Waterproof Camera
What is a good waterproof digital camera for SCUBA diving?
I'm looking for a compact digital camera which I can use both in and out of the water. Most of the good waterproof cameras which I have found are only rated to 10 meters, which is insufficient. Am I better off buying a regular camera and a waterproof case? I have seen some of these offered by Canon.
You're best off to do a little research on the camera you really want and then see if there's a decent underwater housing for it. Personally, I'd steer clear of the actual camera manufacturer's housings. They tend not to allow use of all the camera functions and they are usually only just good enough that they can claim a depth rating of 130ft max. You're better off protecting that camera investment by purchasing a decent housing like an IkeLite ( if it's available for your camera). They're rated to 200 feet and each is factory tested to pass that. I own a Canon A720IS, that canon does make the housing for, but it was so cheaply made that I opted for the IkeLite housing instead. That housing cost TWICE as much as the actual camera. But I know the camera is safe and that model does everything I want in a camera, both above and below.
As for amphibs ( cameras that are in their own housing such as Sea&Sea, or Bonica) I'd advise against unless you don't mind lugging a large housing around on the surface or what your photos will actually look like. Amphibs are a compromise solution. They don't take great above water shots and they don't take great underwater shots. They do both only "ok" as opposed to a higher end camera that you put in a higher end housing.
When you're looking for a camera, keep a few things in mind.
What's it's power consumption like? Changing batteries is impossible on a dive.
What's it's storage format and capacity? You can't swap out cards on a dive.
How easy is it to point and shoot? You're looking through a housing with a mask on your face, can you see what you're aiming at?
You may be wearing gloves when diving. Can you manipulate those function buttons on the housing easily?
What are the options for adding things like strobes, lens or video lights later? What about the actual camera modes? You may find yourself doing macro or wide angle pics. Maybe at night? Maybe in low vis....that onboard flash can then be your worst enemy since you may not have an option to disable it and all you'll get is backscatter.
My advice... choose ten cameras that do what it is that you intend on doing. Find out if a dedicated manufacturer of dive camera housings makes a housing for those cameras. Then choose from between the ones that do.
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