easily...the built in flash can also be intensified or reduced based on the power you need while adjusting speed & aperture with each click.

Scene selection has a "Digital fish eye mode" that allows you to increase the "warp" of your fish eye photo...also has "HDR mode" and a "low light mode" which allows you to shoot minus the flash in very low light conditions. great for night dives when u want to capture only the light beams from your group's torchlight....

I shoot mainly on natural light and the s95 has proven to be very good...even at depths of 30m...still managing to get colors in...

I think the reason why I'd best recommend the s95 is because of the High Def (720) video PLUS the photography capabilities...together make for the perfect set-up!

Why not the g12?

I chose the s95 over the g12 because when packaged with the Ikelite housing it cost me under US$700. Ikelite packaged with the g12 would cost you over US$1000. only true difference is the "hotshoe" that's available on the g12 and macro range (u can get closer with the g12)...

Why the Ikelite and not Canon Housing?

Wanting to attach any lenses to the canon propriety housing would require a bracket/adapter . This bracket/adapter (I've used before) is rather flimsy and also "eats" into your frame...so you'd need to zoom beyond it a little more than i liked when using lenses. Plug-on / pull-off on your canon housing can eventually compromises the bond between the actual housing and the plastic screw-in piece that holds the glass on the canon housing...slowly the leak will happen.

Besides...the Canon Housing is really made for holidayers who go diving 3-4 times a year. when diving almost everyday...better the Ikelite housing which is built durable, individual o'rings and buttons can be replaced or repaired when leaking-signs start to appear...really easy to service yourself...so if it happens on a trip...stare at it a while and you'd figure out how to take it apart and put it back together again...

Photos HERE

Sample video from the canon s95 shot on natural light (no additional lights) HERE