Looking for an entry level digital camera

I'd like to purchase a digital camera for underwater photography, but nothing on the professional or pro-sumer grade. I really just want something to point and shoot with.
My current point and shoot camera for dry use is a sony cybershot. It is a 2 megapixel camera that has no optical zoom. Something equivalent would be just perfect for me to take underwater.
I'm really just looking for something that will allow me to take the pictures that I would take with a disposable film camera, but I like being able to hold a great number more and also like to be able to delete the bad ones.
Can you all give me a recommendation as to what camera might be a good choice?

I've used both Fuji and Pentax point and shoot cameras in their respective U/W housings. While they are much too automatic for a real photographer who wants more control over things like shutter speed and f-stops they were just the ticket for me. Sounds like what you want too.

Pentax Optio s50 with Pentax housing:


Fuji F10 with Fuji housing:

jessecurry:

I'd like to purchase a digital camera for underwater photography, but nothing on the professional or pro-sumer grade. I really just want something to point and shoot with.
My current point and shoot camera for dry use is a sony cybershot. It is a 2 megapixel camera that has no optical zoom. Something equivalent would be just perfect for me to take underwater.
I'm really just looking for something that will allow me to take the pictures that I would take with a disposable film camera, but I like being able to hold a great number more and also like to be able to delete the bad ones.
Can you all give me a recommendation as to what camera might be a good choice?

Click to expand...

You might want to consider the new SeaLife DC500 Camera. We have been getting some pretty impressive reviews on it from the customers that have purchased them thus far. It is a really nice point and shoot digital camera.

SeaLife DC500 Digital Camera

Phil Ellis
Dive Sports Online
www.divesports.com
(800) 601-DIVE

Thanks, that definitely gave me a good starting point, but I think that it's a little more than what I need. Have you heard anything about the Sealife DC300? I'll probably end up with a high end and a low end camera so for the point and shoot I really only need 2 MP, none of the pictures will be resized, just processed.

PhilEllis:

You might want to consider the new SeaLife DC500 Camera. We have been getting some pretty impressive reviews on it from the customers that have purchased them thus far. It is a really nice point and shoot digital camera.

SeaLife DC500 Digital Camera

Phil Ellis
Dive Sports Online
www.divesports.com
(800) 601-DIVE

Click to expand...

jessecurry:

Thanks, that definitely gave me a good starting point, but I think that it's a little more than what I need. Have you heard anything about the Sealife DC300? I'll probably end up with a high end and a low end camera so for the point and shoot I really only need 2 MP, none of the pictures will be resized, just processed.

Click to expand...

I've got the DC310 and have been extremely happy with it. All of the underwater pics in my gallery (click near my name on left) were taken with it. So you can see some "real pics" taken with it. BTW... none of those pics are the ones I cleaned up
with Photoshop. You can make them look great once you photoshop them.

The DC310 is the "same camera" as the DC300 but just has more buttons on it (or the housing). But it should take the same pics.

It takes great pics and for the purpose of what I wanted it for, which was simply
to make snapshots of my dive, works great. I think it's 3.3mega pixel, (but can't remmeber for sure).

I'm not sure that Reefmaster is still making the DC300/DC310 any more.
I think they have now migrated only to the production of the DC500.
But I'm sure you can still pick it up in some stores, but compare those
"older model" prices first to the DC500 prices at Phil's shop. You can
most likely get a newer/fancier DC500 for just a few bucks more.

The advantages of the DC500, from what I can tell are, it's 5 megapixel, has a much larger LCD screen. has easier to use buttons, comes with a rechargeable battery, has a zoon lens, quicker shutter lag, and has "shark mode" which will allow you to snap multiple shots.

hope that helps.

-Mike

i recently purchased a nikon coolpix 4100 with a fantasea cp-3n housing. haven't been under with it yet but i like the controls. i had a sealife digital but that burned in our house fire last year. i liked that one but the controls were limited. look around find one that has the features you like and can be a little flexible. my cp-3n housing will alse take the nikon 3200, and 2200

Look for older models in the consumer digital cameras - something like the Canon A75 (sorry, I don't know the model numbers for the other manufacturers...)

Many should still be available with housings. They will also be relatively inexpensive, allow you several shooting modes so you can point & shoot or play around and be great for land stuff, too. I wouldn't go with a Sealife as there is no way I use it on land - but one of the little Canons, Olys, Pentaxes, Fujis etc for sure!

I've got the Pentax Optio S50 in a housing as well. Though I'm not as good at getting good shots as Pug, I get lucky on occasion. The built-in little flash is plenty for the close-up macro shots. It's hard to get decent shots from more than 18-24 inches awa anyhow 'cause of the "stuff" that lives in cold water, so getting macro shots is creat practice for buoyancy control <-- supposed to be the toothy grin smiley. grrrrrrr :frown:

It has a single button to hit to go into macro mode (i.e. don't have to go through the menu). I keep forgetting to use it, but it also has an underwater mode..... I'm guessing that's a digital filter of some sort?

The one thing I don't like so much about the S50 is it only uses 2 AA batteries. They're only good for about a 1 hour dive if I leave it on and take lots of pics. They'll last for a 1 1/2 hour dive if I don't turn it on until I find a pic worth taking.

It's "only" a 5 megapixel, but as long as I took a good picture to start with, it will actually blow up to a 36" print with excellent resolution!

It's small enough in the housing to clip off to a d-ring and not be in the way if I'm not actively shooting pics. It's small enough out of the housing and in it's little case to fit in a pocket for dry land use.

I just got the Cannon a95 and In april I us it in cozumel shot 350 picture and have been real happy with it. Not bad for the price for both the camera and housing

jessecurry:

I'd like to purchase a digital camera for underwater photography, but nothing on the professional or pro-sumer grade. I really just want something to point and shoot with.
My current point and shoot camera for dry use is a sony cybershot. It is a 2 megapixel camera that has no optical zoom. Something equivalent would be just perfect for me to take underwater.
I'm really just looking for something that will allow me to take the pictures that I would take with a disposable film camera, but I like being able to hold a great number more and also like to be able to delete the bad ones.
Can you all give me a recommendation as to what camera might be a good choice?

Click to expand...

"Something equivalent would be just perfect for me to take underwater."

So why not just get a housing for your Sony and save the money? I would first check on a housing then check if the Sony has a preflash, a good thing is if does not have a preflash, for future expansion to an external strobe.

Dive Safe