Need Help - Looking to get first underwater camera

[ScubaSherrie]

I am looking to buy my first underwater digital camera and am so confused on what to get. Do I get one made specifically for scuba diving or get a digital camera and an underwater housing? The brands I keep seeing mentioned are SeaLife, Sea & Sea, Cannon, and Olympus. I have an olympus stylus 1010 but unfortunately the underwater housing for it was discontinued.

Does anyone have any suggestions or guidance. I have been reading a lot of reviews and forums but I am just getting more and more confused on what to get.

[grumpie]

my kids bought me a sea and sea motomarine camera. its 35 mm and still going strong, I only wish is that I had the external flash attachments.

[goaliemn]

I bought an underwater housing for my digital camera.  Ebay is a great source for finding those discontinued cases.  I found that easier than getting a new camera because I already know all the button positions and such.

[jasondbaker]

I would buy a digital camera and housing.  I would also recommend buying used.  You can get an entire package from someone who is upgrading their rig.  Check out the classified section on sites like Wetpixel.  If you are willing to spend $500-750 you can get a good starter setup. 

[jleech]

Underwater photography can be a lot of fun, it also can be a lot of money.  Before you spend too much money, think about where you will be trying to take pictures and what your expectations are.

My first underwater camera was a 2.1 Megapixel casio, that I had a custom housing made for.  It took very good pictures, and since I had a 100 watt flood light for it, I could take good macro and night pictures.

If you are going to be taking a lot of pictures around here, or at night you will want a camera that can use a strobe.  If you are going to be taking mostly warm water coral pictures, you still would like a strobe but could get away with out one at first.

I've seen some very good pictures from the current "point & shoot" cameras, using manufacturer's camshell housings.  These are likely the most inexpensive way to get into underwater cameras especially if you already have a camera.  These type of housings are generally limited to about 100 ft, some more/some less.

Ikelite makes some custom housings for many of the camera makes.  Their housings are generally bigger than the manufacturer camshell housings, but are depth limited to about 200 ft.  They are typically pretty sturdy and you can get both strobes and video lights that can attach to these housings.


The Sea & Sea & Reefmaster digitals put a pretty good package together of camera and housing with options for a strobe.  These are generally a pretty good value.

At the top end of the spectrum are the digital SLR camera in a custom housing.  You will generally get the best pictures with these, but will be spending between $2000-5000 total cost depending upon housing and camera choices.

I agree that eBay may be a good option to try to find older custom or manufacturer housings for a camera.

Good Shooting,

Jeff

[DiverQueen]

Try out the Kodak underwater camera for a while, then upgrade to the underwater camera with a flash that dive shops sell for under $30 usually.  If you get comfortable with those...Then go to a digital in a housing.  (And kiss your $$$ goodbye!) 

I guess it's not really that bad, you trade buying and developing film for a more expensive housed digital unit that can, if properly maintained, go on for many years of great photos!

Good Luck!

[doogles]

I'm going to be doing the upgrade thing.Going to get rid of my Ikelite setup.No strobes but less than a year old.Nikon L18 with housing.

[Qix]

I am looking to buy my first underwater digital camera and am so confused on what to get. Do I get one made specifically for scuba diving or get a digital camera and an underwater housing? The brands I keep seeing mentioned are SeaLife, Sea & Sea, Cannon, and Olympus. I have an olympus stylus 1010 but unfortunately the underwater housing for it was discontinued.

Does anyone have any suggestions or guidance. I have been reading a lot of reviews and forums but I am just getting more and more confused on what to get.

The first question that comes to mind is your budget and dive background?

On the one extreme, if you are just getting into diving and aren't already into photography I would think you'd want to go with one of the dedicated U/W camera setups. Perhaps buy something used, don't buy to many accessories and then sell and upgrade later. Do your research here too. I've known a few people who have the more dedicate U/W digitals and the battery life is terrible. They wish that had bought a Sony or Nikon or Canon or Oly point and shoot with their dedicated housings instead.

However, if you've been diving for years and/or really enjoy photography I think you should give another round of consideration towards DSLR's. Yes, they will be expensive. And yes,  you'll probably have a whale shark swim by up close the day you dive your 100mm macro lens looking for Seahorses but....

All modern DSLR's crush the P&S's when it comes to focus-snap speeds - nothing will beat them here - especially with the next item ....  these cameras support a wide range of great lenses (especially fast wide apertures for better light gathering). Lately, the newest camera's have been cranking the usable high ISO range into the 3200 territory. Most of the DSLR's have very large live-view review screens and awesome dedicated viewfinders. Plus, there are some great video offerings bundled in and all shoot to flash cards so no tapes or hard drives to have to offload during the trip.

Perhaps a Nikon D90 or Canon T1i with a simple 24mm or 35mm or 50mm prime lens and port to get started (these support video). These are awesome cameras for topside photos and in the end you'll be able to grow the housing system (probably a Ikelight to control costs) to add strobes, more lens ports, etc. If cost is no object buy a high end full frame DSLR and a few professional prime lenses, shoot around F2.2 and ISO 3200 and you won't believe what you'll capture and see.

FYI - I will be leaving a dedicated U/W video setup within the year (which i really enjoy) in favor of a DSLR with the option of video. With the exception of video mode focusing (which is topic in and of itself) the quality of video from DSLR's is now exceeding that of video cameras and the overall enclosure and travel size will not be that much different. It's a role reversal. For years the video cameras captured fairly decent stills. Now the DSLR's are capturing video.

[joekarels]

I've been looking at the Canon G11. Good price point. It is a point and shoot. Housings run around $200, the camera $500. Seeing how this will be my first foray into underwater photo, I think it will be a good investment. A good starting point in terms of budget.
If I like it and get the hang of it, I'll look at d-slr. The housings for those get into the thousands from what I've seen so far.
Buying used makes me nervous. You don't know whose problems you just bought.

[mattd]

I was all ready to pull the trigger on a G11 till I found out they didn't put HD video in it.  I have a couple DSLR's, but I don't want to spend that much on the housings either.  I'm planning to buy a new point and shoot and a housing for it but I want it to do HD video among a few other things for a nother use I have planned.

Right now, my top contender might be a sony.....