I posted this previously on this site. Still learning how to move about the site correctly. Basically, the 8000 is a great pocket waterproof camera. I have the Olympus deep housing for it ( I think it is called the PT 045). Works well, but needs at leat one side arm strobe for additional lighting and to keep out backscatter. Probably would work better with 2 strobes, but no dinero for that right now. I kind of like the fact that if my deep houseing leaks, the Olympus 8000 is water resistant tobegin with, although haven't had that issue to date.
I had one of the original Stylus 770s. That worked well for basic underwater shots, but back scatter is a problem. I bought a Sea and Sea side arm mount with the Olympus UF-1 as the external strobe to try and fix the back scatter. Works a little better. The complaint with the 770 was that on land, in low light settings, I would continually get "spots" or lens flare. I sent it back 2 times to Olympus, but they could never fix it (did charge me over $100). This summer, I took the 770 on a shallow dive (20') without the underwater housing for deep dives, and got some water leakage into the battery compartment. I stopped using it. It still works fine, but I gave it to my girlfriend since her camera died that she uses for commercail real estate. It still works fine on dry land.
I then bought the 8000. I only use it for still shots. I have never done video. It is a little better camera. I bought the PT 045 housing, and it is a good combo. Back scatter is still a problem. The Sea and Sea mount with side arm fits along with my UF-1 strobe. On the last deep wreck dive (100') I did, the gray diffuser slide that covers the flash got lost (current?), so the UF-1 AND the 8000 flash were both shining on the subject during camera shots. Major back scatter! I just found out there is a black slide that goes over the diffuser plate on the PT 045 housing that may help this. I just have to buy a sync cord to go to the strobe. I can't wait to see if that works.
The 8000 doesn't get the lens flare (low light flash spots) like the 770 did on land shots. There is still some difficuly focusing in low light settings. I also wished the zoom was more than 3X too. Still, it is a great pocket camera to just be able to throw into your shirt pocket and go, and not worry about getting wet.
I had one of the original Stylus 770s. That worked well for basic underwater shots, but back scatter is a problem. I bought a Sea and Sea side arm mount with the Olympus UF-1 as the external strobe to try and fix the back scatter. Works a little better. The complaint with the 770 was that on land, in low light settings, I would continually get "spots" or lens flare. I sent it back 2 times to Olympus, but they could never fix it (did charge me over $100). This summer, I took the 770 on a shallow dive (20') without the underwater housing for deep dives, and got some water leakage into the battery compartment. I stopped using it. It still works fine, but I gave it to my girlfriend since her camera died that she uses for commercail real estate. It still works fine on dry land.
I then bought the 8000. I only use it for still shots. I have never done video. It is a little better camera. I bought the PT 045 housing, and it is a good combo. Back scatter is still a problem. The Sea and Sea mount with side arm fits along with my UF-1 strobe. On the last deep wreck dive (100') I did, the gray diffuser slide that covers the flash got lost (current?), so the UF-1 AND the 8000 flash were both shining on the subject during camera shots. Major back scatter! I just found out there is a black slide that goes over the diffuser plate on the PT 045 housing that may help this. I just have to buy a sync cord to go to the strobe. I can't wait to see if that works.
The 8000 doesn't get the lens flare (low light flash spots) like the 770 did on land shots. There is still some difficuly focusing in low light settings. I also wished the zoom was more than 3X too. Still, it is a great pocket camera to just be able to throw into your shirt pocket and go, and not worry about getting wet.
