I'm thinking of buying a digital camera to take some underwater pictures, a little underwater video and some pictures on or around the water. At home I use an Olympus E-500 SLR, I am very nervous about bringing it into a situation where factors not under my control can damage the camera. Thus the need to purchase another less expensive one. I'm not sure that another SLR will be good in this situation, although I love the quickness of shooting, so I think I'll be looking at point and shoot models. I've seen some that are waterproof and designed for this very purpose. Ignoring the price factor and looking at it from usability point of view, how waterproof it really is, how resistant to shock, quality of pictures etc, should I get one of the waterproof ones or a quality not waterproof camera with a case?

I have an Olympus 720SW. It's nice and compact and easy to use. It's waterproof to 10' but the newer model, 770SW, is waterproof to 30'. They also make a housing for both cameras that is waterproof to 130'

Thanks Rich, I should've mentioned that I want the camera to be waterproof to around 100' as I plan to use it at 60' and a little deeper depending on how much I improve. Your post then makes a case, no pun intended, for a camera with a case.

SeaLife Reefmaster Mini

It's armored for taking a general beating
It's good to 130 feet underwater
It's small enough to put on your belt while freediving
I was very happy with my first pictures with it. See "tuna and wahoo" thread.

Chris, SpearDiverTampa is selling them for $260ish

Speareasy, I have an Olympus( older stylus) with an Olympus underwater housing that works great up for me to 100fsw so far. I think they are rated to 130fsw but I am not sure. Check out www.Leasurepro.com they have some awesome prices on housing's right now. I also have the new 770sw and it is Awesome!! But I'm not to comfortable taking a camera underwater without a housing.....Good Luck

Get yourself a Fuji Quicksnap Single-Use Waterproof Camera. It is good upto five fathoms. You can pick one up for $6.25 + Tax.:D

Don't be nervous...Enjoy

Those single use waterproof cameras surprisingly take pretty good pictures. I am looking for a digital camera though.

I use this camera

http://photography.search.ebay.com/nikon-4300_Digital-Cameras_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQcatrefZC12QQfromZR40QQsac atZ29997

and this housing

http://www.fantasea.com/product_details.asp?id=29

I know about six other people who have bought this same setup now, all very happy. You can add virtually any accessory you want & It take great pictures. Its fast to come out of standby too. Took mine to the Keys last march for a week - never took it out of the case to recharge, the power management is that good. Some sample pictures are on the other board.

Those single use waterproof cameras surprisingly take pretty good pictures. I am looking for a digital camera though.

Sorry, poor attempt at being facetious. Probably the best guy to give you quality information on your options is Geraldinho aka Deepdown aka El Flaco. I think his quality pics speak for themselves. I have been happy with my Sony Cybershot DSC-P73 with housing. At any rate, I think it is a major advantage to also have the photoshop software. This can really clean them up and I only wish I had access to it as I have dozen of pics that I would love to improve the quality. Here's a recent one I took only a few weeks ago...

Good luck, Rolo

Hey Rolando, what version do you want?LOL I was just going to say the same thing.. Photoshop is not easy to learn though, not a very intuitive program albeit the best. I've been using Corel Photopaint, it's just easier to learn as you go.

Rolo, here you go.

Thanks G.

All pictures were taken with an Intova 6 MP camera. Online price is $250, includes camera and housing rated to 180fsw. I am most pleased with this setup, very small and out of my way with a large screen and decent pictures also. I recently had a minor issue with this camera and the manufacturer sent me a brand new camera and housing. I found that if I use the lithium AA bateries it will last me for a 2 day trip to the grounds.

On a side note....

Instead of dishing out HUNDREDS of $$$$$$ for Photoshop, try Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI. Retail is like $79, but you can find it for less.

All pictures were taken with an Intova 6 MP camera. Online price is $250, includes camera and housing rated to 180fsw. I am most pleased with this setup, very small and out of my way with a large screen and decent pictures also. I recently had a minor issue with this camera and the manufacturer sent me a brand new camera and housing. I found that if I use the lithium AA bateries it will last me for a 2 day trip to the grounds.

That pic of the Slipper is sweet, I'm still on a hunt to find some of those things.

Hey Chum Bucket, do you take your video with that same camera?

Hey Chum Bucket, do you take your video with that same camera?

No, although the Intova does shoot video, I use a Hitachi DVD camera with an Ocean Images housing.

I've been mulling over this question for awhile now. I have a Canon EOS 30D DSLR, but I don't want it anywhere near water... not to mention the housing setup I'd want for it would run up to $3k.

I'm big on Canon though, so I think I'm probably going to go with a Powershot SD1000 (http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000NK8L6W/ref=s9_asin_title_1-1966_g1/105-1464706-2077217?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1CK6FZ8M5AJDW0CC84FD&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=288448501&pf_rd_i=507846), with a WP-DC13 (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-WP-DC13-Waterproof-SD1000-Digital/dp/B000NSIKI8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-1464706-2077217?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1186616574&sr=8-1) case. Best of all worlds... video, 7.1 mp still picture, fits in a pocket, 1600 iso (great for darkness), and waterproof to 130 ft.

I'm looking at ordering the camera and case this weekend so I'll keep you posted on my findings.

I did the big housing thing for a long time, but in just the last couple of years the technology in underwater cameras has leaped forward tremendously. About six months ago I did my research to see just what the best bang for my buck would be, and what I came up with was the Canon G7 and the Canon WP-DC11 underwater housing for it.

A lot of guys were and are using the Canon S80, but the G7 was the latest camera and the next step up. I won't bore everyone with a big post about it so I will just list a couple of bullet points that helped me with my decision.

1. Canon is an excellent brand when it comes to its dedication and support for underwater photography.
2. Canon makes its own excellent quality and reasonably priced housings specifically for each camera model.
3. The G7 model has the all new Digic III processor which allows for excellent shots taken in low light situations.
4. It is a 10.1 Mega pixel camera.
5. The G7 video quality surpasses my dedicated Sony video cameras that were only a few years old, and is as close to HD without actually being an HD camera.
6. Super high performance in a tiny package compared to what I was lugging around

I cannot speak highly enough about this camera and all its features.

Here are a couple of pics of what I used to lug around and some of the G7 and housing.

:)

Chum bucket, Diesel, Jim, thanks very much for your input.

Looking at the prices, the G7 today is roughly double the price of the SD1000, $400 vs. $200. This is a clear indication of which is the higher end camera. Case price being about the same for both cameras.

Other aspects of the cameras I can't comment about but I think the 10 vs. 7 mega pixels factor is not that important. The SD1000 also has the Digic III processor.

Jim, any underwater pics with your G7?

Here is the last pic I took (it's not all that great) about 10 days ago right outside the cut. I was in about 35 feet of water, no flash, no adjustments, just point and shoot. Trust me when I say I am a lousy photographer and the camera is capable of so much more.

I was really far away from the aircraft carrier when I took that pic (because I am allergic to .50 caliber lead) and yet you can see people scratching their balls on the deck!

:)

Very nice pics.

I did the big housing thing for a long time, but in just the last couple of years the technology in underwater cameras has leaped forward tremendously. About six months ago I did my research to see just what the best bang for my buck would be, and what I came up with was the Canon G7 and the Canon WP-DC11 underwater housing for it.

A lot of guys were and are using the Canon S80, but the G7 was the latest camera and the next step up. I won't bore everyone with a big post about it so I will just list a couple of bullet points that helped me with my decision.

1. Canon is an excellent brand when it comes to its dedication and support for underwater photography.
2. Canon makes its own excellent quality and reasonably priced housings specifically for each camera model.
3. The G7 model has the all new Digic III processor which allows for excellent shots taken in low light situations.
4. It is a 10.1 Mega pixel camera.
5. The G7 video quality surpasses my dedicated Sony video cameras that were only a few years old, and is as close to HD without actually being an HD camera.
6. Super high performance in a tiny package compared to what I was lugging around

I cannot speak highly enough about this camera and all its features.

Here are a couple of pics of what I used to lug around and some of the G7 and housing.

:)

The advancements in U/W camera's has been overwhelming in the past 4 years! When I'm shooting video with my Ocean images housing I feel like i'm swimming with a 55 gallon drum!

Ive posted on this topic occasionally but things change rapidly so Ill update the info.

Ok... From a camera servicers perspective.
First, Our company has been one of the top camera servicers in the south East US going on 52 years. I have 6 technicians that work on nothing except film/digital cameras/camcorders between our shop in St. Pete and our shop in Jackonville.
The world of Digital cameras has changed the industry seemingly overnight.
Our company deals with ALL manufacturers on a daily basis as well as the customers who use them (on a daily basis).

We do not sell cameras!! I have no real contacts to get anybody a good camera deal nor can we get accesories. Sales and service are two different animals entirely in the electronics world.

First: When buying a digital camera, particularly for underwater use, buy a camera with the largest lens you can find.
Why? The larger the lens, the more light that can reach the image sensor. this is particualrly inportant when taking pictures underwater where it is usually darker. It will allow the camera to operate at a faster shutter speed and result in crisper, less blurry pictures.

Second: Always buy a camera with the least aamount of "shutter lag time".
What is this?
Shutter lag time is the time it takes from the moment you press the shuttter button till the time the camera actually takes the picture.
On many camera's this delay can be quite annoying. This problem was more prevalent on older cameras but nearly all point and shoot cameras experience it to some degree.

Third: keep in mind the old saying "you get what you pay for" when purchasing a camera and/or housing

fourth: Never, ever, EVER buy a camera made in China!
Every single camera manufacturer says where it was manufactured on the bottom. Always buy Japanese made.
The things you read about china are true regarding quality. I have yet to see or hear about a quality electronic product made in china. Chinese cameras are very difficult to service and parts are usually very expensive or non-existant.
I expect this to change in a few years but it IS the rule and not the exception at the current time


Now for what you all really want. The manufacturers!
This list seems to fluctuate from year to year but at the current time I would rate the following manufacturers in this order and give explanations.

In no particular order the top 3 for point and shoot style cameras are:
Olympus
Sony
NIkon
These 3 manufacturers have consistently set themselves apart for their quality, customer service, parts availabilty, parts pricing.
All 3 manufacture medium-high end cameras as well as low end cameras that are'nt so great in order to compete with everybody else.
But over all, they are the best.

The next tier:
Canon
Pentax
Panasonic
They all manufacture good products but there customer service and parts availability is second rate

The following are brands I would not even consider!
They have demonstrated time and again that they build inferior products, have horrible customer service, and/or they price their parts so high that service is not even an option. Run... dont walk from the following manufacturers.
And please dont tell me "that you own one of the following and it takes great pictures and you love it".
Thats great, but they are still junk IMO so consider yourself lucky.

No particular order:
Kodak
Hewlet Packard
Samsung
sanyo
casio
Gateway
Fuji
sea-life
reef master
Toshiba



Now... For Digital SLR type cameras.
These are the type of cameras that have removable lenses.

The top two:
Nikon
Canon- Canon actually supports their SLR type cameras much better than there point and shoot style cameras although the feedback that I consistently hear from customers as well as my technicians is that the Nikon's are more intuitive and easier to use than the Canons.
You really cant go wrong with either however.
As far as others? I probably would not buy any other UNLESS you have a whole bunch of lenses from another SLR camera and are pretty much married to a particular brand.
Sony may be the next great brand of SLR in the comming years.

In addition... Many camera makers make whats known as "water resistant" and/or "shock proof cameras".
I highly recommend these as over 50 percent of the cameras we see for repair are due to water damage or physical damage.
Both types of damage are generally very expensive to repair.

Finnaly... The information written here should only be used as a guide. Ive seen plenty of lemons from every manufacturer.
NO manufacturer is great, some are just better than others.

Hope this helps...:)

Rich,

Thanks for the post. It does help. I will stop telling people that the camera I use is great, just because I have taken a few decent pictures with it.

Thanks again,

Chad

Ive posted on this topic occasionally but things change rapidly so Ill update the info.

Ok... From a camera servicers perspective.
First, Our company has been one of the top camera servicers in the south East US going on 52 years. I have 6 technicians that work on nothing except film/digital cameras/camcorders between our shop in St. Pete and our shop in Jaxonville.
The world of Digital cameras has changed the industry seemingly overnight.
Our company deals with ALL manufacturers on a daily basis as well as the customers who use them (on a daily basis).

We do not sell cameras!! I have no real contacts to get anybody a good camera deal nor can we get accesories. Sales and service are two different animals entirely in the electronics world.

First: When buying a digital camera, particularly for underwater use, buy a camera with the largest lens you can find.
Why? The larger the lens, the more light that can reach the image sensor. this is particualrly inportant when taking pictures underwater where it is usually darker. It will allow the camera to operate at a faster shutter speed and result in crisper, less blurry pictures.

Second: Always buy a camera with the least aamount of "shutter lag time".
What is this?
Shutter lag time is the time it takes from the moment you press the shuttter button till the time the camera actually takes the picture.
On many camera's this delay can be quite annoying. This problem was more prevalent on older cameras but nearly all point and shoot cameras experience it to some degree.

Third: keep in mind the old saying "you get what you pay for" when purchasing a camera and/or housing

fourth: Never, ever, EVER buy a camera made in China!
Every single camera manufacturer says where it was manufactured on the bottom. Always buy Japanese made.
The things you read about china are true regarding quality. I have yet to see or hear about a quality electronic product made in china. Chinese cameras are very difficult to service and parts are usually very expensive or non-existant.
I expect this to change in a few years but it IS the rule and not the exception at the current time


Now for what you all really want. The manufacturers!
This list seems to fluctuate from year to year but at the current time I would rate the following manufacturers in this order and give explanations.

In no particular order the top 3 for point and shoot style cameras are:
Olympus
Sony
NIkon
These 3 manufacturers have consistently set themselves apart for their quality, customer service, parts availabilty, parts pricing.
All 3 manufactur low end cameras that are'nt so great in order to compete with everybody else but over all, they are the best.

The next tier:
Canon
Pentax
They both manufacture good products but there customer service and parts availability is second rate

The following are brands I would not even consider!
They have demonstrated time and again that they build inferior products, have horrible customer service, and/or they price their parts so high that service is not even an option. Run... dont walk from the following manufacturers.
And please dont tell me "that you own one of the following and it takes great pictures and you love it".
Thats great, but its still junk so consider yourself lucky.

Kodak
Hewlet Packard
Samsung
sanyo
casio
Gateway
Fuji
sea-life
reef master



Now... For Digital SLR type cameras.
These are the type of cameras that have removable lenses.

The top two:
Nikon
Canon- Canon actually supports their SLR type cameras much better than there point and shoot style cameras although the feedback that I consistently hear from customers as well as my technicians is that the Nikon's are more intuitive and easier to use than the Canons.
You really cant go wrong with either.
As far as others? I would not buy any other UNLESS you have a whole bunch of lenses from another SLR camera and are pretty much married to a particular brand.

In addition... Many camera makers make whats known as "water resistant" and/or "shock proof cameras".
I highly recommend these as over 50 percent of the cameras we see for repair are due to water damage or physical damage.
Both types of damage are generally very expensive to repair.

Finnaly... The information written here should only be used as a guide. Ive seen plenty of lemons from every manufacturer.
NO manufacturer is great, some are just better than others.

Hope this helps...:)


Rich, thanks for taking the time to repost this.

RichT, interesting post, thanks. An unrelated question; I have a Toshiba PDR-3310 digital camera. It was in its time a $500 camera, and took beautiful pictures that I was very happy with. I never used it anywhere near the water. One day out of the blue the LCD screen would not power up, it stays black and all the pictures taken are blank/black the same as the screen. Is this repairable? I'd spend no more than $100 to repair it.

RichT, interesting post, thanks. An unrelated question; I have a Toshiba PDR-3310 digital camera. It was in its time a $500 camera, and took beautiful pictures that I was very happy with. I never used it anywhere near the water. One day out of the blue the LCD screen would not power up, it stays black and all the pictures taken are blank/black the same as the screen. Is this repairable? I'd spend no more than $100 to repair it.

Sorry I forgot to add Toshiba to the list.

The problem you described sounds like something wrong with either the imager or process circuit or both.
Those kind of repairs are usually very expensive.
Toshiba is another one of those companies that provides virtually zero support and/or parts for its digital camera products. If you can manage to find a part its always extremely expensive.

Take your $100.00 and buy a new one.:)

Good info Rich!!

I just bought The Sony A-100 and love it so far. I just wish the underwater housings weren't $1500!

Good info Rich!!

I just bought The Sony A-100 and love it so far. I just wish the underwater housings weren't $1500!

Most likely a very good choice. Minolta's photographic division was bought out by Sony a couple years ago so the marriage of Sonys' electronic expertise combined with Minoltas' optics knowledge should produce some very desirable offspring.IMO
We have seen very, very few Sony SLR's in for repair.
I think Sony will be giving Canon and Nikon a run for there money in a couple years with regards to professional SLR type cameras

richt,

Excellent infomative post!!! This is what forums are all about. Kudos to you!

:yay:

Rich,
I'm sure glad I stumbled onto this post. It's great to get the perspective of someone in your line of work before buying a new camera. I currently have a little Cannon point and shoot digital that I really like but nobody makes a housing for it. I was seriously thinking of a Sealife, but the few reviews I've read indicated that if there's a problem with one, it's done. I'm really trying to come up with something under $400, but it doesn't sound like it's gonna happen.
Ron.

Why? the Canon Powershot SD1000 looks like a good choice with the camera and case totaling under $400.

Diesel, I'd really like to get your input once you try it and see some pics. BTW here's a place where you can get it for $205 including shipping http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?omid=113&ref=dealtime&utm_source=DealTime&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CNPSSD1000S&sku=CNPSSD1000S

After poking around this is what I came up with: Olympus FE-230 camera, ($159.95 @ B&H Photo), and the waterproof housing, ($139.95 from Leisurepro).
I'm clueless about digital cameras, but this one looks like a pretty basic 7.1 MP point and shoot. It appears to have a pretty large screen, no viewfinder, and also image stabilization.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Ron.

Here's a review of the Olympus FE-230, doesn't sound very good. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies. Better yet, ask me no questions, and I won't have to think too much about how to take pictures. That's the philosophy behind Olympus' FE-series of cameras. Rather than offering manual settings and complicated exposure options, the FE-cameras almost completely automate their shots, making them literal point-and-shoot cameras. Square in the middle of these cameras is the FE-230, a nondescript camera with a tiny form and few options.

The compact FE-230 weighs a mere 4.3 ounces with card and battery, making it the lightest member of the FE-series. Its slim, metal body fits easily in most pockets and feels comfortable in your hand. Despite its small form, the camera's controls are quite large and responsive; even large thumbs can easily manipulate its mode dial and control pad.

The camera's small size is its biggest attribute; unlike the high-resolution FE-250 or the 5x optical zoom-equipped FE-240, the FE-230 is a more cookie-cutter point-and-shoot with a 7-megapixel resolution, a 38mm to 114mm-equivalent 3x zoom lens, and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. Besides its automatic mode, the FE-230 has 18 shooting modes, including a 30 frames per second (fps) VGA movie mode. It also comes with 20MB of built-in memory so you can take a small handful of shots without using an xD memory card. Of course, 20MB isn't a lot of space, so we recommend getting a memory card anyway.

As with all Olympus FE-series cameras, the FE-240 almost completely lacks any manual settings. Besides flash and macro shooting, preset scene modes, and exposure compensation, users can't make any image adjustments. The camera completely automates white balance, ISO sensitivity, and other settings, giving a very literal sense to the phrase "point and shoot." This isn't necessarily a bad thing; automation can be beneficial as long as the images look good in the end.

The FE-230 performed poorly in our tests, taking an irritatingly long amount of time between shots. After a 2.5-second start-up time, the camera took a shot once every 2.4 seconds. With the flash enabled, that time increased to 3.2 seconds. The shutter also performed sluggishly, lagging 0.9 seconds with our high contrast target and 1.6 seconds with our low-contrast target. In fairness, the FE-230's shot-to-shot time was better than the other FE-series cameras we've tested; the higher-end FE-240 and FE-250 respectively take 5.1 and 4.8 seconds between shots. Like nearly all FE-series cameras, the FE-230 lacks a burst mode.

The camera's images excelled in some areas but disappointed in others. On one hand, the FE-230's automatic white balance reproduced accurate colors even under incandescent lighting (a feat difficult for most automatic white balance settings). The photos enjoyed relatively low noise, and most grain remained unobtrusive and subtle. On the other hand, softness obscured many fine details and made text difficult to read. Also, because the camera sets ISO settings automatically, it's almost impossible to know just how much noise and grain will show up when you shoot in low light.

The Olympus FE-230 is an extremely simple, relatively decent point-and-shoot camera. It doesn't have any significant manual settings to fiddle with, but its automatic mode is pleasantly reliable, even in indoor light. Unfortunately, its sluggish performance and soft pictures leave the camera somewhat lacking. If you really want a camera that won't ask you any questions, the FE-230 can be a decent choice. Otherwise, a more manual-oriented budget camera such as the Kodak EasyShare C875 or the Canon PowerShot A550 offer overall better image quality and stronger performance for about the same price.

Hmm, well after reading that review it certainly sounds like the FE-230 is a good example of "you get what you pay for". Thanks a bunch for finding and posting that review. I'll keep looking.
Ron.

Gerald, what type of underwater camera have you been using lately? Also, what software are you using to process your pics, especially the b&w?

hogsniper, in case you're in a rush for the answer, I recently asked Gerald the same thing. For the pics he's been posting here he's using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 and Adobe Photoshop.

hogsniper, in case you're in a rush for the answer, I recently asked Gerald the same thing. For the pics he's been posting here he's using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 and Adobe Photoshop.

Interesting, that is cool because that camera is very affordable and his photos are some of the best I have seen.

I've been using a Sea Life DC500 for a little over a year now and am very happy with it. There is a newer version that has 6 megapixels, but the 5 works very nice. I have a 1 gig memory card and can easily switch to take video clips or stills while diving. It is nice and compact and makes a nice camera on land as well. You can also get an additional strobe for some color at depth.

After some deliberation I bought the Canon SD1000 black, I like the retro look, with a waterproof case. The total cost including shipping was $335. If I had some more money to toss around I would have bought the Canon G7. I will post some pics when I take them.

Good. I'll be very interested to see how you like the camera, and hopefully you can post some photos with it. I've been going nuts trying to find a camera and housing combination. Seems like most of the housings I've found online are for cameras that are either way out of my price range, or just not made anymore.
Ron.

Good. I'll be very interested to see how you like the camera, and hopefully you can post some photos with it. I've been going nuts trying to find a camera and housing combination. Seems like most of the housings I've found online are for cameras that are either way out of my price range, or just not made anymore.
Ron.

Get a fuji f30 with housing. 200 for camera and 145 for housing plus 50 for 2 gig mem card. you cant beat the picture and video quality. its awesome.

Ron,

Go to youtube and type the camera you want to see. There are lots of videos and comments for each camera that is made. Thats the best way to pick a camera.

How are you going to judge the quality of video produced by a particular camera through something you see on youtube? Just by virtue of being there the video is compressed and looks like shit. I am not aware that there are photos on youtube but if there were they would be compressed too. Other than that if you see very good pics online that are claimed to have been taken by a particular camera, it could be a marketing ploy.Go to youtube and type the camera you want to see. There are lots of videos and comments for each camera that is made. Thats the best way to pick a camera.

SpearEasy,

Canon digitals are awesome - I think you made a great purchase. I have the SD600 and I love it. I also got a waterproof case for it just yesterday. I'm itching to get some u/w video.

I'm itching to try it too. Had I waited a couple of days more on the housing Amazon.com has a $30 rebate that I could've applied to the purchase. I couldn't do it, I wanted the housing to get here at the same time as the camera. I've been trying to figure out for a while the best background to use to take pictures of my blades and those pictures are long overdue. I finally came up with the idea of putting them on the sea bottom, sand or reef, and am anxious to get it done already.

Hey Guys I just made my camera mount...

I bought a Sony W55, and bought an Ikelite case to go with it... here are the pics let me know what you think.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d199/wreckdiver803/DSC00119.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d199/wreckdiver803/DSC00123-1.jpg

If you notice compared to other designs, I put a basic cushioning system to possibly protect from some recoil, but the mount is solid and nothing is moving so I'm curious if recoil will even affect it. Rather than other attempts at securing the camera with a single bolt, I used a wide base and secured my camera housing with two bolts. Overall its pretty secure and I'm pretty happy with it, I can't wait to use it tomorrow.

How did you attach the housing to the plate?

BTW very good looking lab.

with lock nuts and bolts

How did you attach the housing to the plate?

BTW very good looking lab.


and thanks...he's pretty much my son...so far I've had two girlfriends get jealous of him b/c each has said that I take more pictures of him than I do of them ;) He'll be here before and after each girlfriend...lol, so I take more pictures of him

with lock nuts and boltsTo my understanding the housing has one threaded hole for a bolt. Did you make new holes?

Exactly, thats what my understanding was as well...but my housing came with two holes. The other thing was that last week when I tried only securing the camera with one bolt, it didn't work b/c the camera housing is so heavy and the holes are located on either side of the camera...so by only securing the camera on one side there is still a tremendous amount of weight on the other side...by doing what I did now, the camera is secured on both holes that are located on each side of the bottom of the housing, this way it makes it completely secure...this thing is not budging.

You're lucky to have two threaded holes, my housing only has one hole albeit it has a stainless steel plate that the hole is set into. The plate is held with 4 small screws. I wonder if the recoil is enough to crack the plastic since all the stress is in that one small spot.

Exactly...thats why I'm glad mine has two holes..b/c it was putting way too much stress on the one hole that I was once securing the camera to. Either way, I'm pretty psyched and I'm curious to see what I capture on film tomorrow.

I finally received the charger for the Canon SD100 and was able to take a few pics. I'll post underwater fish pics when the visibility here improves.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/da4095/Marea01800.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/da4095/GirlSunrise01.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/da4095/GirlSunrise02.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/da4095/GirlSunrise03.jpg

Well those pics sure out nicely. Did you take those with the camera in the waterproof housing? I'm wondering what effect the housing will have on the quality of photos taken out of the water.
Oh, and darn fine subject matter as well!
Ron.

These were taken with the camera in the housing just after I came out of the water, I was trying to take some pics of the fins underwater.

My understanding of digital photography just made a tremendous jump. I came to realize that the camera is only a basic capture instrument with a weak engine for processing the data it captured. Nevetheless the data is still there although it is not immediately apparent. A much more powerful engine is your PC with a program like Photoshop. You can take practically any pic and make it look fantastic. These pictures are heavily edited and you would not believe it if you saw the originals. Looking at it from this perspective the camera will do fine, lets just see how it performs underwater.Oh, and darn fine subject matter as well!
Ron.Yeah, those fins are nice aren't they.. :D

So from what you've learned, if you didn't have the option of editing the photos on a computer, could you get as good a photo underwater from a digital camera as with a basic underwater film camera? I keep looking at the Sea and Sea MX10 film camera, which is on sale at LP for $159, or $199 with an external strobe. That was the camera I lusted after back before digital, but it was way expensive back then.
Actually, I was wishing those damn fins weren't in the way so I could take a closer look at the gun...
Ron.

From my experience you can get a better photo from a disposable $15 35mm underwater camera than any digital camera in an underwater housing without editing the picture. But since this is a hypothetical question the answer does not count for much. I would never give up the comfort of editing my own pics, it is truly freedom in all aspects.

IDK if you're joking (I was) but the gun is just a Riffe C3X that I moified with a handle and muzzle that I made. I'm very happy with the handle, the muzzle works well but I'm not happy with it aesthetically.

Well actually, I couldn't figure out the gun because from what I could see it looked like some kind of custom gun with some but not all, Riffe parts. For the record however, the subject matter I was referring to was in fact the young lady...
Ironically, I just got the photos back that I took of my kids with a disposable underwater camera. The photos of them snorkelling, and the above water shots of kayaking, etc, came out very nicely. However the photos I took of fish and plant life, in fairly clear water with good lighting, sucked. I also have a Sealife 35mm point and shoot in a housing that gives very similar inconsistent results. So far the best photos I've gotten underwater were with an old Sea and Sea MX5 point and shoot 35mm, until it was stolen...
Ron.

IMO it's best to go beefy, reliable, and with the company with a phat Warranty and customer support. That company bar none is Ikelite. I bought their housing for my Coolpix ED5900 (the 5mp with the ED lens... ED makes a BIG difference btw) and that housing is just a work of art... similar to Oscar's.
It has a button for every function and plenty of room inside the housing for any additional electronics, moisture boxes, etc. Not to mention they have a full array of accesories for this camera. I myself bought the dual-handled tray to keep the camera stable and have a sleak dive profile. This also allows the addition of strobes and other goodies.
These housings are also rated to 200 ft. So if you ever go really deep either free or SCUBA then you have a housing that can handle it. You'd be surprised how quick you can max out a 130ft camera. Also, remember, the bigger the housing the less easy they fog.

As for my opinions on Cameras, I just love the Nikons. They come designed for low-light and underwater usage. The lens' are top notch and will show no chromatic abherration at zoom (due to the ED lens). It'll shoot video at 30 frames which is good and you have good exposure control, so the actual size of your lens isnt that important. With plenty of exposure control you can just keep the shutter open longer to collect more light, instead of using a huge lens. (granted, you must have a very stable platform)

Anyways, this setup is pricey... but it's no-nonsense. I think those housings are like $250. You can get Coolpix under $100 nowadays though (used I believe).

I saw Oscar's case, while it is well built it is a monster. I can't foresee myself tossing that into the dive bag as I do with the SD1000. I use it to take pics out of the water, on the boat etc. The big case is overkill and would probably cause me to leave it at home most of the time. Although for someone who dedicates the day to picture taking it may be the right thing.

I got a Cannon A610 5MP and im debating on buying the Cannon case from Leisurepro for $155. Im just hesitant about loosing my camera.

You gotta play to win.Its just your ante up to get in the game. I still havent figured a way to shoot cool u/w shots w/out taking the camera down.

You gotta play to win.Its just your ante up to get in the game. I still havent figured a way to shoot cool u/w shots w/out taking the camera down.

I have seen a few different ways of mounting set-ups on the gun itself. Also alot of gusy use this to make underwater videos.