Weird Question - about cameras

[cujosmom]

Cujo

 

what kind of price range was the Olympus digital underwater run??

 

I am looking for one, right now I have one on order thru Avon (weird I know)

but it is back ordered.

 

My husband bought it for me for my birthday last Oct. It was around $350 but since a newer edition has come out (see HorrorFan's post above), the price for my camera has dropped.

[gardeningnrs]

i bought an olympus stylus 770 sw when I went to replace my last pocket size digital camera - I liked that not only is it waterproof to i think it is 33 feet, it is shock proof to 5 feet it is great we took it to Disney world and will be taking it on my cruise this oct.

[sdmike]

I use my DSLR on the ship and a small digital (SD1100 and SD750 IS canons) when out and about. The small cameras are easy to carry, take great pictures (at least the canon's do) and I won't be out $1500 if I break it.

 

pictures from my point and click digitals...

 

[sdmike]

OH!!! I almost forgot! One of the best investments I made was buying a Flip camcorder for each of the families in our last cruise group. They're only about $100 and they'll take an hour of video before having to offload the movie files. They also run on 2 AA batteries, and plug directly into your computer to download the files. We had such a BLAST taking videos of everything that I highly recommend it. Our favorites are when we held these things out of the dunebuggies we were driving in Cabo and taking short videos of everyone on the move! We love these things!

[MrsPete]

My husband just talked me into buying an expensive camera. The type with multiple lenses. He thinks we should bring it everywhere with us on our upcoming cruise - but I have some major concerns!

I teach photography, and I don't even know how many cameras I own: SLRs, point-and-shoots, film, digital -- this is a topic about which I'm well informed.

 

Advice on choosing your new SLR: I am partial to the Cannon Rebel family of cameras. They're easy for an entry-level SLR user, and they're relatively affordable. Go ahead and trade up for a "one step up" lens when you buy the camera; you'll want it within a year anyway. Buy a polarizing filter right away; it'll only cost $15 or so, and it'll protect your expensive lens (twice students have dropped my SLR lenses, and the filter has protected the lens from breaking). Later you're going to want a zoom lens; it's pretty expensive, so you'll likely add it later.

 

While you're at the camera store, look into a photography class. Skill in composition and use of lighting is just as important as camera quality -- that's why some people get fantastic pictures with a little point-and-shoot while other people's pictures are still somewhat lacking even with great equipment. I thought I was a pretty good photographer, but when I took a class a couple years ago I improved SIGNIFICANTLY! I was really shocked at how much I learned in those eight weeks.

 

You're right to be concerned about the idea of toting around an SLR all the time. Their pictures ARE superior to those of point-and-shoot cameras (even for newbies), but SLRs are not practical to carry around everywhere on vacation. They're big and bulky, you worry about having them taken . . . and the result is that after a couple days that camera will spend more time in your cabin than with you. I suggest that you take your new SLR and use it when appropriate . . . but also take a small point-and-shoot (which I assume you already have) for easy-toting.

 

Cameras are an often-stolen item, and you're right to be concerned. Most camera bags are very obvious. Here's a hint: Buy a small soft-sided cooler or insulated diaper bag for your camera -- they don't scream "expensive camera in here", but they provide some padding. If you have an old camera bag, you could cut away the exterior and put it into the cooler, making it safer for your equipment.

We took SLRs with us on our last cruise with no problems. First, carry it on with you - don't check it with the rest of your stuff.

 

As far as Dunn's River Falls, I think there are lockers, but I'm not 100% sure. You won't be able to take it up the falls for sure - it will get wet. Another option is to purchase a water case for it, so that you can take it kayaking without worrying that it will get wet.

Absolutely do not check your SLR -- or any other expensive electronic equipment!

 

Yes, Dunn's River Falls has lockers. They're secure wooden lockers, and you have to rent a lock from the people there at the state park. You can choose from a huge locker or a small one. One large was enough for my family of four to store all our clothes, and we felt quite secure with the arrangement. I wouldn't hesitate to leave my SLR camera there, BUT while it's stored, you're obviously not getting pictures! Disposables have their place, and Dunn's River Falls is one of them.

 

Side note: Don't take ANYTHING valuable into Dunn's River Falls. At one point our group stopped at a little slide area, and suddenly one woman became hysterical -- we all thought she was hurt, but she'd lost her brand-new wedding ring in the cold water. Everyone tried to help her find it, but it was a waist-deep area with churning water and a sandy bottom . . . she had to go on without it. The guides told her that MAYBE if she had a snorkel, she MIGHT find it.