Shopping for a Cheap Digital Underwater Camera?

[MargaritaPlease]

Just back from a cruise on Carnival Valor where I got to try the Suprema Digital Dive Camera 5 Megapixel I'd recently bought for the first time underwater.

 

For a total of $71 I'd bought the camera plus a 2G memory card. I easily justified the combined price as the cost of around three or four disposable waterproof cameras plus film processing and a willingness to pay even a bit more for digital functionality rather than film.

 

The camera performed well beyond my expectations. We used it kayaking, snorkeling, and on the beach and I dove with it to around 80 feet. I was quite pleased with the resulting picture quality, there was no water leakage, and the camera was simple to operate and unload. I went through two sets of AA batteries - quite acceptable consumption.

 

On the down side, the menu system is archaic - kind of like using DOS on a Windows computer. The biggest annoyance is the abysmally slow shutter response. Once you push the button, you must wait what seems like forever but is probably around a full second for the picture to be taken. If you're trying to shoot a fish, it may well have left by the time you get your shot.

 

Nobody on my dive boat could believe the price I paid for this camera. One person had an allegedly reusable film camera that I'd looked at and she'd paid $25 for. It leaked and failed.

 

If you're looking for a cheap digital solution - consider giving this a shot!

[Trvlr37]

Would you mind posting a pic or two that was taken with this camera? We'd really like something digital as we have been using disposable cameras, but the pics we've taken are pretty lousy. My hubby scuba dives and would love a camera that could go 100 feet. I'd really like to see a pic taken from this one before we decide.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Putterdude]

I would appreciate any other suggestions at or below the $200 price point as I think I am about ready for one.

[Trvlr37]

I think for under $200, this is your only choice. There is a Sealife one for $199, I believe that might also be in the running, but that is about it.

[MargaritaPlease]

Would you mind posting a pic or two that was taken with this camera?

 

There are several in our trip report here. Do keep in mind this was my first time using the camera. I got better with it as the trip went on and I'll be even better next time as I did some experimenting with flash, resolutions, filter, etc.

[Trvlr37]

John - thanks so much for sharing. I think the underwater pics look pretty good. They are better than what we have been getting with a disposable and you don't have to pay to get them placed on a disk.

 

We're going to try this camera, too. This saved us quite a bit of $ and should suit our purposes just fine.

 

Let me know what settings work best if you don't mind sharing that? We don't plan to use the camera for that many above-water shots, so your best underwater settings is what we're looking for.

 

Thanks again for sharing a great tip!

[tobecool]

anyone knows about Olympus X-560WP?

[cutiepie43]

These are some pics that we took with our new underwater digital, a fuji finepix Z33WP. We were very impressed with the pics and price. I paid $149 at Wal-mart. The pics can tend to be a little bluish but when I got them developed at Walmart I just clicked on the restore colour button and the results were amazing.

[MargaritaPlease]

These are some pics that we took with our new underwater digital, a fuji finepix Z33WP. We were very impressed with the pics and price. I paid $149 at Wal-mart.

 

Amazon has same camera for $113. The catch - only rated to 3 meters. Not enough for scuba.

 

And the blue hue is not an issue with the camera - it's the way water effects light. It gets worse as you go deeper. You can get some correction by using a flash or a blue/green filter.

[tobecool]

Olympus Stylus Tough 8000, Cannon Powershot D10.

Are they much more better than others?

[MargaritaPlease]

Olympus Stylus Tough 8000, Cannon Powershot D10.

 

They're both rated to 10 meters (33 feet) - so they'd be good for snorkeling. But at $250 or $300 - not sure I'd classify them as cheap.

[evandbob]

For about $160 you can get a Fujifinepix waterproof camera, I have model Z33.....only negative is that the zoom isn't very powerfull, but it takes great pics in and out of the water!

[MargaritaPlease]

For about $160 you can get a Fujifinepix waterproof camera, I have model Z33.....

 

Again... Only rated for 10' depth. OK for splashing on the beach. On the edge for snorkel. Out of the question for scuba.

[dirvin0500]

Last year I bought an Itova IC-600 camera online for $110. That was a digital 6 MP camera and the underwater housing. Then, for another $25, I bought a red filter so that pictures don't turn green or blue. It takes great pictures and even takes movies. It uses cheap SD digital cards up to 2 MB so you can take lots of pictures. It also runs on AA batteries so you don't need any special rechargeables.

I've attached a couple pictures that were taken at around 75 ft. The camera is good to 180 ft (I believe).

[MargaritaPlease]

Last year I bought an Itova IC-600 camera online for $110.

 

I think you meant Intova IC-600. You can get one at Amazon but the price is a bit higher. Still looks like a prety good deal!

[dirvin0500]

Sorry, I dropped the "N". That is the camera. The camera, housing, and red filter all together ran me about $135.

I have several videos that are pretty good too. For longer shots the pictures tend to "green" more. I've attached a picture I took in Jan of an Eagle Ray that was about 80 ft or so from us and we're about 65-70 feet down. You'll see what I mean. All in all, for the price, the quality is what I wanted.

[Desilin]

Olympus Stylus Tough 8000, Cannon Powershot D10.

Are they much more better than others?

 

 

I have the powershot will let you know how it does when we get back from our cruise!! It takes out of water pics great am happy with it thus far!:D

[icare2000]

We have an underwater digital camera, but we find that the above water shots often appear cloudy around the edges soon after being in the ocean. Does anyone have suggestions how to eliminate this problem?

[Orcrone]

Ikelite makes underwater housings for a large number of cameras; both point and shoot and SLRs. They allow you to work all the camera controls and are good to about 200 or 300 feet. I have one for my Canon point and shoot and it works well. However, I don't think I'd recommend my Canon for underwater photography as you can't manually set the ISO.

[tobecool]

Hi, everyone,

 

Just report: I bought canon powershot D10 in St. Maarten @USD275.00 including a 2GB memory stick and bag, and extra 10.00USD to make it as 4GB. We used it in St Maarten and St. Croix when we snorkel, it was great. we love it. and even with onshore shooting, it's still good. But video thing, not good, will not use this feature any more.

[MargaritaPlease]

I bought canon powershot D10 in St. Maarten @USD275.00 including a 2GB memory stick

 

You can do about the same here.

[tobecool]

You can do about the same here.

 

thanks for telling, but we've already got it and enjoyed with its shooting.

[traveler523]

Hey MargaritaPlease,

I am interested in purchasing an underwater camera... I have a Nikon D70 and Coolpix 550 and take a lot of photos. The housing for the Coolpix is more than I paid for the camera. Are you are satisfied with the camera you bought? I am not scuba certified, although I would like to be in the near future. It seems that you are knowledgable about underwater cameras, would you recommend your camera to others for scuba AND snorkeling?

 

Thanks,

T-523

[Putterdude]

I happy to see this thread is still running .... I probably won't need a camera for snorkeling until the fall so maybe there will be more ideas come along as prices decline...I hope.

[MargaritaPlease]

Are you are satisfied with the camera you bought?

 

I'm satisfied with the value I got. The camera's a fraction of the cost of other underwater (and by this I mean water proof to at least 100') cameras and offers reasonable images.

 

I dive maybe twice a year so making a big investment in underwater camera gear just doesn't make sense for me. I use my pictures mostly to share on the web so super-mega-uber-pixel clarity isn't critical for me either.

 

I do my above water shooting with a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T20 that I use for travel (because the convenience of carrying it in a pocket outweighs most everything else) and a Nikon P100 that I use to shoot my kids in sports. Neither of these is particularly sophisticated (nor is the photographer) but they offer good value.

 

The slow shutter response is the most annoying "feature" on this camera. It's press the button and wait. If you can cope with that, it's a super good deal.