Re: Underwater Digital Camera recommendations

In article <Xns95DAD04ED365Abobengrhotmailcom@207.115.63.158> ,
bob <bobengr@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>I want to purchase an underwater digital camera, and I am looking for
>reviews/opinions on what is available and what is a better choice. I Want
>to keep it in the $600 range. Is it better to go with a dedicated
>underwater set-up like the Sealife D310 (good underwater (supposedly), fair
>land camera) or go with a better land camera and get a housing for it.
>
>Thanks

Get the Sony 7MP (DSC-P150) and their housing. The total should be right
in the $600 range if you buy right.

Its a fantastic camera and will work for you on land too. Takes nice macro
shots underwater, has a movie mode, and is reasonable.

One nice thing about the P150 is that it has very low shutter and start-up
lag, making it entirely reasonable to carry shut off and power it up when
you want to shoot.

--
--
Karl Denninger (karl@denninger.net) Internet Consultant & Kids Rights Activist
http://www.denninger.net My home on the net - links to everything I do!
http://scubaforum.org Your UNCENSORED place to talk about DIVING!
http://www.spamcuda.net SPAM FREE mailboxes - FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!
http://genesis3.blogspot.com Musings Of A Sentient Mind

I want to purchase an underwater digital camera, and I am looking for
reviews/opinions on what is available and what is a better choice. I Want
to keep it in the $600 range. Is it better to go with a dedicated
underwater set-up like the Sealife D310 (good underwater (supposedly), fair
land camera) or go with a better land camera and get a housing for it.

Thanks

Thus spake bob <bobengr@hotmail.com> :

>I want to purchase an underwater digital camera, and I am looking for
>reviews/opinions on what is available and what is a better choice. I Want
>to keep it in the $600 range. Is it better to go with a dedicated
>underwater set-up like the Sealife D310 (good underwater (supposedly), fair
>land camera) or go with a better land camera and get a housing for it.
>
>Thanks

My personal opinion is that the D310 is a fair camera. You'll be
happiest if you buy something with a high MP and a housing. But a
housing is going to set you back $400 or more.

--
dillon

"When the French are against it, you know we can't
be far wrong." - Adm. Bobbie Ray Inman

Dillon Pyron <dmpyronINVALID@austin.rr.com> pounded away at his
keyboard resulting in:
: But a
:housing is going to set you back $400 or more.

Depends on the housing. Mine was not nearly that much. This website
http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/sto...nrys/index.jsp, will show
you some typical prices for Canon, Sony, and Pentax. They are a lot
less than $400.

Dan Bracuk
If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.

Dillon Pyron wrote:

>>I want to purchase an underwater digital camera, and I am looking for
>>reviews/opinions on what is available and what is a better choice. I Want
>>to keep it in the $600 range. Is it better to go with a dedicated
>>underwater set-up like the Sealife D310 (good underwater (supposedly), fair
>>land camera) or go with a better land camera and get a housing for it.

>
> My personal opinion is that the D310 is a fair camera. You'll be
> happiest if you buy something with a high MP and a housing. But a
> housing is going to set you back $400 or more.

I got the cheaper sealife as a gift and I've been thoroughly unimpressed.

Personally I want full manual capability and decent cameras that offer it aren't at
the low end of the price scale. For those willing to accept the camera's ideas on
exposure there are plenty of (relatively) inexpensive options, and full auto cameras
can take some very good shots, especially if it has (and you know how to use)
exposure compensation. I'd look for that and aperture or shutter priority as the
minimum requirement for control, which probably means entry level is $200 or so. The
abilty to add wide angle capability is a serious plus, but you could also consider
that you're getting a starter set that you'll pass on when you trade up.

Ikelite has a few housings for compact cameras with list prices of about $300. Canon
and Olympus make housings for several of their cameras that retail for about $150 to
$200. That lets you get a decent starter set for not much more than the Sealife. I
have heard, but not confirmed, rumors that the Olympus housings tend to leak after 50
dives or so.

Of course an external strobe is extremely desirable, so that ups the admission
charge. An Ikelite DS-50 with arm and slave or manual controller will run about $500
or so, but is worth it if you're at all serious about things. The strobe can come
along when you upgrade. It should be noted that some of the Ikelite housings block
the onboard strobe, making an external mandatory. Blocking the strobe may seem like a
bad idea, but if it's so close to the lens that the housing's port blocks it you're
going to get alot of backscatter, anyway.

--
Steve

The above can be construed as personal opinion in the absence of a reasonable
belief that it was intended as a statement of fact.

If you want a reply to reach me, remove the SPAMTRAP from the address.

I've had both 35mm (Subal & Aquatica housed Nikon SLR's) and digital
underwater cameras for several years. The choices are wide and complicated,
so make up a checklist and try before you buy (if possible).

IMHO, the price of the dedicated UW cameras from people like Sea Life and
Sea&Sea is not as competitive as buying a good digital camera and the
appropriate housing.

You have to make your choice based upon several issues:

1. Functionality of camera, including resolution (I would not recommend
less than 4Mp), manual control of shutter, focus & aperture, lens type,
memory card type, and many other factors.

2. Physical camera size & weight, I.E compact (such as the Sony PC150), or
the mid-sized (Olympus C5050/5060) which offers greater control and
functionality, and the top of the range Digital SLR's such as the Nikon D70.

3. Depth rating required for the housing. AFAIK all of the manufacturer
badged housings (which are mostly made by a Japanese company called UN) are
rated for 40m and are reasonably inexpensive (£125 to £175), however if you
need a greater depth rating and functionality then a much more expensive
housing from one of the may specialist manufacturers will be required, such
as Ikelite, Sea&Sea, Subal, Sealux, Nexus etc. These range in price from
£700 to over £2000 for the housing alone, let alone the lens ports and
strobe (flash). These expensive housings offer depth ratings from 60 to
100m and the ability to fit many different lenses (with appropriate lens
ports and gears).

4. Cost.

The least expensive option would be something like a Olympus mU 410 with
housing for £350, Olympus C5060 or Sony P150 and matching housing (40m)
which can be bought for about £500 complete (probably cheaper in the US).

The next level option would be the Olympus C5060 or C8080 with a Ikelite
housing, which then can be used to 60m and is far more rugged and allows for
a cable connected flash rather than slave connection., this would cost about
£800.

Finally, and most expensive are the digital SLR's in dedicated housings.
These offer netter quality and functionality, and the complete removal of
the shutter delay which is the problem with al of the compact digital
cameras. The least expensive of these cameras and housings would probably
be the Nikon D70 and matching Ikelite housing, at a cost of about £2000,
including #6807 Ikelite housing, Nikon D-70 camera with Nikkor 18-70mm lens,
#5503.55 port, #5509.28 clamp/sleeve and 67mm Hoya +4 Close-up lens; however
the Subal, Nexus and Sealux housings cost this much (and more) WITHOUT the
camera, lens, lens ports and lens gears.

You pay's your money and makes your choice!

> Get the Sony 7MP (DSC-P150) and their housing. The total should be
> right in the $600 range if you buy right.

Are you able to use an external strobe with this set-up?

In article <Xns95DC69A8F73CDbobengrhotmailcom@207.115.63.158> ,
bob <bobengr@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Get the Sony 7MP (DSC-P150) and their housing. The total should be
>> right in the $600 range if you buy right.
>
>Are you able to use an external strobe with this set-up?

Yes, if you optically slave it (that is, the flash fires based on the
on-camera's "flash"). There is no TTL port available with it - or
with any other "compact" point and shoot camera, however.

To get a sync output you need to go to something like an Oly 5050 and Ike
housing which is both significantly larger and more expensive.

--
--
Karl Denninger (karl@denninger.net) Internet Consultant & Kids Rights Activist
http://www.denninger.net My home on the net - links to everything I do!
http://scubaforum.org Your UNCENSORED place to talk about DIVING!
http://www.spamcuda.net SPAM FREE mailboxes - FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!
http://genesis3.blogspot.com Musings Of A Sentient Mind

In message <9TbFd.26608$jn.4945@lakeread06>, Karl Denninger
<karl@FS.Denninger.Net> writes
>Yes, if you optically slave it (that is, the flash fires based on the
>on-camera's "flash").

What do you need to do this? I have a Sea & Sea TTL Strobe - could this
be made to work on a point & shoot like a Canon ixus, (IXY SD500).

--
Richard Faulkner

In article <Th4zRwFreY5BFw3X@estate.demon.co.uk>,
Richard Faulkner <richard@estate.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>In message <9TbFd.26608$jn.4945@lakeread06>, Karl Denninger
><karl@FS.Denninger.Net> writes
>>Yes, if you optically slave it (that is, the flash fires based on the
>>on-camera's "flash").
>
>What do you need to do this? I have a Sea & Sea TTL Strobe - could this
>be made to work on a point & shoot like a Canon ixus, (IXY SD500).
>
>--
>Richard Faulkner

Just a strobe that knows how to optically slave. Most do, but not all,
because even if you TTL fire one of them, you almost never are able to slave
the second off the first (except optically.)

--
--
Karl Denninger (karl@denninger.net) Internet Consultant & Kids Rights Activist
http://www.denninger.net My home on the net - links to everything I do!
http://scubaforum.org Your UNCENSORED place to talk about DIVING!
http://www.spamcuda.net SPAM FREE mailboxes - FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!
http://genesis3.blogspot.com Musings Of A Sentient Mind