Best Underwater waterproof camera

[BeeSkip]

Hello

 

Just decided last night to purchase underwater/waterproof camera for our upcoming cruise in which there are 5 ports of call ( Southern Caribbean) and there will be lots of snorkeling. Now I am not a big snorkeler and certainly not going to any scuba diving...My goal is to be able to take photos of the turtles, fish etc while snorkeling off the typical catamaran cruise snap photos whle wading in the lovely Caribbean sea..and also not have to take my big digital SLR to the beach .

 

I am not sure what to buy..There are different price points. I would prefer to spend less but do not want to buy junk. I do not need a professional camera but want something that performs decently..I noted a NIkon Coolpix S31 which is about 100.00, wondering if this is decent.

 

SO my simple question. Is there a particular camera one would recommend and why?

 

Thanks

 

Bee

[schmeed]

You'll likely get as many recommendations as people would give you for "the best car".

 

However, a friend of mine bought a Nikon Coolpix AW100 and it took great pictures on our scuba trip. Good to 59 feet in depth (plenty for snorkeling :)) and easy to carry.

 

I would recommend a floating strap just in case you drop it.

 

Have fun!

[Vineyardfan]

Hello

 

Just decided last night to purchase underwater/waterproof camera for our upcoming cruise in which there are 5 ports of call ( Southern Caribbean) and there will be lots of snorkeling. Now I am not a big snorkeler and certainly not going to any scuba diving...My goal is to be able to take photos of the turtles, fish etc while snorkeling off the typical catamaran cruise snap photos whle wading in the lovely Caribbean sea..and also not have to take my big digital SLR to the beach .

 

I am not sure what to buy..There are different price points. I would prefer to spend less but do not want to buy junk. I do not need a professional camera but want something that performs decently..I noted a NIkon Coolpix S31 which is about 100.00, wondering if this is decent.

 

SO my simple question. Is there a particular camera one would recommend and why?

 

Thanks

 

Bee

 

The S31 is a very basic camera made to be easy to use. Generally regarded as decent in it's class I think. Since it's one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) waterproof cameras on the market it has the drawbacks you might expect - the main one being that autofocus is slow. Image quality is also so-so and low-light images are not too good.

 

For me, personally, I find a sluggish auto-focus to be a deal breaker as people tend to blink or make a strange face if it takes that extra second for the camera to take the picture, but it all depends on how you want to use the camera.

 

If you will maybe only use the camera on a single trip and don't want to spend too much, or if you're happy with a decent but basic camera that you can take to the beach and use when snorkelling, the S31 might be just what you need. If you think you'll use the camera more often, maybe not just on the beach, or want a camera with more features and better image quality then you might want to look at a Nikon AW110 (the AW100 mentioned above's successor) or a Panasonic Lumix TS5 (FT5 in some markets) that both do quite well in the professional reviews online.

 

Bottom line - it all depends on how much you want to spend...

[AlbertaCruisers]

I had the Canon D10 for a number of years and lots of snorkel trips and loved it, until I fell on it and ground the lens into some rocks. I didn't try to get it fixed, instead I bought the D20. I have only take it on one cruise so far but so far so good! I love it so far.

 

Sue

[realtorlady42]

I had the Canon D10 for a number of years and lots of snorkel trips and loved it, until I fell on it and ground the lens into some rocks. I didn't try to get it fixed, instead I bought the D20. I have only take it on one cruise so far but so far so good! I love it so far.

 

Sue

 

 

I have the D20. I am a semi-pro photographer/hobbist and have several cameras.

I went through 3 underwater cams before I bought the D20. I bought cheaper entry level cams and the problem other than focus delay etc is that they leak. 2 of the cameras I had leaked after just 3 or 4 times in the water...and that was with soaking after each use....in case you are not aware, read care instructions and follow them carefully. You need to soak the camera after each use so that the salt does not dry and crystalize and create seal problems which =leaking.

I had an SD card full of pics get ruined from a leak. Thankfully it was at a beach I had snorkeled before and am going back to for 2 weeks in Dec. So I was upset but not heartbroken....for a trip like you are doing...it would be a heartbreak to have your pics ruined because of a camera that leaked.

Also the cheaper cams tend to have that"green" underwater hue you see in a lot of pics...a better camera on the underwater setting will reduce that dramatically. Pics will look just like you see them.

the D20 has 2 (maybe 3 can't remember off the top of my head) underwater settings...one macro (up close) and one regular underwater setting. Make sure you haave it set on those and your pics will be clear...a nice sunny day, crystal clear water and relatively shallow reef..also make a difference.

I actually find I use the D20 a lot....it is in the "tough cam" category so it is not as sensitive to cold and hot temps, can be dropped, resists dirt etc.

Great for any kind of "active" use...for example I take it when we go 4 wheeling, hiking etc.

And I always have it in my purse...the lens is pretty good on it. It takes great pics. The biggest draw back is zoom...it is pretty good for a small hand held camera but when zoomed in all the way the pics get grainy.

But it is a great secondary camera for those times you don't want to worry about your DSL, changing lenses etc and it is very good for snorkeling.

In the end I would have spent less money had I bought it first, then buying cheaper cams and having to replace them after just a couple of uses.

 

It often is sold in a kit with the floating strap...a def. MUST when snorkeling.

[azcaptainbob]

The reviews for this camera as an underwater camera are a total disaster...leak,freeze, stop working. When returned to Nikon...want to charge and Not under warranty. We just purchased this camera and will not be using this for underwater even though this is what we bought it for. We had trouble with the camera freezing on the first day on dry land...had to constantly take the battery out and put back. Since we purchased this camera on the Azamara Journey we are stuck as Nikon ha s virtually No Return policy and Azamara blames their vendor.

 

Moral of the story...buy your camera at home from a reputable company with a return policy and do research on what other consumers say their experiences are.

[Darthdaddy]

We bought Canon D10 several years ago and have been extremely satisfied. I have to figure the successor model (D20) continues is even better.

Not only has our D10 been reliable underwater, it is actually our point-and-shoot of choice on land. We like the fact that it is dust/dirt/sand resistant.

It's on the pricey side, but we are happy.

[wantocruisemore]

We're looking at an underwater camera. I've narrowed it down to the Canon D 10 or 20, the Olympus TG 830 iHS or the Pentax WG-3. I don't care about the GPS feature, I only care about the best pictures for auto setting to use while snorkeling. Simple operation in the water is best so I don't spend more time playing with camera than actually enjoying where I am.

 

I know a lot of people on this board like the Canon but it seems a little large. I need a camera that can freeze the fast moving fish. I spent time chasing blue tangs with my Lumix in a dry PAC in sept., and I need something easy.

 

I know the Olympus TG 2 sounds good but I want to keep it under $300, preferably $250.

[Econom405]

We have the Nikon, just returned from the southern caribbean where we snorkled quite a bit. We have some great photos and videos.

 

Sent from my BNTV600 using Forums mobile app

[wantocruisemore]

We have the Nikon, just returned from the southern caribbean where we snorkled quite a bit. We have some great photos and videos.

 

Sent from my BNTV600 using Forums mobile app

 

Which Nikon?

[Econom405]

Its the nikon coolpix underwater aw100. Lol had to go look at it!

 

Sent from my BNTV600 using Tapatalk 4

[realtorlady42]

We're looking at an underwater camera. I've narrowed it down to the Canon D 10 or 20, the Olympus TG 830 iHS or the Pentax WG-3. I don't care about the GPS feature, I only care about the best pictures for auto setting to use while snorkeling. Simple operation in the water is best so I don't spend more time playing with camera than actually enjoying where I am.

 

I know a lot of people on this board like the Canon but it seems a little large. I need a camera that can freeze the fast moving fish. I spent time chasing blue tangs with my Lumix in a dry PAC in sept., and I need something easy.

 

I know the Olympus TG 2 sounds good but I want to keep it under $300, preferably $250.

 

 

The D10 is the OLD version ..original version of the D series camera. If you go with the Canon you will want to get the D20 it came out about a year ago and improved some of the features of the D10 that many people felt were awkward...including the size.

The D20 is very compact...I keep it in my purse all the time and it is smaller than my wallet.

It has a much better zoom than most cameras in the tough cam category.

The lens was good in the D10 and was improved in the D20 so the pictures are crystal clear....not grainy and the under water pics are true colour..not with the green hue many have...which has to do with the quality of the lens.

 

If you go to any forum, weather here or on Trip Advisor and this question is asked..the most common camera that is not a pro cam or specifically a Diver's cam (very expensive) that people who snorkel regularly use and recommend is the D series...which now is the D20

[lauriekivitbay]

I use a Panasonic lumix DMC-TS3 for all my water sports. I am an avid kayaker and it has produced awesome shots ... We used it snorkeling in Alaska a couple months ago and we love the quality of pictures..

[Colorado Kat]

I use a Panasonic lumix DMC-TS3 for all my water sports. I am an avid kayaker and it has produced awesome shots ... We used it snorkeling in Alaska a couple months ago and we love the quality of pictures..

 

I have the Panasonic Lumix as well, and I love it.