underwater cameras advice

windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
edited September 7, 2006 in Cameras
a friend of mine at work, thinks i know what im talking about when it comes to cameras..... anyway he asked me about underwater housing for a casio camera. he wants to know if they exist and where might be a good web place to look for them......
he's really into scuba diving.
anybody got some advice???


troy

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,130 moderator
    edited September 6, 2006
    Troy,

    True underwater housings for cameras are usually designed for just a few specific cameras, sometimes just one camera. The reason is that cameras come in all shapes and sizes and control placements.

    In general, look for double O-Rings and polycarbonate or aluminum cases.

    A couple of 40 meter housings, for example:

    http://www.digitaldiver.com.au/casio_40.htm
    http://www.digitaldiver.com.au/casio_55.htm

    For snorkelling, when you don't have to deal with much pressure, you can get by with a much simpler "bag", like the EWA 10M version:

    http://www.adorama.com/EWDCASIOG3.html
    http://www.adorama.com/EWDLI3.html
    http://www.adorama.com/EWDLI2.html


    Actually, these simple bags work pretty well with the simpler cameras, because you have the benefit of daylight. Once you decend into the depths, you deal with much less light, and the little camera flashes just don't work well.

    A better bet might be to go with a camera actually designed for underwater use, like the SeaLife DC500. This camera can be built into a pretty decent system for almost any underwater use (60M rating). The lens has a built-in "port" design for better underwater imaging. You can get an accesory lens that gives an equivalent to a 24mm field-of-view, and you can get all the way to the "Maxx" system with two powerful flashes.

    http://www.sealife-cameras.com/cameras/dc500_maxx.html

    ziggy53
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • hgernhardtjrhgernhardtjr Registered Users Posts: 417 Major grins
    edited September 6, 2006
    Obviously, hard-case housing availabliity depends on model of camera. Here's a nice photo at http://www.dpreview.com/news/0405/04052501casiouwhousing.asp. Just do a google search and you will find hundreds of vendors.

    If there is no SPECIFIC housing for your camera, then consider the rugged "plastic bag" type housings with glass viewports. Such as this EWA at Adorama http://www.adorama.com/EWDCA1D.html.

    And, of course, be sure to check out B&H ... they have most everything; just choose your camera!
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=search&Q=&ci=5237

    They list 5 Casio housings!
    — Henry —
    Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.
  • DifferentSeedDifferentSeed Registered Users Posts: 79 Big grins
    edited September 6, 2006
    Often the underwater housings cost as much as a camera, or more depending upon the camera. If your friend is just going to wrap his existing point-and-shoot the case might cost as much as a new waterproof point-and-shoot camera that is built for that environment and isn't bulked up with a big clear plastic case. Not all are really waterproof to any great depth. Some 6 feet, some 30, some only splash resistant.

    Pentax makes a line of water resistant and waterproof cameras which are really quite cheap for casual use (under $200). Olympus made some water resistant (they might actually be waterproof) Stylus cameras a few years ago which you can probably find on clearance sites (like Overstock) or on Amazon or Ebay for cheep! Of course, you should also consider what memory cards your friend is already using might if you go that route -- it's great to reuse what you already have :)

    For example, I just got my husband a Pentax Optio w10 a couple of months ago so he would have something (other than my cameras) to take on when he goes fishing. The new camera - with card - was less than the underwater housing for my Sony he likes to use). Now he has "his" own digital camera, a fishing blog full of his pics, and I have no worries of my Sony suffering the fate of my ipod (these things dont' handle water well!)
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  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited September 6, 2006
    Casio just bought out a great little pocket digital thats water proof to 15 feet (i think its 15 anyway) It is around the $3-400 UDS bracket. With this just kicking off i wouldnt bother with a case...just get the camera.

    Just a thought.
  • steeliejimsteeliejim Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited September 7, 2006
    off camera flash for camera
    gus wrote:
    Casio just bought out a great little pocket digital thats water proof to 15 feet (i think its 15 anyway) It is around the $3-400 UDS bracket. With this just kicking off i wouldnt bother with a case...just get the camera.

    Just a thought.

    Not really off-topic. No matter what is chosen, if the intent is to take pics deeper than about 15 feet, a flash is a must to preserve colors. Unfortunately, on camera flashes give unsatisfactory results because of back-scatter, and uw strobes specifically designed for digitals are not trivial or cheap.

    I'm still in the dark ages, so to speak, shooting my Nikonos V's, one with tubes for macro, and the other with the amazing 15mm wide-angle lens. Both with the SB105's. I'll switch to digital over one of these days, but but concentrating on upgrading my above-water gear these days, and in the meantime, my Nikonos systems are compact, take great pics, and relatively cheap on ebay--well, not the 15mm.

    Been lurking up til now. This is a great site, with great info from great photogs. Thx.
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