OK, I am going digital

[jmohns]

OK I am going to give in to the new technology.........I am going to buy a digital camera. I need help as to what will get me the most bang for my buck. I have looked at the sealife brands and have been pleased but I am wondering if I get a normal camera from the store if it will work under water in a case designed for it or if it will have focus and color issues. I dive primarily freshwater and vis isn't always the best. I know very little about this and would enjoy any advise anyone has to offer.

[DiveCaptDean]

While there are many newer cameras to choose from, my friends uses a Sony cybershot DSC-P10..5 meg digital..he uses the correct sony housing(135ft rated)  and has great luck with it..uses it all of the time and it takes fantastic pictures..i too have the camera, but they have discontinued the housing for it....... ???..this makes it a bitch to find one....a used on just went on ebay for 255.00  thats more than you could get a new one for......

[Swimjim]

I've been shooting Nikonos II for years and last spring I took the digital plunge.  I bought a Cannon A520 for about $175, the Cannon housing for it for $165 and an external strobe package with a strobe, spotlight, arms and tray for $300.00. 
    The camera has performed really well.  Once I read and understood the manual I got some great stills with it.  This camera also will do three minute video clips which you can put together on your computer to make a video presentation with.  I've done four or five movies now.  It's pretty slick.  I have attached a couple stills so you can get an idea on capabilities. 
      At Any rate, look into the Cannon line of cameras and matched housings.  I think they give you great bang for the buck.

Jim

[Colin]

Some thoughts on buying your first digital camera....

1. Make sure you can get accessories. like additional lenses, strobes, etc for it. There are some on the market today that are basically used as-is. You'll want at some point to get into ultra wide angle (for shipwrecks nd better depth of field) as well as macro work for the tiny critters. Some of the Sea & Sea models, like the DX860G are a good buy.
2. Whatever camera you buy, make sure it can shoot in RAW mode. This is like the negative in a film camera. When you shoot in RAW, the files are big, but the advantage is that you can change the white balance or color shift when necessary. For example, photographing a diver will sometimes represent skin tones incorrectly. By using some software, you can accurately represent skin tones which also translates to accurate colors throughout the shot. I use a free software program called "Raw Shooter Essentials" for my WB correction, then convert to jpg. All the pros and really good amateurs will use RAW exclusively. You'll be amazed what it can do for your shots.
3. Close focusing is also important, as you will want to shoot small things, like arrow crabs, and the like. Again, many of the entry level cameras have this capability, but some require supplementary lenses.
4. If you're wreck diving around here, size may be a consideration, as with the other bulky gear we wear (drysuits, etc) lugging around a huge camera setup may be tricky and cause a lot of drag.
5. Not necessarily a required feature, but one that may be cool is the ability on some of the Sea&Sea cameras to play games on them....like Tetris. If you're doing a long stop or just bored on the boat, you can play these games right on your camera.
6. Think about the screen size on the back....the bigger the better, but at a cost to battery life. Can the screen be turned off, or go to sleep, or is it on all the time? Are the batteries replaceable or rechargeable? Does the camera require a special docking station for charging?
7. Does the camera have a histogram function, where you can see a graphical representation of your exposure. With the histogram, you can see where you need to make corrections in your exposure....too dark, too light, too much midtone, etc. Pros and top amateurs use the histogram a lot for seeing what the exposure values are.

I've sold both Sea&Sea and Sealife, and many of my clients have been pleased with either companies cameras and systems. I personally think Sea&Sea has some better technology in their systems approach to photography...by that I mean they make a number of cameras and strobes that are interchangeable, based on your budget and needs.

Just a couple of thoughts.....

Colin.

[jmohns]

OK so the deal is done........ I purchased a Sealife 6.1 mp. I didnt have the cash to get all of the goodies at the same time as I now own a corner of my local dive shop, or at least I should with all of the stuff I have purchased this year... I hope to make many good dives with this setup. Does anyone have any good photo edit programs for underwater photography? I have played around briefly with the software that came with the camera and it doesnt seem very user friendly. Thanks for the insight. James

[mikerault]

Take a look at:



Great package!

Mike