Hey all, I am looking at getting an UW camera and housing. Does anyone have any suggestions on good UW cameras? I know someday I'd like to take pictures of the Madira @ Superior, so I would like its crush depth to be > 150 ft. I am also looking for a digital camera I can use UW as well above water. I know, why would anyone want to use a camera above water.
I believe I would like to stay below the $1,000 range for the camera and housing. If I get crazy into UW Photography, I can always upgrade. heh.
Any good sites out there for this kind of information? What have been your experiences with cameras? Where is a good place to find crush depths on cameras? I was also looking at buying the Canon Digital SLR, Rebel; Model 300D I think.
Thanks in advance,
-Chad
Doug Freeman from wiscuba.com sent me quite a bit of helpful and interesting advice and websites on this topic. I will add a couple here and PM you the rest as the information is quite long.
----------------------------------------
This is what I use:
I use a Sony DCS-F707 Digital Camera in an Amphibico Surveyor 707 housing I use a warming filter in daylight. I use a UK Light Cannon mounted on the housing with a Ultralight Control Systems arm for night applications. I got the camera and housing as a package from Armato's. Check it out.
Thanks for all the great info!
Ouch, so for underwater photography, you need...
a camera,
a housing,
a UV filter (maybe other filters as well),
a strobe/light,
film/digital media,
Anything else required/helpful?
If you are wanting to stay under $1000.00 and want to be able to use it above water check out Sea & Sea's new digital.
Going the other way and wanting to keep it under I don't think you'll have much luck. I know I wouldn't put a good digital camera in a cheap housing.
Is that the "Sea Life Reefmaster SL140?" About $399.00.
TIA,
-Chad
No, We had Reefmaster and was very dissatified with them, cheap internals.
This is Sea & Sea's AquaPix
check out
Very nice! I like it. Hmm, Throw in the strobe and a few accessories and I have about a grand. *gulp*
And it's only 2.8 x 2 x 1.7 inches. That's pocket size.
I think the best value right now for an underwater digital setup is the rig that DanL is using. An Olympus C5050 5 megapixel camera and the PT015 housing. You should be able to get this setup for under a grand. I believe FreediveWI uses this setup as well. Those guys get some real nice shots with their rigs. If you want to go cheaper and still get something that's still pretty decent you could go the route I went a couple years ago and get a Sony Cybershot camera with the Sony Marine pack housing. I am currently using a Sony DSC-P5 camera with the MPK-P5 housing. My setup is no longer made but they make newer generation cameras with higher megapixel ratings than the 3.2 that mine is and they still offer the MPK series housings for the cybershot cameras. You could probably get this setup for around $700. I'm not a serious photographer with strobes, filters and extra lenses etc. I just like to get some decent shots for my photo album of my dives. One thing that does help though is a good photo editing program like Adobe Photoshop. I use that religiously on all of my photos and it does wonders for your shots. Here is a link to some of my photos I've taken with my rig over the last couple years. Note these are all basic point and shoot photos with the built in flash or no flash at all. I have some Madeira pics and Lake Michigan pics on there that are in the 70ft. to 100ft range. I've had my camera down to 125' at the Madeira and have never experienced any leaks or problems. You can get by without a strobe down deep in Superior since the viz is typically better and there is more light down there. If you want to take pictures deep in Crosby, Wazee, etc. you'll need more light from a strobe or external lights like Doug from Wisconsin uses.
After a couple of years using a Sony DSC-707 I have been looking at digital SLRs lately so that I can get back to being able to switch lenses. One of those I have been looking at is the Canon 10D, the 300D with all of the features turned on. One thing to think about that doesn't seem to get mentioned on most of the digital SLRs is how do you keep the sensor clean. Be careful changing lenses because if dust gets into the mount it will get onto the sensor. At least one of the D-SLRs says to send the camera in for cleaning or void the warranty by doing it yourself with one of the kits that are available. I am not sure what the 300D requires. If I were looking at around a grand, the price of the 300D, I would take a look at the Sony FSC-828 that just came out. Personally, I've become fixated on the Olympus E-1. At some point the price will start to become realistic.
JoelW
When I got my 5050 it was over $675. I just had a friend pick one up for around $550. My PT-015 housing was $295 when they first came out, now you can get one for $134.
I don't use strobes, but I do have a wide angle lens and a dome port for my camera- both made by Inon. I don't use filters, but find that a large Cf card, I use a 512mb, helps out when shooting some video with the camera.
I am still leanring about editing programs and have just been too lazy to learn photoshop so far. I know it's the best, but I have just been playing around with Irfanview, a free downlad, so far.
I am currently working on an updated camera mount for my speargun.
Jon