Waterproof camera. Any Suggestions?

[Kayla103]

My fiance and I are planning on going snorkeling on our cruise in June. We are looking into getting a not-too-expensive waterproof digital camera to take with us.

 

Anyone have any suggestions, or if there are some we should avoid?

[Plimsoline]

We had the same need and I ended up just getting an underwater camera'bag' for next to nothing.

I think better ones have a rigid lens cover, but my cheapo just has a PVC film cover, but the images look OK.

 

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[Kayla103]

Thanks! I thought of that option, but my digital camera is about 6 years old and about to take a nose dive anyway haha.

 

I did think about one of those bags but I have to test out my camera and see if it still takes decent photos or not.

 

Thanks!

[animalzoo]

I am in the same boat with you. I want a waterproof camera and the bag isn't an option for me. I am looking at an Olympus TG-830 or a Nikon (it was on best buys site yesterday and now I can't find it). They are both in the $200-250 range. They both seem to have the exact same features. Only exception us Nikon was wi-fi upload. I figured this wasn't necessary as international water on cruise ship was probably not the best time to upload to Facebook! :-) I am still looking however!

 

 

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[titanium dog]

I have purchased 3 Sony waterproof cyber shots....they are Terrific, land and sea.....why 3? my relatives see the pics and badger me to give them the camera, so I continually upgrade....they are THE best!!!!!!

[Capt_BJ]

$100 can get you a TRUE underwater digital, good to a depth of 130 feet . . .

 

http://www.scuba.com/shop/productdetail.asp?cat=535&scuba=1&gear=168174&rf=9&PKeyword=Sealife%20Mini%202%20Underwater%20Dive%20Camera&gclid=CI6rjv7Vhb0CFZRr7AodoU4Ahw

 

or an iPhone 5 case good to 6 feet

http://www.lifeproof.com/shop/us_en/iphone-5/

[bnh]

Go ahead and get a GoPro - well worth the money and so compact!

 

 

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[Kayla103]

Thank you! I will have to look into both the scuba camera and the GoPro! :)

[FlyingFlip]

Anyone have any suggestions, or if there are some we should avoid?

See if there's a waterproof case that's made for your current digital camera. I bought a waterproof case for my first (extremely cheap) digital camera. It's still my "underwater" camera.

 

The plastic case keeps the camera in a bubble of air. That bubble provides just enough lift to make the camera slightly buoyant. If I ever loose my camera while snorkeling, it will float to the surface ... instead of sinking to the bottom.

 

Try to avoid using the flash when taking pictures. If there is any dirt/sand/sediment suspended in the water, the flash will reflect off of it, making the water look cloudy.

 

No matter how clear the water looks, it will impart a slight blue-green cast to the picture. If you're taking a picture of something 5-10 feet away, this will be rather minor. If you're taking a picture of something 30-50 feet away, this will be the overwhelming color of the picture. Therefore, if you want a good color photo, you need to be close to the subject.

 

Therefore, you don't need any kind of zoom on your camera. You shouldn't be that far away. In addition, fish move. Wide angle shots are your friend.

 

When I get home from my trip, I use computer software to filter the blue-green color out. It works for the pictures that are within about 10 feet.

 

Get a card with a lot of capacity. Unless a shot is obviously ruined, you don't want to delete it until you can look at it on a big screen. My best picture from Grand Cayman didn't look like much on the little LED screen. When I saw it on the computer, I realized I had a great shot.

[homeschoolmama]

Kodak Watersport! Less than 100$, takes photos and hd 1080 video. Best camera investment I ever made and I am a picky camera person. Small, compact, yet no fear of losing phone and its info! Can be found at walmart and bestbuy

 

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[Capt_BJ]

you CAN get underwater FILM cameras for about $10/36 exposures

 

develop them at CVS/WALGREENS/TARGET/WALMART

 

the processor will offer digital delivery but you can take paper and SCAN later

 

.... but the SeaLifeMini for $100 is STILL one heck of a deal IMO

Edited March 13, 2014 by Capt_BJ

[Kayla103]

Kodak Watersport! Less than 100$, takes photos and hd 1080 video. Best camera investment I ever made and I am a picky camera person. Small, compact, yet no fear of losing phone and its info! Can be found at walmart and bestbuy

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

 

That sounds like an AWESOME buy! Thank you! I will have to look for it :)

[ladysno831]

I recently purchased an ECO-Fused waterproof case for my cell phone (Galaxy S4) for my cruise in April. So far I have used in my pool and at the beach and I am thoroughly impressed for the $13 I paid for it on Amazon. Even through the plastic, regular above water photos were crystal clear. Shots in the pool were great as well. Just another option for those not wanting to spend hundreds of dollars!

[TravelingFamily5]

I use the old fujifim finepix waterproof camera for snorkeling. I have it for 5 years now.

[eorkid]

Several years ago my wife and I bought a Samsung HMX-W3300 video camera at Target. It takes 1080 video and also takes stills. It works great. The good thing is that you can pull stills from the video. You wouldn't be disapointed. Price is just over $100, but I have seen it for less than $100 on special. Check Bizrate or Amazon.

[YellowBoxish]

Particularly if you are fairly young and live an active lifestyle, a go pro might be a really good investment. It's not a perfect camera, but it's got quite a bit going for it.

 

There are other great ones as well though.

 

Congrats!

[Islandbear]

You should also consider the Panasonic DMC TS4 Lumix. It is under $300 and is rated one of the best all round point and shoots out there. We have used it on the Colorado River and Snorkeling all over the Caribbean. Why have one camera for water and another for land when this one is great for both.:)

[Griff4AU]

You should also consider the Panasonic DMC TS4 Lumix. It is under $300 and is rated one of the best all round point and shoots out there. We have used it on the Colorado River and Snorkeling all over the Caribbean. Why have one camera for water and another for land when this one is great for both.:)

 

I can't agree more with this... Well said... Not sure we have that same model, but Lumix (yes, Panasonic) it is excellent.

 

Can't disagree more with the Captain's SeaLife recommendation above. We are both active divers (over 30 years in my case) and while the SeaLife Mini is waterproof, the optics are total junk (in my opinion)... The Lumix images are significantly better and we use it for all diving down to about 20 feet (although it's rated deeper)... While SeaLife does make some decent cameras (we have a DC1200), I think the Mini is crap.

 

Lumix for snorkeling and shallow diving... It will quickly become your every day, every occasion P&S camera.... And a GoPro for non-professional deeper diving... and you'll be very happy.

Edited March 25, 2014 by SheepdogGriff

[Capt_BJ]

The category is UNDERWATER CAMERAS for $100

 

vs cameras that can get wet .....

 

The MINI is not the BEST underwater camera but show me another rated for 100+ depth at $100

 

and like I said, you can also spend $80 and take your iPhone too . . . SNORKELING

 

 

 

you can take FINE snorkeling shots with a $10 film disposable and not worry about the camera leaking . . . . I still use a film Hanimex on occasion .... that's how long I've been taking dive pictures . . .

 

My point is semantic .... does OP want an UNDERWATER CAMERA or a camera that can get wet? When I began diving a 'water proof watch' was one certified to 333 feet. Anything less was 'water resistant'

 

OP really wants a water resistant camera ..... but I get some good shots with a MINI, as Clint said, paraphrasing, a photographer just needs to know their limitations . . .

 

 

 

(first time PADI certified by an instructor with a single digit instructor number .... we learned on single stage regs with dual hoses ... real Mike Nelson Sea Hunt stuff . . . )

Edited March 25, 2014 by Capt_BJ

[racer69]

You can buy hard camera cases on ebay for most name brand digital cameras for a fraction of the price of retail. Most have never been used and are being sold because it came with a package deal. I have 4 cases for my canon digital cameras, and 1 for my Olympus DSLR. I have not paid more that $100 for any of them and they are all waterproof (not splashproof) for up to 140'. I am an avid scuba diver and use them everytime I go down, and even when I am snorkeling.

 

Make sure you get some small desicant packs and put one in with the camera off to the side. It will help keep the condensation out of the lens so your photos don't look like they are being taken in the fog.

 

Also, most name brand cameras...Canon, Olympus, Nikon etc, have underwater modes that will help remove the blue in the pictures. It is called white balance and can be set manually once in the water. All professional photgraphers set their own WB once they are at their in the water.

[photogineer]

Another option to consider, rent a camera. I just got off the CCL Dream last week and we did a Scuba excursion, my friends and I rented this camera:

http://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Canon_d20

 

For 10 days, it was ~$70pp, the photo quality was quite nice, and the camera is easy to use underwater, it's also rugged and great for tucking in a pocket. If you jumped in the ocean or pool without remembering to take it out, no big deal. Drop it? No problem!

 

I have used BorrowLenses a lot, they're always been great. When I get home I can post some of the photos I took with the camera on our dive. We took it down to 40ft (it's only labeled for 33ft) no problem for over half an hour of active use.

 

Matt

[FireStation46]

I just ordered the Olympus Tough TG-2iHS. I dId this after a long research online. Olympus just came out the other day with the Tough TG-850 which costs less. The Nikon AW120 or AW110, or any if the older Olympus Toughs (I.e. 630) May fit your budget.

 

If you win the lottery you can get for you ( and me :D ) the Nikon 1 AW1

[masspector]

Great thread and great info. I need you guys help.

 

Here is my dilemma. I already own a Canon SX130IS. I was thinking of bringing this camera on our upcoming cruise and leave the dSLR at home. This is more of a relaxing cruise this time. We will be snorkeling for the first time ever and would like to have some pics. However I do not anticipate doing a lot of underwater photography in the future. Do not want to spend alot on a nice underwater camera as I will not use it.

 

Based on this thread I have eliminated a disposable and would like to go with the Dicapac case/bag or the Nikon s30. The bag would run about $37 and the s30 looks about $50.

 

Not a big price difference, so which would you chose? Advantage of the Dicapac is I only have to bring one camera, I have more MP and more optical zoom. Advantage of the s30 is that if I use the Dicapac and it leaks, my SX130IS will be ruined and I have to buy another $150 camera.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks

[wake74]

Just got back from a Western Carib cruise and used the new Olympus Tough everywhere. Never took the Nikon DLSR out of the room. It was quite freeing to not drag the big one around. Besides the usual beach and pool stuff, I took it on a couple of a dives. I can tell you that despite saying it is rated to 50 feet, I had it to below 75 with no ill effects. It does start to flash nasty things to you on the screen when you drop below 50 :-)

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the photos above and below the water. Like all underwater photos, close is good, really close is better.

[wake74]

These are as shot with no post-processing. Shot using the underwater scene mode mode, not the macro underwater mode.