choosing underwater camera HELP!

[curlymason]

Hi, I'm trying to decide what underwater camera to buy. I can either get disposibles...or I can get a reloadable that is a bit more expensive. Does anyone have any experience with these? I'm not sure which option I would be better off with. Also, if I go with the one time use throw aways, which brand should I use?

 

I wish my camera (Fijifilm s5100) had an underwater housing available, but it doesnt.

 

TIA for your help!

 

Heather

[Jerry_G]

I wish you a lot of luck. My attempts at using any film type camera has been met with disappointment. I ran out of film too soon, the colors were not good, and back scatter was present. I switched to a digital Sonny DSCP8 and bought an underwater housing for it. When I dive now I take a lot of pictures, can see the results immediately, and can edit the color. The only way for me to eliminate the back scatter is to buy strobes, but I've found the better the vis the less back scatter so I haven't bothered with strobes yet. My wife and I tried using the disposables and were disappointed. Keep in mind that if you dive a lot of disposable cameras have a 30 foot depth limit. Good Luck

[cruzegirl]

Heather,

I'm in the same predicament as you.... lol...I've been going crazy.... I did use the blue Kodak disposable underwater camera for a dive and actually got good pics... both underwater and above... but it was film... I decided to move up to something that can go deeper....so I got a Suprema Sport off ebay....It is also film but goes deeper to 50 ft. but I wasn't sure how into the photography I'd be so I didn't think digital was important.... I've gotten tons of use out of this little camera...Never flooded... Decent photos if there's good visibility.. Not great but good.....here's an example at the bottom of one of my photos... Now, having said all that, I decided I did want a digital... So I got a Sea Life DC 310 with Strobe from ebay... I'm not sure I would recommend it.. I bought it and the strobe it came with wouldn't function. Had to send it to Sea LIfe.. In their defense, they have bent over backwards to help me.. Sent me 3 strobes to help me try to make a dive with no cost to me.. I finally got a strobe that worked but when I used the camera, it flooded... I just sent the whole set up back for them to check on and be sure it's not ruined..

My point to this is, I would get an inexpensive camera, maybe the disposable to be sure your really into taking photos and to get experience so when you get a nicer one, it doesn't get damaged... If you decide to get a good one go to your local dive shop..... you can play with it there, if it breaks you have a local place to go for help....You may pay a little more but you'll be more satisfied... And take a photography dive class....I will be but wished I'd already done it... you learn more.....I've seen alot of Nikon cameras used on the boat with great success... So check them out.... Hope this info. helps....

[photohappy]

I used to uses 35 mm ultil i got an olympus 5050 digital the camer work great the olumpus compony makes housing for the digital camera from under $400.00. I take the camera everywhere i dive because you can shoot and sea what you got then I don't like it dump the photos and also you can shoot video while underwater, or take maro or wide and without special lens.

The other good digital compony is Sea and See affroadable systems.

I hope that helps and have a great day.

 

Photohappy

:)

[10X]

If you want a nice digital camera for snorkeling, try a Canon A95. It's a 5MP camera that you get a Canon housing for. It takes great shots, it's small and easy to handle, and it won't break the bank to buy one. My wife uses one and it's great for her small hands. I also have a buddy who is 6 feet tall, 200lbs, and he uses the same setup, so it's not too small for him.

 

If you want a camera for scuba diving, the Olympus C5050 is outstanding (I use one) but housings are becoming very hard to find and those that are available sell for a premium price. Olympus also makes the C5060 (5MP), C7070 (7MP) and the C8080 (8MP), for which they also sells housings. The C7070 and C8080 are substantially larger than the C5060 so they'll be a little harder to hold. However, these cameras can shoot in the RAW format, which is better when adjusting the photos with your computer afterward.

 

Another camera that is becoming popular with divers is the Fuji F810, a smll camera with lots of features. Nikon also sells a variety of good cameras that can be use above and below the water.

 

You can check out cameras and see if there is a housing available at:

 

http://www.digideep.com

 

You can also check the forums at: http://www.digitaldiver.net

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

I bought a canon A95 digital camera and the underwater casing at Christmas and I absolutely LOVE it!! :D We went diving in Cozumel for both day and night dives and got many amazing pictures. This was my first digital camera purchase and it was very easy to use and has lots of features that you don't have to be an expert to use. I'm more than happy to send you some of our diving pics if you like, just let me know.

 

Sandie:)