Is an underwater digital camera worth it? Or disposable better!

[vizzle]

Has anyone used their regular camera in a Agaupac or dicapak waterproof bag? Just curious how easy it is to shoot pictures through the case and how well they turn out.

 

I used the dicapak. I didn't like it much at all! It was weird and bulky, and hard to use. But it did work and keep the camera dry!

[John1928]

Here's another +1 for the underwater digital camera.

 

There is a small price premium over a regular digital camera but being waterproof, sealed against sand/dust, ruggedized, and winterized make it a "no-worries" camera in many conditions that you may otherwise opt not to bring a camera. Day at the beach, no problem. Kid's football game in the rain, no problem. Skiing (water or snow), no problem. Rafting or canoeing trip, no problem. You might buy a disposal for a cruise but do you regularly have one at home for those types of situations?

 

The picture quality isn't as good as a DSLR of course, but it's pretty comparable to any other relatively inexpensive digital camera. This means quite good in decent light, mediocre in poor light, and more megapixels than the image quality really deserves. We have a DSLR with lots of pricey glass, but we end up using our waterproof digital for more of our "fun" outings than the big camera.

[Islandbear]

BUY A UNDERWATER DIGITAL!

 

They are great for traveling. Why would you want to carry a bulky expensive plastic housing with you on vacation, when you can have a small multi purpose camera for all your vacation shots above and below water, on the ski slopes, boating, or in the shower. LOL

 

Here are two of my favorites. http://snapsort.com/compare/Panasonic-DMC-TS3-vs-Sony-TX10

 

If you need any more reason to buy one look at the quality of some of the photos posted here. They are great, right? Now do you see anyone with disposable cameras posting their gray blurry washed out pics?

[pyroguy]

A couple of things:

 

First - REMEMBER the TETHER STRAP! We actually replaced ours with one from a Wii remote. That way both the kids and I can cinch it up on our wrists when snorkeling.

 

Second - Our camera is an awesome out of the water point-and-shoot. I also have an expensive DSLR, but our P&S (Olympus Stylus Tough 1030) is really good all around...plus it looks like a normal camera - not bulky or awkward. It's easy to just put it in a pocket and forget about it, even swimming with no worries.

 

Third - I snicker at those who say it's not worth the money. I'll bet they dont have one. When we got ours, it opened up a whole new arena of stuff to do on excursions. (see pics below both in and out of the water)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(rosies on the valor)

[chipmaster]

Many underwater digitals ( depending on how much you spend ) are pretty damm good cameras out of the water. Comes down to what you expect to spend and how much you shoot or might use the camera again.

 

If you have a P&S that is 3-4 years old and willing to spend 300 bucks for a new P&S. Cameras have come a long ways and your everyday dryland and water pictures will both be better.

 

Is an underwater digital camera worth it? Or disposable better!

 

I am debating buying a underwater digital camera. Is it worth it just for a cruise??

[melli_fera]

Disposable ones are crap. The colors don't come out and the pictures are massively grainy. I purchased a digital one and use it both above and below the water. I have a sony, and it was pricey but I have 2 sony cameras and love them both. I recently purchased my 8 YO a kodak waterproof digital for under $100 for his birthday. And considering the price of the cameras (usually around $10) PLUS processing, it doesn't even make financial sense anymore to get the disposables.

 

Here are a few pics taken with my Sony:

 

 

 

 

And THIS one is taken with a disposable:

 

Hey Mama, what model Sony were these taken with?

[jolyroger]

Everyone in our family has an Olympus waterproof camera and we absolutely

love it!

 

We take in the ocean, the pool, the rain, snow, and come home and plug it right into the computer or tv and watch the videos or look at the pics.

I say get the camera!

 

Just to second that! Last year we were looking into a digital waterproof and got an Olympus as well... I love the pics it takes, and videos.... its a perfect size as well... i'm so use to bringing my Nikon d60 around which is a great camera but unless I know there is a locker around on an excursion, that baby is stayin on the ship!

[BrytEydBelle]

If you care about the pictures you take, I would recommend spending the extra money and getting an underwater camera. I had purchased a disposable one before my first cruise and I was heartbroken at how horribly the pictures at Dunns River Falls turned out, especially since I doubt I will be there again. I got a fuji finepix for around $100 solely for beaches/etc. and the pictures come out great. It isn't as good as my regular camera, but it works perfectly for the bright water shots I need.

[evandbob]

A $100 or $150 waterproof camera will take infinitely better pictures underwater than disposable and will be cheaper in the long run.......plus it can take great landscape and portait pics too. I use a fUJI wp Z23.

[reno3]

I am looking also. I am tired of carrying around three cameras.

When I was at HMC last month I brought my video and digital cameras ashore and forgot my disposable underwater camera on the ship.:mad:

I think I want one that does video also.

I am thinking of the Cannon D10 (digital, underwater and video)

[futaba951]

I am looking also. I am tired of carrying around three cameras.

When I was at HMC last month I brought my video and digital cameras ashore and forgot my disposable underwater camera on the ship.:mad:

I think I want one that does video also.

I am thinking of the Cannon D10 (digital, underwater and video)

 

Olympus does HD video, Canon does not.

[MamaParrotHead]

Hey Mama, what model Sony were these taken with?

 

Cybershot TX-5 ;), which also has video for anyone who's curious.

[Lollipop66]

My husband and I were considering the same thing. We ended up finding an Olympus X-560WP waterproof for $49.00. Figured it was worth a shot. Has anyone used or know anything about this camera?

[sapereaude]

I don't have any pictures yet, but I bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 for our cruise (sailing in 5 days!). I couldn't decide which I wanted, so I actually bought 3 to compare and returned the other two. I bought the olympus stylus tough 6020 and the Pentax Optio WG-1 as well and I found that the picture quality and especially the video quality on the Lumix was much better. Plus, its good to 40 feet. I didn't do any sort of rigorous water tests or anything, I just wanted to get my hands on each of them and see what the pictures looked like.

 

It also has GPS, which I'm excited about - it will automatically geotag my phones with the location I took them, which seems perfect for traveling!

 

I have spent numerous vacations wading into the wave pool or ocean or standing by the water slide trying to take pictures of my kids but not wreck the camera, I'm excited about having one I don't have to worry about and can actually get in the water with. I was recently at a waterpark at Disney watching a group of kids taking pictures of themselves as a group underwater with one and was just sold!

[Texas Realtor]

I've used disposables but this year I bought a great panasonic DMC -t52 and I love it. Not only is it good for underwater pictures and taking pictures in the rain but it comes with a nifty rubber case to help with keeping it secure but also helps the "shock proof" quality. The cost was very reasonable. Oh and it's 14 mega pixels.

 

You can also check the photo board for more insight. But IMHO disposables only serve one purpose and don't take that great of pictures. This Panasonic could become your travel camera for all travel. Donna

 

Have the same camera and love it.

[Herfnerd]

Has anyone used their regular camera in a Agaupac or dicapak waterproof bag? Just curious how easy it is to shoot pictures through the case and how well they turn out.

 

 

I have a dicapak for my Casio Exilim EX-V8 and used it underwater in Croatia with great results - then again, the lens does not protrude from the camera.....

[nanuak]

I have used the disposable cameras. Earlier this year, I purchased the Cannon D10, and will use it for our future vacations/cruises.

 

By the time you purchase the disposable camera ($10-$20) then process each roll ($25-$30), for us it just made financial sense to purchase a underwater camera.

[reno3]

Olympus does HD video, Canon does not.

I thought the Canon D10 did video:confused:

[futaba951]

I thought the Canon D10 did video:confused:

 

It does, but not in 720p HD. The newer Olympus pretty much all have HD video, if that is a necessity.

[weluvlife]

Its not my fault, its YOUR fault! :eek: :p :D

 

I had planned on taking disposable(s)...read this thread, decided I wanted to buy one, even tho I had to buy a new camera last year after an unfortunate drop :(. Then I juuuuust about had myself talked out of buying one, we'd do with what we had....then I started reading the Sapphire Beach thread and read about all the fish and I couldn't fight the urge anymore :cool:. I had done all the research the other day when I first decided to buy one and had decided that for the price, the Olympus Tough series was what I wanted. I'm usually a loyal Fuji person but I couldn't pass up the features for the price on the Olympus. I compared at Amazon and ebay and ended up getting a kit of sorts from ebay. Now to explain it to the DH...... his mom needs to step into the digital age, maybe we can give her my old (nearly new) camera :rolleyes:

[Upandadam]

We picked up a Fujifilm underwater camera at Costco for $129. Not only is it waterproof (to 10 feet), it's dust proof, sand proof, rain proof, shock proof and takes great photos outdoors and hundreds of them that you can see instantly. Also, it's a video camera.

 

I've used many disposables over the years and they just don't compare.

 

Here are a few shots taken on an overcast day last week in Maui with the water being a bit murky due to the time of day and being close to shore.

 

 

 

 

 

[Crazy4Koko]

Upandadam, those are GREAT shots!!!

 

 

I think it only takes seeing the quality of underwater cameras to make the decision!!! I know I love mine! ( Fuji xp10)

[Upandadam]

Upandadam, those are GREAT shots!!!

 

 

I think it only takes seeing the quality of underwater cameras to make the decision!!! I know I love mine! ( Fuji xp10)

 

Thanks. I believe I used the xp10 as well. Very happy with it.

[DragonMouse]

I'm 100% on-board for buy the waterproof camera. You THINK you're only going to use it this one time BUT...we've had fun just taking ours out to the pool, lake or coast. We also tend to take it with us skiing because it's smaller than my Panasonic and it's freeze proof, shock proof too.

 

The first one I bought unfortunately gave me a little bit of trouble but I returned it with no problems and got a new one which has been terrific.

 

I suggest you try it out a bit prior to taking it...make sure everything works well and get the feel for it. Mine (Olympus Tough) actually has a "beauty" feature on it that can make me look just like Kim Kardashian...LOL...well maybe not quite that good. But it balances out skin tones kinda nicely. But my friend had a Fuji and it took beautiful pictures too.

 

It does movies but I have more fun with snapshots...I got one of the first generations. They've gotten ridiculously cheap now.

 

Oh and yes...my little "Avatar" was taken with this camera too.

[weluvlife]

Kim Kardashian :eek: I hope my camera does that!! :D

 

The ONLY main difference was the depth...not that 6 ft will make a diff. But the Fuji was 10ft deep and the Olympus said 16ft. I saw one that said 33 ft too but I'm not planning on scuba diving with it! :)

 

I love Fuji cameras, no particular reason, have always liked the pics and easy to operate. I chose the Olympus for the couple features and price (and CC reviews). It was $169 for the camera, 8GB card, reader, case and cleaner.