reefmaster cameras?

i see a lot of olympus threads but i see no info on reefmaster, i was considering buying the dc310 with a strobe, is this a good camera for a beginer? it is much less expensive than a similar setup with an olympus camera

r&wc:

i see a lot of olympus threads but i see no info on reefmaster, i was considering buying the dc310 with a strobe, is this a good camera for a beginer? it is much less expensive than a similar setup with an olympus camera

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We've been using the reefmaster digital for about a year and a half, and I think it's been a great camera for beginners. The camera plus strobe plus macro lenses ran a total of about $550, as I recall (prices may have changed). The strobe is definitely worth it.

You can see lots of sample pics by clicking on the "Underwater Gallery" link under my signature.

Our only complaint is that it's not fine-tune-able at all - for that, you just need a nicer camera. But it's great for the price! It's made an excellent starter camera for my husband, and I'll be inheriting it once he moves on to getting a housing for our Canon digital rebel.

One thing I did notice about the reefmaster digitals, they seem to be set up for deeper dives, they are rated to 200 fsw. I've been doing some looking into cameras lately, and that is the deepest rating I ahave found.

I have got the DC300 and if I had realised the difference between the two would have got the DC310. The difference is that I cannot switch to video mode or change the setup. I can get to change between macro/regular/far flash which is important and affects the quality of the photo. I find that the quality of the photo is good at 3.3mp. The strobe is definitely required though it is possible to get soem decent pics with only the built in flash. I don't know the benefits of getting two strobes for this camera.

Alaity: if you can find a housing for the dig. reb. for less than $1200, let me know!!! Thanks.

I had the DC310 for a couple days and took it back to the store for a refund.

Good housing, but cheap crappy camera. Sorry guys, its made by Vivatar and you can buy the 3.3 meg pixel camera at wallmart for $100. That makes for a no adjustment capable camera pretty expensive if thats a $400 housing DC310 package then.

For the same money, I use a Nikon 4 meg pixel Cool Pix 4300 ($300) and a $185 dollar Fantasea housing.

Same $500 spent, but I've got a damn good macro set-up, and a great surface camera to boot.

Cool Pix 2 or 3 meg pixel cameras and housings are even cheaper at about $300-400 investment.

Cheap camera place to go shopping.

www.dbuys.com

Just wanted to agree with Rockyheap, an inferior camera at a superior price. For $460 you can buy a Canon A80 camera and Canon UW housing for this you get a 4 megapixel, 3x optical zoom camera with macro focusing to 4". For more money you can buy the Reefmaster's 3 megapixel, no zoom, no macro camera. Your choice.

Reefmaster seems to be banking on the fact that the housing is yellow. If it looks like a Nikonos...

I had the 2 mpixell version (lost it on a night dive...oops).

I'll agree that it's a crappy little camera... took really poor pictures above water.
For a BEGINNER though, it was a great underwater camera. The camera's abilities surpassed mine anyway ... and a little "photoshop" can go a long way towards improving the photos

I liked that the housing was guaranteed to 200 feet ... some of my diving is below 100 feet.

In fact, I'm contemplating getting another Reefmaster... the 310 this time.

If you don't have aspirations towards "pro" level photography, and just want a way to record and share some of your underwater adventures, I think it's a descent set-up.

P.S. The strobe not only creates better lighting, but the handle makes it MUCH easier to hold the camera steady and get better photos ... get the strobe.

I also started with the 2 meg reefmaster and then got the DC 300. I now use an Olympus 5050z. I agree that if you are not already thinking of expanding to a camera with greater capabilities, and would just like to use it to have fun, get the reefmaster.

I first got the Reefmaster for budgetary reasons but knew that I would most likely get into underwater photography. Had I to do it all over again, I would have paid that extra interest on the credit card and bought the Olympus first off. The capabilities (especially with the supermacro) and quality that the Olympus has to offer are by far better than the Reefmaster, although strobe options are much more expensive. I am now working on saving for a strobe, you can get the sea life strobe to work with the Olympus though. On the other hand the internal strobe on the Olympus is quite versatile and still allows for good lighiting up to 2 meters away in good visibility.

You can see the difference in the quality of the picutres on my web site. The numbered galleries have picutres taken with the Olympus and most of the earlier galleries under the dive site names are Reefmaster shots. DIVE TIMOR LESTE

The main reason you don't see a lot of Reefmaster threads is because many people have found out that you can get far more bang for your buck going another route in digital underwater systems. You've gotten some good pointers here.

Both Oly and Canon (and Sony, I think - though these aren't my favourites) have cameras and housings that aren't that much more (if any) than the Reefmaster, but that will blow away pretty much anything the Reefmaster can produce while giving you versatility as well. Some people do get some lovely images with the Reefmaster, but I still think for the money there are much better choices. And for most people, the Reefmaster will be too limiting in subject choices.

You might not need the excellent options available on an Oly 5050, say so maybe check out the Stylus range or the Canon A series (and S series).

As you have more questions, ask away!