Most important features for underwater camera?

JDelage · Post by **JDelage** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:57 am

All,

I'm looking for a good P&S camera with a diving case available that supports either RAW (preferably) or TIFF formats, i.e., uncompressed formats. I have a D-SLR, but I don't feel ready to invest the $$$ and effort to use this.

I'd like to know which features are critical / nice to have when selecting an underwater camera. Right now, it looks like the Olympus SP 320 & similar might be optimal.

Thanks,

JD

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:37 pm

I like something small and ergonomic for underwater, as well as the ability to access all of the camera functions from the housing. Which camera/housing you choose is kind of individual. My hands are smaller so I don't have trouble with the buttons, but some folks with larger hands find a smaller housing more finicky and fiddly. Try to get your hands on some actual units if possible, to see how they feel for you.

-Valerie

jeff98208 · Post by **jeff98208** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:22 pm

i suggest the sea & sea dc500. comes with all the soft ware, carrying case, external strobe, and housing. all the cameras features can be accessed at depth with your thumb. thats the same camera i use.

straitscuba · Post by **straitscuba** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:00 pm

I would reccomend the canon powershot series, canon makes their own underwater housings for the cameras and you can get into a decent Point and shoot with housing for about $500. I took several thousand with mine an could not have been happier! You can see photos takien with this setup at http://www.straitscuba.com

nice-diver · Post by **nice-diver** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:20 pm

I don't know what is being made today, but I like my nikon coolpix 4600, 4mega; nikon housing with 100% control; sealife digital external strobe

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 8:11 am

I found great prices on Canon cameras and housings at http://www.adorama.com along with several brands etc.

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:14 am

Sounder wrote:I found great prices on Canon cameras and housings at http://www.adorama.com along with several brands etc.

They do have great prices; that's where I bought my Olympus SP-350 from.

-Valerie

Sounder · Post by **Sounder** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:15 am

Yeah, they've got great customer service too. It's a standard dot com located in NY, but they do a good job and are fast.

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:16 am

I've been getting good results with the Oly SP-350 ... not to happy with the chronic sticking shutter problems on the housing, though.

Cheng just got the new Casio Exilim 10MP camera that Calvin reviewed ... and on our New Year's dives her pics consistently came out better than mine ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:36 pm

Grateful Diver wrote:I've been getting good results with the Oly SP-350 ... not to happy with the chronic sticking shutter problems on the housing, though.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Since I dabbed a tiny bit of silicone grease on the shutter switch (inside the housing) I've not had a problem at all.

-Valerie

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:58 pm

Zen Diver 2 wrote:
Grateful Diver wrote:I've been getting good results with the Oly SP-350 ... not to happy with the chronic sticking shutter problems on the housing, though.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Since I dabbed a tiny bit of silicone grease on the shutter switch (inside the housing) I've not had a problem at all.

-Valerie

Been doing that too ... but it still sticks from time to time. Had the problem again on Monday (always seems to happen on these "special" boat dives).

Yesterday I took that little red lever arm off ... gonna try seeing if it's just the cantilever action that causes it. Should be able to operate the shutter just fine by pressing the button without the little red lever on it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Tom Nic · Post by **Tom Nic** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 2:21 pm

Before I started diving I used an Olympus C770 ultra zoom. I bought it primarily for the 10x optical zoom... and I love it.

When I started diving my kids bought me the underwater housing for it and I use it all the time and do like it. A couple of things, however:

-the zoom is superfluous underwater... I NEVER use it.
-For the REALLY close pics of 9 inches or less (about half of what I shoot) the long lens casts a shadow in the lower half of the pic

not happy about that at all.

Olympus makes good cameras and housings, but don't get the ultra zooms for underwater.

Also, I would get the highest MP you can afford. I will get the 10 MP Canon or Casio most likely for my next camera. I LOVE the close up macro photography, and quite honestly, with our viz, those are the best pics you'll get with a point and shoot. When you go to crop and blow up your best pics, the extra mega pixels REALLY shine!

I've seen some awesome SLR's with large underwater housings and strobes that solve some of the light and the power issues, allow multiple rapid shots, and work great for pics that aren't quite as close (4-10 ft range).

They are much more camera than I can afford however, and if you shoot up close, a decent point and shoot will take some wonderful pics for you to treasure and share.