Fmxmatt Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 So heading away to do some diving/snorkelling early next year, and am looking at buying a digital camera to take underwater. Looks like i've got a couple of options Buy a decent camera with decent housing (I.e Sony Camera with Marine Pack) and spend quite a bit of $$, or hunt around for an old housing to fit the DSC-P200 (cant seem to find much on this tho) or Look for cheap housing on trademe (2nd hand or not) and then try and find a cheap camera to suit i.e http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-ph ... 338234.htm or Buy a no named brand, which will inevidably be cheaper, and thus, wont be the end of the world if its eaten/broken/swept out to sea http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-ph ... 890681.htm Alternatively, if anyone knows of something similar to the above which works well, i'd be keen to have a look Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I just posted a thread on here with some pic's one of my mates took with an underwater camera when we were snorkling.. Those photos were taken with a olympus that he had just brought.. It seems they are very hard to take I guess what you end up doing depends on how much you want to spend? The olympus seemed to be a very good camera was fully waterproof (but not very deep from memory) and compact and also took good photos out of the water.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 have a look on the DiveHQ web site I was in last week to pick up my tanks after inspection and noticed quite a few in the shop so I would expect them to be on the web site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Yeah depth was an issue Most of the cameras or cheap housings came with max depths of 3 - 5 metres, possibly OK for snorkelling, but I was slightly deeper than 5m when I was snorkelling in Vanuatu from memory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 The other thing to think about is camera settings. Some cameras are designed to take underwater pics as they compensate for the reduced amount of light in the red spectrum. Cameras that are not designed for underwater shots tend to make the pics look washed out of colour and drab. Fujifilm are about to release a xmas bundle that includes a underwater housing and card and carry case with a camera that will retail for about $240.00 Its nothing wonderful. but they take some awesome pics for the price. HTH (btw i sell cameras at work) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Hey Supasi, yep I've seen that fuji bundle with the J10 or J15 camera (cant remember which it was) but the casing is only rated to 3 metres (We also sell Fuji cameras) Sony have the option of installing a red filter into their housings which I would look at, but knowing them the filter probably costs half the price of the housing itself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I've bought the Canon Ixus 700 and the underwater kit to go with it but i haven't had a chance to use the underwater kit yet. I think i got the kit for around $100 brand new off trademe in a clearout, they are usually around 300 i thin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Hey Supasi, yep I've seen that fuji bundle with the J10 or J15 camera (cant remember which it was) but the casing is only rated to 3 metres (We also sell Fuji cameras) Sony have the option of installing a red filter into their housings which I would look at, but knowing them the filter probably costs half the price of the housing itself YUp, thats the one. For the price you cant complain though. Yeah youd be right with sonys prices. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I've bought the Canon Ixus 700 and the underwater kit to go with it but i haven't had a chance to use the underwater kit yet. I think i got the kit for around $100 brand new off trademe in a clearout, they are usually around 300 i thin Im petty sure the ixus 700 is one of the models that have an underwater setting, cant be bothered looking it up as ive finished work for the day,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Where do you work FMXMATT? Just out of interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 The Olympus Stylus 1050 SW can go 30ft. They're good cameras, take nice pics. They're shockproof to 10ft, waterproof 10 30ft, and freeze proof. The older model is the Stylus 1030 SW is shock proof to 10ft, waterproof to 30ft. They're great cameras, and you don't need a waterproof case or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I'm pretty sure that is what my mate has that took the photo's in the thread that I posted.. The price is higher than the other options though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Im petty sure the ixus 700 is one of the models that have an underwater setting, cant be bothered looking it up as ive finished work for the day,lol yip has the underwater setting, i'm planning on taking it when we do some diving on the honeymoon next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I've always wondered how well it would work wrapping up a camera in something like plastic shrinkwrap to water proof it. Of course, wouldn't try it with a valuable camera... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 I've seen people taping zip lock bags tight over the lens, then putting it in 2 or 3 sealed bags to prevent leakage. Not something I'd do though! :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkyNat Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 i know someone who has the olympus but all the metal on the outside has started going funny she rinses it off in fresh water after its used. we used it in raro takes great photos though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oeminx Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 i have two intova under water cameras i like them have a look at them at http://www.intova.net/intovaic500.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted October 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 Hmm yeah they've got the IC600 on trademe for $250 odd with underwater housing. This is an option, but I'm a bit sceptic about the unknown brands. I've seen some which will kill batteries within 10 shots, even with top of the range batteries installed. How is it as a normal camera? Would you recommend them as a cheaper alternative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keriboi Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 i use a simple canon powershot. Some of my photos have been published. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted October 13, 2008 Report Share Posted October 13, 2008 We have a Nikon coolpix P1 (I think!) and we just recently bought a housing for it for when we go sea kayaking down in Fiordland, hubby loves snorkling though so he will no doubt try it out doing that at some point as well. I think our housing cost about $250 in the end (got it from US). We wanted to get a housing for our Canon DSLR but that was going to be a stupid price plus I'd cry if the camera got damaged! You can buy camera dry bags which are designed to take in the water which are cheaper but I'm not sure what depth you can take them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oeminx Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 How is it as a normal camera? Would you recommend them as a cheaper alternative? as a normal camera it is ok; its response time for focusing is a bit slow the screen is nice and big you still have some degree of manual control i have a 600ic and a 700ic, the 600ic has a cracked screen from when i dropped it on the corner of a table(when it wasn't in its housing). When they are in ther housing they are very rugged. personally i think they are very good value for money, if you order them from the us online they are even cheaper again here's afew photos from my 600ic out at poor knights and my cat http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/4300/pict0008resizeddq9.jpg http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/727/pict0010resizedyb1.jpg http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3996/pict0075resizedxw3.jpg http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1848/pict0072resizedxo2.jpg http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/8955/pict0011resizedej9.jpg http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4525/pict0084resizedxn8.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted October 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Obviously it has a decent Macro on it Some nice pics. How many did you end up taking, and how many of those ended up being deleted? If you had a fairly good success rate, then i'll have a good look at getting one. What worries me, is if the focus is slow, then it may be difficult to get the hang of it underwater, as I'd assume its quite hard to do the half press focus on the shutter button, while its in its case surrounded by water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oeminx Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 i took 86 between me and my dad and a couple of other guys on the boat given the camera ago. Half of them look good and the chaff was just getting the hang of the whole underwater thing. when i talk about being a little slow i'm comparing it to our EOS 40d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted October 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Lol, fair enuf. So maybe a 1 - 2 second delay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oeminx Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 yea it is about 1 sec a little over just tested it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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