Fuji F11 or F30

[scubadub]

After lots of investigating, I think I'm finally down to a choice between these 2.

They both have great reviews, the F30 has ISO up to 3200, the F11 has ISO 1600, what is the difference real terms?

There is an Ikelite housing available for the F11 but I can't find one for the F30.

The Inon AD series lens adapters will fit the F30 housing.

I need the camera / housing now and I will definitely want to get a WAL, maybe next year, so I want a housing that will let me improve the system over time.

What's the Fuji UW 120 Underwater Kit like? Is it worth buying for now and then upgrading later, or should I hold off?

Can anyone help me with my choice?

[Mark]

I currently use the F10 with the Ikelite housing and the Fuji strobe.

The F10 is excellent, obviously the higher the ISO teh more grainy the image appears, I have just been doing some dusk photography and wish I had lights instead on using such a high ISO.

The Ikelite housing for the F10 allows use of 67mm lenses, much more common and a wider range available for 67mm as opposed to the AD range designed to go with the Fuji housings.

The Fuji strobe does not have a very wide beam for WA shots, it is excellent for macro, and very cheap considering it includes the arm and tray. I am looking at upgrading my strobe ASAP, and I've sold my Fuji already.

The F30 is untried underwater the F10/11 is excellent.

[Mike W]

My 2p:

67mm vs AD lenses - 67mm are a screw fit and take an age to change underwater, but you have the option, if you buy the Inon, of adding a dome adaptor to give you waaaaay wider lens. AD are bayonet fit and much, much quicker and easier to change underwater, especially with Brit diving gloves. You can get both a wide and a close-to-fisheye AD lens from Inon, and macro lenses in either fit as well. Optical quality of the Inon 67mm and AD lenses is supposed to be the same, but the ADs are smaller and lighter.

Having used both, I preferred bayonet to screw fit lenses for their ease of use.

The Ikelite housing takes either 67mm or bayonet lenses with an adapter and has a 20m greater depth rating than the Fuji housing. Don't know if the depth is important to you but I do know the Ike housing is a much tougher looking unit and that matters to me on a RIB.

Lastly - have you looked at the Olympus SP350? Ike do a housing for that one as well and it has lots more control options for later.

[scubadub]

Originally Posted by Mike W

Lastly - have you looked at the Olympus SP350? Ike do a housing for that one as well and it has lots more control options for later.

Just what I needed... another option!

Thanks for the comments guys.

While we're adding options, what about the Canon Ixus 60 or 800?

Who said this was going to be easy?