Underwater camera stuff

[JRsMom]

I want to take underwater pictures with my camera. Its just a Sony Cyber shot, but I'm scared to use the water proof bags. What does everyone else use...and how do you get over the fear of ruining your camera!!!??? My DH has a really good camera, but I know he won't trust anything...so that leaves the pics up to me!!

[hungt23]

I just bought the Olympus 850 SW so I can take it snorkeling next week. It can be used underwater up to 10 ft below. It is an 8-Meg digital camera. I bought it for $300 at Best Buy. They also have a 10-Meg model (1030 SW) for $400.

The quality of the pictures look pretty good so far (on land).

[teacherkim]

I just bought the Olympus 850 SW so I can take it snorkeling next week. It can be used underwater up to 10 ft below. It is an 8-Meg digital camera. I bought it for $300 at Best Buy. They also have a 10-Meg model (1030 SW) for $400.

The quality of the pictures look pretty good so far (on land).

 

 

We have this same camera and have used it underwater (salt and fresh). It is awesome, works great. Just be prepared for people to be yelling at you as they will think you are stupid and taking a regular digital camera underwater:rolleyes:

[Rancher Dave]

There are several purpose UW cameras on the market that are both digital and reasonably priced, that is if you want to buy something.

 

If splashing around in the surf and snorkling at the surface the bags usually are fine...just be sure you understand the instructions for using them.

[gotbeer]

I had bought a under water housing for my digi cam, But there pricy. It cost me about 300$ for my sony dsc 100 cam.

 

However, I did see at best buy a digital camera that was ok for depths up to 60 ft I think, no housing required. And I think it was going for about 250$ ish. I,m not sure of the brand name, but I know there out in the market. Mutch better then getting a housing. I allways worry about it leeking, so I think thats a better deal. I did also see in the shop on FOS last year a regular film under water disposable 35mm cam for about 25$. But if its a digi cam you want they are out there and not too expensive.

 

Cheers from Beers

[aqhacruiser]

Definitely not expensive but takes great pictures is the Kodak Underwater throw away cameras. Someone posted several pics taken by them on CC last year and the pictures were great for a 8-9.00 camera and other people posted their pictures taken with one also. If search was working you could find the pictures and they were really good for a cheap camera:D

[aqhacruiser]

Depth to 50 ft:) You can get them at walmart and other chain stores.

[bambidrummer]

Depth to 50 ft:) You can get them at walmart and other chain stores.

We used three of these cameras on our cruise and our pictures came out great. I would leave the good stuff for land.

:p :p :p

[sparky32]

If the pictures from the disposable cameras are good, maybe I'll just use them. I'm too paranoid to try the bags.:o Because if something happens, I know my DH will say "I told you so"! Maybe I'll get an underwater one and try it in the tube.

 

And we just bought DH's when we got home from the first cruise (because his died when we got back to the ship from Nassau). His is the good one, Sony H50. I know he won't take that underwater, unless there is a guarantee of replacement if the thing leaks.

 

Jackie (JRsMom)

[CLQ]

Pictures come out okay, but nothing to write home about. And, short of scanning them, we can't post any that do come out well on Webshots. So, we're hoping to learn something new on this thread. Maybe somebody will stop by with more ideas to consider?

[Flossie]

I have a Canon SLR digital rebel and would never trust any of the bags available for underwater use. I have used the disp. underwater cameras and they work very well.

[VernRDH]

DH (who has a BFA in photography from RIT) has an underwater digital camera, the Pentax WP. He loves it as he uses another Pentax for on land and can interchange the cards and batteries. We have used it many times snorkeling in Cozumel, CocoCay, Grand Cayman and Belize.

 

I want to say that the WP was under $200, but I might be wrong, we bought it when they first came out and there are newer models. But it does work well and the interchangeability with our other cameras is a plus.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide and have a fabulous trip!!!

[2_4_cruising]

The underwater cameras work alright up to about 10 feet. too much below that and there is less light available so in a number of cases the pictures come out looking a little more grainy than normal. I found this to be especially true when I did the discover scuba excursion a couple months ago. I had some ok shots at 20 feet but the rest were a little bit grainy. YMMV

 

Warren and Yvonne

[jlswisc]

Get one of the olympus stylus SW's. The 770, 850 or 830 SW are all water proof for snorkling depths.

[Jungle Jane]

We brought 3 of these with us, they worked out great. I brougth them to Wal Mart and got the pics put onto discs instead of prints so we could save/share them on the computer.

Here is an example of how ours came out:

 

 

 

[kingsgirl]

Depth to 50 ft:) You can get them at walmart and other chain stores.

 

I used this one too. The only problem with disposables is that I find you don't get as many pictures back as it says you've taken. Usually they have 27 pictures on them but I'll get back like 18 pictures only. WEIRD. So I double my pictures to make sure I get what I want. Kinda stupid but works when you want that particular picture. Remember when you get it developed you can pay to put it on a CD at Walmart or where ever, as well.

[w&k]

is available over on the Scuba and Snorkeling board. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=40

 

Come on over!

 

Wendy

 

dive pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith

 

This photo was taken with an old SeaLife camera with a housing

 

 

This photo was taken with an Olympus 720SW with a housing

 

 

Close-up with the Olympus 720SW - you can even see the stinging spines on the bristleworm!

 

[alwalaska]

Pictures come out okay, but nothing to write home about. And, short of scanning them, we can't post any that do come out well on Webshots. So, we're hoping to learn something new on this thread. Maybe somebody will stop by with more ideas to consider?

 

When you develop your disposable camera, simply get the pictures on CD then they are easy to upload and print additional copies at home.

[bambidrummer]

I thougt my pictures came out blue because of the water, but now I am wondering if it is only because of the camera itself. I am happy with what I got.

[JRsMom]

is available over on the Scuba and Snorkeling board. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=40

 

Come on over!

 

Wendy

 

dive pix

http://community.webshots.com/user/wendyandkeith

 

This photo was taken with an old SeaLife camera with a housing

 

 

This photo was taken with an Olympus 720SW with a housing

 

 

Close-up with the Olympus 720SW - you can even see the stinging spines on the bristleworm!

 

 

 

Great pictures!!! Obviously not a disposable camera!;) Great advice, I went over there (the other thread). Lots of info! The search feature is working now too!:rolleyes: I was trying to price out a housing for DH camera.:eek:

[ehfl]

The bags are fine up to about 15 ft. You can also see if there is a housing available for your camera.

[MoneyGuy]

Does anyone know if the CoolPix 8700 has an underwater housing? It's a larger-than-usual camera. I'm not sure there is a housing for it.

[hockey monkey]

I purchased an underwater housing for my Canon SD850. I used Amazon.com and paid @$160.00. It is waterproof to @ 130ft and has external buttons which match all of the buttons on the camera so every function is accessible. I took it on our cruise on FOS in March and had excellent results. Not only underwater, but it worked great at the beach and Dunn's River Falls.

 

I also purchased a 4GB SD card and used the still camera to take underwater video at Stingray City. It turned out great.

 

*** One important thing to note about underwater cameras is if you take photos after submerging your camera, make sure your lens is free from any water drops. Water spots will ruin a great picture. I learned that the hard way.

[scubaran]

*** One important thing to note about underwater cameras is if you take photos after submerging your camera, make sure your lens is free from any water drops. Water spots will ruin a great picture. I learned that the hard way.

 

Hi,

 

I purchased a bottle of liquid RainX windshield protector (beads up rain on the windshield) and gave my enclosure lense a good application of this with a quick polish (they make wipes as well but I found the liquid better for underwater conditions). It worked great, the water would sheet right off the lense enabling me to do under/over water shots at the surface. However be aware this is made for rain and constant exposure to ocean water means I had to do an application for every, or every other dive, but easy enough and well worth the results.

 

Randall

[Ryffian]

I used this one too. The only problem with disposables is that I find you don't get as many pictures back as it says you've taken. Usually they have 27 pictures on them but I'll get back like 18 pictures only. WEIRD. So I double my pictures to make sure I get what I want. Kinda stupid but works when you want that particular picture. Remember when you get it developed you can pay to put it on a CD at Walmart or where ever, as well.

 

I've run into the same problem, even when I had a normal "dry" film camera.

 

Most film developing places (Wal Mart, drug stores, etc) automatically don't print any pictures from negatives that don't have anything on them. I'd be willing to bet that the pictures they don't develop for you were nothing but a blue blur.

 

When you drop off your film, be sure to specify to the technician that you want each and every negative developed, even if it's blank.

 

 

I thougt my pictures came out blue because of the water, but now I am wondering if it is only because of the camera itself. I am happy with what I got.

 

It's probably the water. Digital cameras/pictures are great, because you can run them through Photoshop and alter the color to get the blue out (and get them closer to what you actually saw). Here are some of my before and after pictures (I have an Olympus Styles 770 SW):