suggestions for first underwater camera

[skipschommer]

does anybody have any good suggestions for my first underwater camera.  i'm looking for one around $300.  i'm pretty new to underwater photography so any help would be great. thanks.

[freedivernd]

Hello, welcome to scubaboard.
Are you thinking new or used.. or doesn't matter?

[jasondbaker]

Check out Wetpixel for the latest recommendations:

You probably can't go wrong with buying a used camera setup.  Some people unload their rig every year to buy the latest greatest camera setup.  Your budget is pretty limited but I bet you could find a decent 3-year old digital camera and housing around that price. Underwater photography is very addicting.

[scubadog76]

A couple of things that I wish I hadn't done with my underwater camera:

I have a nikon cool pics camera that takes 2 aa bateries.  I liked the large screen but it gobbles up batteries like no other.  I have to buy fresh, disposable lithiums to keep it running.  Rechargables don't last.  Spendy!  I would get something that works on rechargables

I got a heavy duty Ike Lite housing which I thought would have been great because the housing could access every button.  That is nice, but the problem with the housing is that the lens portion of the housing is so big that it actually blocks a portion of the flash.  The pictures come out partially unexposed unless you use a stobe.  So I would look for a housing that the lens compartment is compact.

Also, The lens has to be zoomed in a certain amount or part of the flash will actually reflect inside the lens compartment which also shows up on the picture.

You also will want to see how bouyant it is.  Some of them really like to float which can get kinda annoying.

The thing to do would probably be to find 2 or 3 cameras you like and see what options you have for housings.  Jeff

[dd_diver]

I've got a SeaLife DC600.  It's bit more than $300, however.  I was able to buy only 1 strobe for it and use the strobe from my old SeaLife 35mm.  It also takes half way decent video. 

I made the mistake of buying a camera and then 6 months later, when I could afford it, I planned to buy the housing.  Don't do that.  The housings that were available by then were limited.  So I never got the housing.

 
  .

[imasleeper]

Hi skipschommer,

The best advice for you is to do a little research and find out who/where in Minnesota teaches UW photography.  PADI offers a course but it is very basic and leaves a bit to be desired IMHO.  UW photography can be extremely expensive, especially if you make the wrong purchase.  I can't tell you the number of times I have heard someone say, "I wish I had bought something else."  And the perfect camera rig that "works" for everyone has yet to be invented.  Some people prefer a simple P&S without external strobes because of the compact size and ease of use.  Others prefer a more feature filled P&S with an external strobe because of its greater capability.  While some will only be happy with a high end DSLR, in a Subal or Seacam housing and twin external strobes.  The "trick" to getting good photos from each of these cameras is knowing what they are and are not capable of doing and then maximizing their potential at the same time reduce one's frustration level.  Afterall why even try and shoot close focus wide angle shots with a canon SD550 when it simply is not capable of this sort of work.  Why not confine onesself to  taking that close picture of a banded coral shrimp which it is capable of doing?  A good, well experienced instructor can be invaluable in helping you define what it is you wish to get out of UW photography and how to accomplish your goal in the most efficient, cost effective way.

Questions to ask yourself- placed in no particular order!

1.  Am I familiar with all the functions of my topside camera?
2.  Do I have a basic understanding of photographic principles?
3.  Can I say how these principles differ underwater compared with topside photography?
4.  What is the difference between film and digital photography?
5.  Can a 6 megapixel camera really take better pictures than a 12 megapixel camera?
6.  Do I want to take snapshots underwater or am I looking to take portrait level photographs?
7.  Am I a good diver, who has the basics down, with better than average buoyancy skills?  ---  VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!

There are a number of other questions to ask yourself and perhaps this is a bit more than you were asking for with your question, but there truely is a lot more to answer your question than "just buy this camera."

If what I said makes sense to you and if you have any additional questions you can email me at:
imasleeper@aol.com

Cheers!

Paul