which compact digi

[tom00_uk]

in the market for a new camera for below and above the water snaps, any one seen any good deals? got some good tips?

[John_C]

in the market for a new camera for below and above the water snaps, any one seen any good deals? got some good tips?

Argos were doing a great deal on the Fuji F31fd (~£110) these are very good cameras with I think the option of SD & XD Cards. If they have sold out try cameras-underwater for current deals.

[MarkM]

Anything Fuji, I still use an F10, I've had some pics in Sport Diver mag and had some blown up to poster size, they do look good.

Fuji F30/31 or even the F50.

[ChristianG]

in the market for a new camera for below and above the water snaps, any one seen any good deals? got some good tips?
The Fuji F30/31 is now "superseded" by the F40/50 which have a lot more photocells on the same area sensor - not at all a good idea:

http://www.yorkshire-divers.com/forums/underwater-video-photography/64746-pixels.html

If you can still get an F30/31 that's what I would go for.

[tom00_uk]

is this a good camera to take skiiing etc, as i want to capture the highs and lows of my travels?

[ChristianG]

is this a good camera to take skiiing etc, as i want to capture the highs and lows of my travels?

Which?

If you're talking the F30/31 then I would unequivocally say yes. The F31 is very marginally better (has face recognition but that's the only difference).

If you want one I'd move very quickly because they're no longer manufactured.

PM me if you like. Or better still christiangerzner*at*mac.com.

[tom00_uk]

so is this camera the day of the pocket cam world?

are there any others out there that come close, as the only ones i have seen are £270 bundles with the scuba case


thanks for the help btw

[Richard Whitcombe]

Depends on budget.

The new Canon G3 will do RAW format which is massively useful for underwater shots.

Beware of some of the ones advertised as great in low light - all that means is they'll do a high ISO number - it doesnt mean the image is anything but grain noise.

I use an old but still available second hand Canon A620 and its fine for what i want.

[tom00_uk]

any one had a go with the Panasonic Lumix TZ3?

im liking the optical zoom

[MarkM]

The Fuji F30/31 is now "superseded" by the F40/50 which have a lot more photocells on the same area sensor - not at all a good idea:

http://www.yorkshire-divers.com/forums/underwater-video-photography/64746-pixels.html

If you can still get an F30/31 that's what I would go for.
I remember when they brought out transistors to replace valves, they said "not a good idea at all" :D

I've just bought an F50, I'll play with it and see what I think,

[Richard Whitcombe]

any one had a go with the Panasonic Lumix TZ3?

im liking the optical zoom

Maybe ok for surface work but something you're highly unlikely to use underwater.

[ChristianG]

I remember when they brought out transistors to replace valves, they said "not a good idea at all" :D
Well, I still have a valve driven set of amplifiers for my Hi Fi (note - not surround sound or any of that other rubbish).

I've just bought an F50, I'll play with it and see what I think,
Did you read the link I provided? It's not just myself that thinks that massive megapxels on a finite sensor are not a good idea.

[Paul]

I've just got one to replace my knackered Samsung housing - but it's been no further than the pool.

The zoom is pretty impressive on land but, no, it's not going to be much use in the blue stuff.

Paul

[bigjo]

in the market for a new camera for below and above the water snaps, any one seen any good deals? got some good tips?


The camera comes second to your ability. You can have the best camera in the world and still take crap photos, conversely, someone with a good eye and some knowlege can take some excellent photos with a kodak instamatic (that dates me):rolleyes:

[Gordon K]

I thought I'd add my little bit for what it's worth. I use a Canon Ixus 800 with a DC5 waterproof case. I bought in in 2006 before going abroad for a dive trip. I think it's a great little camera. It's got an underwater mode, and a view finder (which can't be used underwater), but helps take steadier pictures on land.

I like to take a laminated piece of plain white paper with me when diving to set the white balance on the camera, rather that rely on the auto white balance setting. I find that that helps to improve my pictures a bit.

Although I'm no expert on these matters, another chap on the dive trip I was on had a Fuji (I'm not sure what model), but the video on the Canon was slightly better quality. But having said that I don't think there was much between the two. The main point is can you operate the waterproof housing wearing your gloves and take pictures you enjoy looking at later?

If your on Facebook, have a look at two videos I put on there.:o

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5438303406

[tom00_uk]

i know its not going to work under water all that zoom, i just want a camera that works well when im up here in air taking shots and also when im in the water

[MarkM]

Did you read the link I provided? It's not just myself that thinks that massive megapxels on a finite sensor are not a good idea.
Over the years PC's have been getting faster, a lot of the speed increase was to do with making the processor silicon chip itself, smaller. There does become a time when we cannot reduce things any more to get stable results. That's why processor speeds haven't increased so much in the last year or so as they did over the last several years. Small is not always bad, but does have its limits.

I've got the F50, been playing with it all weekend. I took some sample images with the F10 & F50, of a small sign 3m away. Zooming in to make both signs the same on screen, I can still just read the F50's image, the F10's is just a series of random pixels. There is definitely and improvement in the image, playing with the image and reducing it to the F10's size, there is roughly an improvement of 1.5x per axis in the image. Both images were taken in low light with strobe forced, colour saturation and brilliance was similar, the F50 may just have had the edge. Are we at the limits yet?

It'll do for me.

[tom00_uk]

The camera comes second to your ability. You can have the best camera in the world and still take crap photos, conversely, someone with a good eye and some knowlege can take some excellent photos with a kodak instamatic (that dates me):rolleyes:

i know the cams not every thing, and a workman should never blame his/her tools etc

but a nice bit of kit is a start lol

[tom00_uk]

not able to find a fugi 31 but there seem to be a lot of 40's and 50's on sale but if im right i dont want this as the higher mp rating will just be noise?

how about a Canon IXUS 75 or 70?

[tom00_uk]

not able to find a fuji 31 but there seem to be a lot of 40's and 50's on sale but if im right i dont want this as the higher mp rating will just be noise?

how about a Canon IXUS 75 or 70?

[MarkM]

The F50 seems to perform as it should, gotta get it underwater yet but above water it seems excellent.