U/W Digital Cameras

[Gogs]

After christmas Im going to be looking for a digi camera with housing to take diving. Im looking for somthing for just having fun with, not looking to take it too serious at the moment. Price range for both £300/400 of less.

Anyone got some ideas of which ones to look at/good reports on some? There is loads to choose but its knowing which ones have a housing that goes along with it...

Thanks in advance

Gogs

[Tony Dwyer]

I have:

1 x Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 Digital Still Camera (silver) - 7.2Mp, 3x Optical zoom + 1 x Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W17 (same camera but in black) + 1 housing

The silver camera is available on Amazon for £198.

Mine both came with a charger & 2 rechargeable AA's

Sony MPK-WA Marine Housing for DSC-W7 & W17 also available on Amazon for £145.00

So it should fit your budget.

The camera is easy to use and has a large bright display. Battery life is good.

Results are pretty good.

regards

Tony

[James - Narked@50]

Hi Gogs

Here you go:

http://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/d_stills/index.html

I've got an Oly 5050 with PT015 housing myself, very nice, but needs a strobe for more serious stuff. The Canons and Sonys are getting a good name for themselves in the price range you are looking at, you can find articles on then and others in "Dive" a ffew months ago.

These are all fine for holiday snaps, and in good conditions can give realy impressive results, don't be dishartened if they are not brilliant in the UK with dodgy vis - WYSIWYG LOL.

James

[Gogs]

I have:

1 x Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 Digital Still Camera (silver) - 7.2Mp, 3x Optical zoom + 1 x Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W17 (same camera but in black) + 1 housing

The silver camera is available on Amazon for £198.

Mine both came with a charger & 2 rechargeable AA's

Sony MPK-WA Marine Housing for DSC-W7 & W17 also available on Amazon for £145.00


Tony

Had a look. Looks ok.

Thanks

gogs

[Richard Whitcombe]

Ive just bought a Canon A620 (4x optical zoom, 7mpixel, custom whitebalance and UW modes) with housing for around £360. Tried it this week on a dive and it came out fairly well for a first time use.

The LCD and shroud in the housing is very large and clear, battery life seems excellent, several days use with display on,flash and so on and theyre still going (4 x AA).

[Fiona]

I have added a Sony DSC-P10 and Sony Marine Housing for sale on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SonyP10-Camera-and-Sony-MPK-PHA-Marine-Pack_W0QQitemZ7208121274QQcategoryZ91567QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem

Original cost of camera £284
Original cost of housing £139

[purple vonny]

I have got an Olympus mju 600 (see cameras underwater site above). I have had the mju 410 and liked that too but I flooded it and they don't make it any more. I find it very very easy to use and it has 3 underwater settings which produce good results.

I think that the newish aim and shoot digitals that are within your price range are all pretty decent.

[Alan Ewart]

I've just bought a W7 and u/w housing for a forthcoming trip to Hurghada in the Red Sea.

Never having taken photographs while diving before I was just wondering what settings you use on the camera when underwater, Tony. Will results be good using automatic mode or should I use manual? I'm taking an underwater photography course with Emperors while I'm there but I'd like to have a vague understanding before I go.

I'm only 13 so any tips you have would also be helpful.

Axelk


Have a look here for some start up info

http://www.bsactravelclub.co.uk/photography/index.html

[axelk]

I've just bought a W7 and u/w housing for a forthcoming trip to Hurghada in the Red Sea.

Never having taken photographs while diving before I was just wondering what settings you use on the camera when underwater, Tony. Will results be good using automatic mode or should I use manual? I'm taking an underwater photography course with Emperors while I'm there but I'd like to have a vague understanding before I go.

I'm only 13 so any tips you have would also be helpful.

Axelk

[axelk]

Thanks Alan, that was very informative.

[Tony Dwyer]

I've just bought a W7 and u/w housing for a forthcoming trip to Hurghada in the Red Sea.

Never having taken photographs while diving before I was just wondering what settings you use on the camera when underwater, Tony. Will results be good using automatic mode or should I use manual? I'm taking an underwater photography course with Emperors while I'm there but I'd like to have a vague understanding before I go.

I'm only 13 so any tips you have would also be helpful.

Axelk

Axel

To start with, leave it on automatic. You will get best results in shallow well lit water. The flash works well with subjects that reflect lots of light, particulary yellows & bright reds. Once you get used to composition under water and have some good photos to keep, you may find it useful to experiment. Fortunately, your camera has a nice big screen. Try to ensure that your subject is clearly framed in the screen before taking the shot.

Try to take shots of subjects that are not moving too much. Don't rush the shots, take it gently. Avoid waving the camera about and stabbing at the button. Take your shots deliberately and smootly. Get into the habit of keeping the camera still for 1 to 2 seconds before and after taking the shot. You may get another chance at an either better one.
Trying to chase the shot of a moving fish (particularly one moving across your view) is largely a waste of effort. Getting them in frame and in focus is hard until you've had lots of practice.

Avoid getting too close to the subject. One of the most common causes of out of focus shots is simply being too close. Though your camera does have a nice Macro function that you can use to get some nice shots of smallish subjects.
Similarly subjects that are too far away are likely to be low on detail . If you are using flash, subjects that are too close to the camera can be over lit.

Fortunately, visibility in the Red Sea is usually pretty good to excellent. So you are almost certainly going to get some memoranble photos.

The guys at Emporer know what they are doing.

Do you have a correction filter for the camera? If not Cameras Underwater usually have them in stock (http://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk). When used in available light (without the flash), the filter improves the colour rendition by shifting the colour away from blue.

Use the highest resolution you can to get the best results and photos that will stand decent enlargement. Unfortunately this also uses the most memory. Hopefully you will have additional memory sticks. If not, there are places where you can have the memory downloaded onto a CD-ROM (maybe Emporer will do this for you) unless you are taking a laptop with you?

If you can, get some practice in a pool before you go on holiday.

regards and good luck.

Tony

[axelk]

Thank you very much Tony. It was nice of you to reply so fully. And I understand a lot more about the subject now. I really appreciate this help and I'll post some pictures when I get back. Thanks again.

[axelk]

I'm back from the Red Sea and as promised I am posting up some of my photos. Your info really helped me in my course Tony, and as you said I would I think I have some nice photos. Anyway have a look for yourself here - http://homepages.tesco.net/~g.kemp/

[Alan Ewart]

I'm back from the Red Sea and as promised I am posting up some of my photos. Your info really helped me in my course Tony, and as you said I would I think I have some nice photos. Anyway have a look for yourself here - http://homepages.tesco.net/~g.kemp/


Well done, there are some very nice images amongst those.:D

[Tony Dwyer]

I'm back from the Red Sea and as promised I am posting up some of my photos. Your info really helped me in my course Tony, and as you said I would I think I have some nice photos. Anyway have a look for yourself here - http://homepages.tesco.net/~g.kemp/

Axel

I'm impressed. Some very creditable efforts indeed.

Particularly the Tube Worm, it takes patience and calm to get a pic like that. Most people scare the animal back down its hole!

I also like the clams. You seem to have a good 'eye'.

Very well done indeed.

regards

Tony