Underwater Camera Question

[srcamm]

I have noticed some really great underwater pictures from many of you. I also recently read an article in Newsweek highlighting3 or 4 moderately ($300, give or take) priced underwater cameras. Does anyone have any recommendations...

We are going June 30th for 7 days. I finally broke the surprise to my wife so she can get her stuff in order. Now I am in the shopping mood, and need to buy myself a Father's Day gift.

[Kentuckygirl]

I bought the Olympus 770, which goes underwater without additional casing. I was very happy with it. My pictures are not as impressive as some I have seen, but I believe that is the photographer and not the camera. It is the only camera that we took and was very easy to use.

[BasUR]

I have a Canon G7. It is a great little camera that has a lot of the same features that my digital SLRs have. We bought an underwater case for it. I'm debating on an external flash. Can't wait to try it out.

If you already have a digital camera, check and see if there is an underwater housing for it. Chances are, there is. And you won't have to buy a new camera.

[Gizzmo]

We used a Kodak Sport from WalMart. 27 Pic's to 50 feet deep for less than 15 bucks. Worked great for us! Call me CHEAP BUT I would not buy an underwater camera for a week in St John. Reasons as follows....
1. I'M CHEAP!
2. The lighting and the clarity of the water make or break a good pic. Not an expensive camera. You can't do anything about the weather or water conditions.
3. Just something else to break, get stolen or lost.
4. I'M CHEAP!

Whatever you do...... Have a painkiller for me!!!!!

[Bug]

Call me CHEAP BUT I would not buy an underwater camera for a week in St John. Reasons as follows....
1. I'M CHEAP!
2. The lighting and the clarity of the water make or break a good pic. Not an expensive camera. You can't do anything about the weather or water conditions.3. Just something else to break, get stolen or lost.
4. I'M CHEAP!

Gizzmo is sure right about #2. I went out and bought a new digital with a great underwater housing, and accessories (underwater filter, etc.) and was quite disappointed when it pretty much rained our whole trip. I did get to use the camera several times but the quality was terrible due to cloud cover and the waters being churned up. I was sad But at least now I have another reason to go back SOON to try it out again

XOXO
Bug

[California Girl]

My camera is a Canon SD400 digital elph. I bought the All Weather Case for it for around $150. You can only take the case down to 10 feet, but that's deep enough for me, snorkeling-wise.

The water was a little murky when we were on STJ, too, but very clear away from the island. I was a little bummed at the cloud cover the day we went out with Capt. Phil, but he said that's the best kind of light for underwater, and dare I say, I believe he was right. You can check out my Lovongo Cay pictures here: http://www.pbase.com/thegripps/underwater

I really feel like the case paid for itself in my satisfaction with both ease of use and quality of the photos.

[Tracy in WI]

I have the Canon Powershot A630 with the underwater case and I love it. It makes snorkeling that much more fun. I have pictures framed and on my wall from our last trip and plan to take many more in a few short days.

[waterguy]

I have the olympus 720 love it just remember that you have to use some time of photo editing software on under water pictures to get the color right because water filters all the reds out I use photo shop.

[Kentuckygirl]

Great advice, Waterguy! I did this too, after you suggested it in a previous post. It makes a huge difference!

[hardonyou]

I just got a new dslr so I didn't want to spend a ton on an underwater housing for my old digicam sonycyber shot approx $200. I haven't used the below product around $40 with shipping, yet so I can't say from personal exp. but the reviews of it on dpreview are good. My sony dosen't fit in it perfectly, so there may be some darkening around the edges, I've read to just keep things out of that "ring" use a higher mpixel and crop will take care of this. I really wanted the Oly 770, but like I said I just drop a lot on the new Oly 510.

http://goshotcamera.com/product/WPC005WP100_PAN_1

Also, I've been investigating how to take better underwater pics, here's site you might be interested in.

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/uwphoto/index-e.html

Good luck!

[RickG]

My camera is a Canon SD400 digital elph. I bought the All Weather Case for it for around $150. You can only take the case down to 10 feet, but that's deep enough for me, snorkeling-wise.

I really feel like the case paid for itself in my satisfaction with both ease of use and quality of the photos.

I have the same setup (except mine's rated to 130 feet) and it works great. I considered buying a new camera with built-in underwater color correction, but commodity photo correction software does wonders if you run color correction.



Cheers, RickG

Cheers, RickG

[Steve S]

Digital is the only way to go if you want really good photos. As Rick mentioned color correction does wonders for a digital photo that you just can't get on film without mounting special filters on your camera, and even then it may be hit and miss. I have a 770SW like KY and am very satisfied with it. As I have mentioned in other posts, the 7mp resolution allows you to re-center a shot by cropping and then growing the image to a full size shot without losing clarity.

[California Girl]

I considered buying a new camera with built-in underwater color correction, but commodity photo correction software does wonders if you run color correction.Cheers, RickG

I found out something very interesting by accident. When I was taking my underwater shots, sometimes I would forget to put the camera on its "underwater" setting. When all was said and done, and I was editing my photos, all my underwater shots looked the very same, regardless of whether or not I had set the camera properly. However, when I got them into Photoshop and hit "auto levels" to color correct them, the ones I had taken on the "underwater" setting would not correct - as if the software said, "hey, these are already corrected", and auto levels threw them waaay out of whack. But the ones I took on a regular setting snapped right in when I hit "auto levels." I don't think I'll be using the camera's "underwater" setting again.