Need help deciding on first camera

[surfer88k]

Ok so im looking to get a dive camera. Im not looking to spend that much money. Looking at point and shoots with underwater housing.

I was looking at the Panasonic TS4 or the GoPro hero2.

I know that i will need a underwater housing for the TS4 and the gopro needs a flat lens.

I want to mainly take video but pics would be nice too. I heard you can take pics out of the gopro video.

How does the video quality of the TS4 compare to the gopro?

any other camera you would recommend?

Thanks

[Ardy]

Hi - Saw some video from a gopro a couple of weeks ago and as they were young guys I assumed the video was pretty bad due to poor handling. I know that Panasonic does a decent video implementation but I guess you need to check this out yourself in a shop. The goPro is ridiculously small which is a plus.

[Drx6x]

Well I going to get a gopro my self so gess that would be my vote

[Oldbear]

I bought a GoPro for my daughter who like to do UW Videos with here Canon S90. She mailed the GoPro to me to play with as I will be in Sharm El Sheikh in two weeks and then Honduras for the month of May. Last night I was reading the GoPRo's Instructions and it did indicate that you can take still pictures. Even better you can set the shutter to take mulitple shots in rapid seccession which I love so I hope I can get at least one or two descent action photos of the marine life...fish do NOT make the best models and are not noted for their camera posing.:uwphotographer::fish:

IMO if you are going to be focusing on video, I would go with the GoPro as a first introduction camera. If you want more versatility, land, everyday camera, then the Canons are extrememly hard to beat.

Good luck with your decision...
:banana:
~Michael~

[Nitro91]

pictures will be pretty crap with the gopro lol. there is absolutely no control and option over settings of photos, besides the size in megapixels and angle. I had a gopro as my first uw camera/video and was rather not happy with it.

I have a sony camera now and its obviously a huge upgrade.

The gopro is good if you're taking it in good light conditions and because its so small. A lot of people have a primary camera for pictures and attach the gopro to their camera housing to video a whole dive.

I would recommend a compact point and shoot to start with. unless you prefer having something tiny

[stargost]

The panasonic P&S family (zs/tz) is a great starting point. Unless you want to bring your setup in tough dryland conditions (skiing, motorbyke, or surfing - all are Go-pro friendly) I would recommend the panasonic tz with the panasonic housing. The total combo is 500$, similar to the gopro, and you can do still.
But mostly, for diving, you will have much better low light performance, which remain the problem of the go pro.
With the panasonic, you have na underwater mode that you can tune (more red), and you dont need lights.

Even if not best, the pana will give better macro than the gopro, for both still and video.

I have been using the zs3 for 3 years, and really like it. The housing start to degrade now and dont go below 80ft without the buttons getting stuck.


examples:
Catalina 3Mars2012 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4qE8-jRfqc&list=UU0mZl0MIu2xvKiLINlW141A&index=3&feature=plcp)

catalina Sundiver express 21812 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT71nrQNNPM&list=UU0mZl0MIu2xvKiLINlW141A&index=5&feature=plcp)

diving Taveuni Fiji 2011 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdUb5aYx65w&list=UU0mZl0MIu2xvKiLINlW141A&index=14&feature=plcp)




Ok so im looking to get a dive camera. Im not looking to spend that much money. Looking at point and shoots with underwater housing.

I was looking at the Panasonic TS4 or the GoPro hero2.

I know that i will need a underwater housing for the TS4 and the gopro needs a flat lens.

I want to mainly take video but pics would be nice too. I heard you can take pics out of the gopro video.

How does the video quality of the TS4 compare to the gopro?

any other camera you would recommend?

Thanks

[alcina]

I have the GoPro and the Panasonic TS3. I'm loving the Panasonic and think the GoPro is OK. I'd personally buy the Panasonic before the GoPro - I will probably be selling my GoPro, in fact, as I just don't use it really.

Agree, the photos from the GoPro are only OK. But they'll do if you love the little GoPro video system (which is extremely nifty).

I pulled a still from the Panasonic the other day and it, too, is only OK - but the images taken as stills can be really nice. I have a thread here on SB with photos from the TS3 (http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/underwater-photography/412372-snorkel-dive-panasonic-ts3.html) and I've taken a lot more if you want to see anything else.

Good luck choosing! :)

[surfer88k]

thanks for all the replies everyone

so i think im going to get a point and shoot. Do you think the TS4 is good or is there a better camera i can get for around the same price? I dont necessarily need it to be a rugged camera. I want a camera that will shoot good video as well as pics.

Thanks for the input

[stargost]

Panasonic both camera and housing is likely going to be the lowest price for great quality.
The other choice would be the canon s100 with an ikelite housing. More expensive, but very good too. And the ikelite will let you add a WA adapter later. You can also use another housing for the panasonic, better but cost more...
But for video, the fact the panasonics have WB mode for underwater that you can adjust (+/- red-blue) is really good when you want to just you the camera without lights or strobe.
Dont recall which one has the the widest angle.
I think the S100 will give you better still picture in land.

The problem is the $$ litmit. If you stick to ~500$ for both housing and camera, the panasonic kit is hard to beat. If you increase the spending to 750-1000, the possibilities become much wider.



thanks for all the replies everyone

so i think im going to get a point and shoot. Do you think the TS4 is good or is there a better camera i can get for around the same price? I dont necessarily need it to be a rugged camera. I want a camera that will shoot good video as well as pics.

Thanks for the input

[surfer88k]

I could do a little more. what would you recommend for around 750$

thanks

[stano]

I have a gopro and the TS4. I would recommend the TS4 only because of the dual functionality. You go on a dive trip you bring one camera. The gopro does do great video but you wouldn't pull it to take a picture at supper with your wife. The flat lens issue also pisses me off and to me gopro is a total fall down in this area. I have contacted them twice regarding the inability to focus underwater. They are simply ignoring this segment of the market.
My 2 cents.

Stano

[surfer88k]

Ok so i decided against the gopro and so im about to pull the trigger on the TS4 within the next few days. Can anyone think of a better camera and housing that would be around $750

Thanks

[alcina]

Personally, I'd get the TS3 and save $100+ over the TS4. The "upgrade" was a bit weak imho and certainly not worth the extra cash to me. The TS3 even with adding the housing is such an awesome deal - use that extra dosh to get Lightroom if you don't have it or put it towards more diving (or beers afterward), I say :)

[bowlofpetunias]

I'm getting great results with the Canon S95... gets good video with fairly low light. Stays in focus pretty well.. doesn't get "confused" but particulate and have the subject go in and out of focus. I bought an Iklite housing so I can expand it later. I am actually thinking of looking for a second Canon S95 on Ebay as a spare to go in the Canon housing as a back up. It has excellent features.... easy to access underwater. The camera is certainly able to do much more than I know how to ask of it!

[Maurice]

So why limit to GoPro when you are choosing an actioncam? I am now thinking of buying an CamOneTec camera.

See the website for CamOneTec (http://www.camonetec.com/). Does anyone have experience with this smaller version of the Gopro setup? It seems to have some advantage over the Gopro version (smaller, lighter, with lcd on back standard)