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Best waterproof digital camera?


allisons

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I'm very happy with the D10

 

1) It did great with image stabilization on a very bumpy river ride.

2) Color was good underwater on something tricky like a translucent squid

3) It even worked underground in a cave full of mist and dripping water

4) Nice bright colors

 

If you click on the link in my signature you can see all my D10 trip photos.

 

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I always recommend a canon point and shoot camera with a canon underwater case. Takes much better pictures than a waterproof camera. The camera will make a great everyday point and shoot and a great underwater camera when you add the case. Keep in mind the waterproof cameras are only rated from around 10-33ft. This is fine for snorkeling but don't plan on diving with them. There are also numerous stories of seals leaking on these cameras. That's why most refer to them as splash proof rather than waterproof. Good luck and I have heard good things about the Olympus waterproofs.

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I purchased a Pentax W90 for my cruise. I was pumped for this camera.

 

Got it in the mail 3 days before my cruise. I used it in Grand Cayman and then in Cozumel. I rinsed it after each use and never opened it while it was wet. Took really good pics underwater.

 

Unfortunately, after Cozumel it stopped working. :mad: It wouldn't turn on. I completely charged the battery and still wouldn't turn on.

 

Right now it is in Pentax's repair shop. It will be covered by warranty, but I am still disappointed. Not only did I not have the use of it underwater for the rest of my vacation, now I will be apprehensive about using it underwater once I get it back.

 

I guess I will just have a really cool camera to use above ground, but still not have to worry about it around the water, just not in the water.

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Another vote for the canon D10. Though it is a little bulky compared to the out of water point-and-shot it is easy to operate. On the Internet it is selling for about $300 with shipping. Make sure you dry it off after using and take care when changing chips that it is dry, Others have had dampened their cameras because they failed to take that precaution.

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markstudy,

Thank you so much! Your pictures are amazing!

 

Great! I thought it made me look like a much better photographer than I really am.

 

Just keep in mind... that all these cameras need to be treated carefully, since

saltwater is so deadly to electronics.

 

When they say they the camera is only good to 30 feet deep... I built in a safety

margin. I didn't push mine past 20 feet (I use my ears as a depth gauge, go down

12 feet in a pool and you can feel the 'ear squeeze' before you have to clear your

ears). The reason I mention this, is that the water is so clear in the Caribbean you

can be down 15 feet real fast, and not even realize it. I've always thought that

anything deeper then 20 really test the rubber pressure seals in any of these

cameras.

 

Also... be careful as many have mentioned... when opening the doors to download

your photos or change batteries that you are sure the camera is dry. I'd soak mine

in freshwater after use and then really watch for water in the cracks and seams

before opening any of the doors. (sounds easy but I've seen people get impatient

and want to download there photos real quick and get water inside their camera by

accident) I almost did it.

 

Its hard to swim with the camera strapped to your wrist. I bought the expensive

Canon accessory pack with neck strap. But another cuisecritic member just clipped

a simple cheap neck strap to the little attachment point of his camera and saved

$98.00 (I wish I would have thought of that). It just looked like those strings that

people carry their cruise card around their neck with. It worked just fine.

 

I've also seen people invest in the little $2 dollar floats that you can attach to your

wrist strap or neck strap in case you drop you camera in deep water. Seems like

over kill to me. But they are all good tips and things to think about.

 

Lastly, I had seen reports of a common camera problem with many digital cameras

reported in a small percentage of the D10's. A message that says "lens failure"

and then won't let your camera tun on. I've owned my camera for a year now....

and taken 1000's of photos in very difficult environments, my camera has taken a

physical beating and I had the "lens failure" error message happen once. I fixed it

by starting the camera by pushing the power button and the "FUNC. SET" button at

the same time, while giving the camera a good shake upside down. That was 6 months ago and it never happened again.

 

So, I wanted to give you the good! the bad! and the ugly!

I've been 100% satisfied with my D10 but its a class of electronics where things

could go wrong... water is such a mortal enemy for electronics.

 

Here's a few more photos... before and after a big thunderstorm in Tampa.

 

First it got very dark! As the clouds rolled in and blacked out the sun

MemorialDay2010036.jpg

Then it poured! (great I thought, time to play with the water-proof camera) LOL

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We found a place to hide from the lighting! It was raining like a hurricane!

The peacock just showed-up, and although wild, didn't mind sharing with us.

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Rain drops sparkle in a spider web after the storm

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Didn't care about the rain one way or the other

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This is Florida... 45 minutes later the sunshine was back

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markstudy,

 

Thanks again! That is very helpful information! To be honest with you, we are a little scared. Part of us thinks that we should just stick with our waterproof disposable cameras. We considered getting the Olympus 720W or 770W when they first came out back in 2006. We've toyed with the idea over the years. We had decided not to because we thought it wasn't worth the price. We use several disposable waterproof cameras a year, so we finally realized the cost is not an issue. And now that all the camera brands (except for Nikon) have a waterproof camera, we're looking again. The professional reviews we've read definitely favor the Canon. And we actually prefer the larger size and more buoyant feel. But we have read a lot about these cameras (all brands, not just the Canon) breaking and the amount of care required. We're not careful at all with our cameras or electronics. We're wondering if we should just stick with the disposables. Hmm . . .

 

Thanks,

Allison

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Thanks again! That is very helpful information! To be honest with you, we are a

little scared. Thanks,Allison

I was worried about spending the money on the D10, but I did it and I'm glad I did.

(I also bought an expensive pair of swim fins, and hated spending the money,

but after the trip, I'm glad I did!)

 

When I was repelling down the waterfalls and going in caves my camera got a real

workout, lots of swinging and bumping into rock cliffs. So when I say that it took a

beating, ...it really is a well built camera. On a ten day trip we were in the water

all-day every-day for 8 days. The camera got a real work-out and I was very happy

with the photos.

 

I use to use the disposable cameras. Here's the difference between using the

disposables and using my D10.

 

Here's my disposable camera vs. my D10

scuba2Mark.jpg1RubyPrincess505spotout.jpg

 

Here's my disposable camera vs. my D10

scuba3fish.jpg1RubyPrincess504.jpg

 

Here's my disposable camera vs. my D10

scuba1ana.jpgsRubyPrincess068.jpg

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markstudy,

 

We definitely understand and appreciate the difference! Your "before" pictures are exactly how all of our snorkeling pictures look! I can't even imagine how they would look in real color! It makes me want to travel back to every island we've visited to snorkel every reef again, tube every river and cave again, climb every waterfall again, etc.!

 

Thanks,

Allison

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Dueling camers! Cue the banjo. Pjk

 

Thanks for posting. There aren't enough underwater photos on cruisecritic yet.

Hopefully as more people buy underwater cameras, we will get to see more

of the Caribbean from under the seas! :)

 

I've got a few photos of those blue tangs. Very pretty fish. I think I've got two

different types of blue tang in these 4 photos. Pic #1 looks different and #3 looks more purple?

Pics 2 and 4 are the same type, with the black body and blue fins.

 

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Great color on the church with those red flowers against the white building. Where is that?

 

I love the vertical dive picture, interesting angle.

 

It's Saint Paul's on Duval Street in Key West framed by Royal Poinciana trees.

 

My problem was that I just too boyant while snorkeling and couldn't get down for most of the photos. I was with a friend who wore his weight belt from diving and he was doing better.

 

Pjk

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markstudy and peter_krynicki,

 

If you haven't yet seen this, I'm sure you'd both be very interested in it:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q209waterproofgroup/

 

Allison

 

Yes, very good comparison between these cameras. I liked the T 8000 so much that I bought another one for traveling since it tends to be dumped in a messenger bag or knocked around while in a pocket and going through security. I always buy an additional battery which will usually fit in the case.

 

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But I still haul around a 35mm film camera. There are still a few things it does better than a digital...

 

522357102_MD7Zh-S.jpg

 

Pjk

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What is the battery life on the Canon D10? I'm interested in if you think have a second battery fully charged while out on excursions would be good or no need?

 

I bought a second battery and never needed to use it.

 

Most of my excursions from the cruise ship where half day trips. So I thought I'd change the battery between my morning snorkel trip, and my afternoon river rafting trip. But I really didn't need to. I got a good 7 hours of shooting my first day.

 

I didn't shoot video (so who knows if that makes a difference?). And I didn't leave the camera on the entire time when I wasn't shooting. But it was a good battery life.

 

I felt better having the back-up battery because you only get one chance per Island on a cruise. And I did use it on Bonaire, because I had 3 trips squeezed into one day.. and I wanted to be safe.

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