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#220
Cheap dive camera.
uonlylive1nce - 3/29/2006 11:41 AM
Category: Photography
Replies: 15

Does anyone have experience with a cheaper camera that gives you good results?
#1207
MattD - 3/29/2006 11:51 AM
Disposables work up to 50 feet.
#51828
Greg - 3/29/2006 1:12 PM
I used a disposable one time that was rated to 50 feet. It took pictures down to that depth, but I accidentally went past that depth and the button you push to take a picture no longer worked due to water pressure I guess. I went to at least 70 feet on that dive and the camera held up. The pictures were kind of grainy though. There is a disposable camera for sale on crazyscuba.com that is rated down to 95 feet for only $17. Or you can get the 5.19 mega pixel underwater camera by Sea and Sea for $500 with a housing that is rated to 150`. You can afford 29 disposable cameras for $500 though...but the picture quality won`t be as great. I`d go with the digital camera.
#5
freediver - 3/29/2006 9:15 PM
I have a SeaLife Reefmaster with external strobe that I am happy with. Going digital soon though! WooHoo!
#50
ScubaLou - 4/04/2006 4:13 PM
Hi, I personally use the Sea&Sea models, they are fairly cheap if you start with the basic models and take some pretty good shots, I have used the MX5, MX10 and now have the AquaPix, take a look at my site for the sort of photos taken with these cameras: www.tellurian.co.uk Good Luck and happy snapping
#126
CooperTrooper - 4/06/2006 1:29 PM
I use a sea life reefmaster DC310 digital camera that produces great results. I had to invest in an external strobe first to acheive these results but it was well worth the money!!!
#65
TokyoScuba - 4/10/2006 2:10 AM
I`m using an Olympus C-4040 (http://www.steves-digicams.com/2001_reviews/c4040.html) since 8 years, treated it badly, dropped it several times, never cleaned it or its housing - both of which can be obtained for less than US$ 500.00 here in Tokyo. Best of all, it takes brilliant pictures - even better than the SONY Cybershot that I have used for comparison. Do me a favour and don`t go for a disposable.
#10
fresnodiver - 4/15/2006 3:10 PM
ALL THE THE MONEY I SPENT ON GETTING CHEAP CAMERAS HOPEING THEY WOULD TAKE GOOD PICTURES I COULD HAVE BOUGHT A GOOD ONE. CHEAP CAMERAS=CHEAP PICTURES.
#28
marty - 4/20/2006 12:40 PM
Just got back from cozumel 1st dive trip ever. got certified took the 50 foot camera down. Got good pictures just not sure of what. To explain I knew what the picture was of course but the colors of all the fish were gone. I figured out no flash no colors. Yes it was a fish or turtle or nurse shark but no colors under say 15-20 feet. all greens & blues of the water only no colors stayed with the fish, just got outlines. but the good news is it`s still in my head!!!
#70
scubamacy - 4/22/2006 10:35 PM
I have a SeaLife with two external flashes and it does pretty good with the right film, but I am looking for a digital so I can post my pictures on web sites, and don`t have to carry so much gear when I travel abroad.
#214
Wes1960 - 5/01/2006 5:45 PM
I use an Oly 5050 with a PT-15 housing and an Inon D2000 strobe. Although I wouldn`t call it cheap, it does take great pics and I can use the 5050 topside. Whatever you get don`t cheap out on the strobe.
#60
chuckc - 5/30/2006 8:36 PM
Check E-Bay or the web photog places for a digital that includes an underwater housing. Housings can easily double or triple the cost of the camera. Give up on the "cheap disposables". By time you get the film back you don`t know what you took and if it has a flash there are big blobs from the glare of the flash and if not there is no color and the detail is not there. With my Olympus and a one gig picture card I can take a couple hundred pictures on a dive and something is bound to come out. Check my fun pictures at http://scuba.royalcs.com This makes lots of great memories of a trip and fun to share with others.
#45
DiverRon - 6/20/2006 10:18 PM
Hello, I use a Canon A80 digital with a standard canon underwater housing and I think I get great shots (but that is just the opinion of the guy that takes them). The camera (or one comparable since they don`t make that model any more) will cost about $400 CAN and the housing is around $200 CAN. I have posted a bunch that I have taken with that camera. So you can be the judge. :)
#142
Bluefin - 7/03/2006 12:12 AM
I use a Canon A85 digital in a Canon housing. It has a special setting for underwater, which brightens up the colors. Total cost for camera and housing was around $500. Check out my pictures to see what quality you get. The built-in flash works well but only in clear water, otherwise you get too much backscatter. An external strobe is my next purchase. You can also use software to edit out problems, I use Adobe Elements. I have taken the camera to 130`, which is the rating for the housing, with no problems.
#388
debay(Dee-Bay) - 10/11/2007 3:24 PM
intova ICS 600. its a nice camera with an underwater housing. its worth the investment. check newegg.com for it.
#28736
RAWalker - 11/10/2007 10:42 PM
I agree use E-bay to get a decent camera and housing cheap. Last April I purchased a factory refurbished Fuji F-700 for $90 including shipping. I also found the UW housing for it Fuji FX-700 for $100. So for $200 I got a high end compact digital still cam that has all the features you`ll need. I`ve added a pair of Pixtreme Slave strobes PX21 that come with a UW housing, tray, accesory kit and flex bar for $99 each.(These are identical to the Fantasea Nano) So for $400 I`ve got a serious UW digital outfit That I`d be willing to compare to any outfit twice the price regularly.