Where to rent an underwater camera in Cozumel?

[Christi]

cvchief: Thanks ! I've been to Cozumel before; know where that is. I will contact them. I like the 'spray and pray' method! Also, thanks for being the only one here to actually ANSWER my question rather than try to critique my diving and buoyancy without knowing anything about me.

Can you please show me where I critiqued you? You have no information in your profile other than you have been certified for 6 - 10 years, - which means nothing to anyone here - for all we know, you could have been certified and only dove once since certification - so don't assume that anyone here knows that you have an "advanced card" - which also tells us nothing about your experience!

In fact, I SPECIFICALLY SAID: "I don't know your dive experience" - and followed that with "...UNLESS you are comfortable..." again qualifying that I have no idea what your diving experience is - so left that up to you. I will not apologize for not being a mind reader!

Furthermore, I did answer your question about Armando AND suggested that you check with your selected dive shop for rental cameras. There are VERY, VERY few places that rent cameras these days - some dive shops may have one or two on hand, but there is not a big market or advertising for them.

I'll add, that if you have a little Canon or Sony type point and shoot, check with B & H Photo online - they carry very affordable housings for A LOT of those cameras - they are model specific, so just make sure you are getting the right one. They usually run right at $200 or less, which would be less than renting a camera for the week anywhere. Won't help for this trip as I just noticed your dates, but something to consider for next trip.

Just as we don't know anything about your diving experience, you don't know anything about the regulars here that are trying to help and answer your questions, so the courtesy goes both ways!

[Brules]

Love Mythbusters!

If you try photography in Cozumel, my best advice is to "go with the flow". Don't fight the current or waste too much time trying to move back to shoot something or fin yourself to death trying to stay in place to catch a shot. Most new photogs do this and they are OOA faster than they may normally be, and most times their shots don't turn out.

I tried taking pics once in Coz, once, and experienced all of the above. Current made it difficult, I ended up missing most of the dives trying to take shots that turned out poorly, and I ran out of air faster than normal. Henceforth I adopted my new mantra of: Befriend people with overly large and expensive camera set ups. Has worked splendidly for me lol. I get to enjoy the dives and I mooch pics to how people what it looks like under there.

[scubawife]

Backscatter : Underwater Camera, Underwater Video Housing, Underwater Photography, Waterproof Camera Backscatter is a fantastic shop and they rent by the week. For a beginner, the G10 package would be a great choice. It's a higher end point & shoot that also allows you the option of manual settings, and it takes video too. Camera, housing, strobe, all the accessory items you need to set it up, and a pelican case to carry it all in for $300 for the week.

Most of the shops on the island don't rent camera or video equipment. I think it's mainly because it's tough to deal with servicing and repairing the housings. It's near impossible to find what you need on the island for things that in the US are a simple to find. I needed a screw for my housing in December. In the US I could have walked into any hardware store and found one that worked. Not so in Cozumel, but I do now know every place on the island that sells screws... and I guess you just never know when that bit of knowledge might come in handy... but it certainly didn't get my housing fixed. LOL.

[Ginger2k]

.. I will not apologize for not being a mind reader!

Not asking you to be a mind reader. I was asking you where I can rent a camera. If you don't know a place, you don't have to answer. If you DO know a place, you can answer. If you want to give me attitude, save it.

There are VERY, VERY few places that rent cameras these days - some dive shops may have one or two on hand, but there is not a big market or advertising for them. I'll add, that if you have a little Canon or Sony type point and shoot, check with B & H Photo online - they carry very affordable housings for A LOT of those cameras - they are model specific, so just make sure you are getting the right one. They usually run right at $200 or less, which would be less than renting a camera for the week anywhere. Won't help for this trip as I just noticed your dates, but something to consider for next trip.

See, you CAN and DID answer the question. Thank you. That's all I was asking for. If you had just said that to begin with, I would have walked away thinking 'What a nice person, and I see she owns a dive shop too; maybe I'll check into taking a class with her while I'm down there'

Please don't assume that because I am new to the board I am an idiot or a newbie.


Thanks and have a nice day.

---------- Post Merged at 02:11 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 02:07 PM ----------

scubawife: Thank you so much for the helpful info. I appreciate it.

---------- Post Merged at 02:12 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 02:07 PM ----------

Thanks Brules. Good advice

[Christi]

Sorry Ginger - my first response did not have an attitude, not sure how you read that into it and I apologize if that's how you read it. My reply, perhaps yes - in response to your attitude with me. I never said you were an idiot, and never even implied it. I did answer your question originally as well, it just wasn't what you wanted, I thought of the B & H option after the fact.


I do apologize if you misinterpreted my post that was intended to be helpful!

[JenLoves2Dive]

I do know that Dive Paradise rents cameras and YES most dive shops do want to ascertain your buoyancy control before they hand you a camera - no need to take it personal.
I realize your trip is planned for this time, but keep in mind that Bonnie Pelnar with Underwater Colours runs a really great photo seminar here in Cozumel at Scuba Club twice a year. I've done 3 of her seminars and they are a blast.
RELAX. Everybody here was trying to help you. Have fun!

[Sue Sue]

[cuyler]

I had a bad experience with Armando. The camera had a bad sensor so all the pictures off it had a line of red pixels down the centre. Sadly I did this on the last day and didn't have a laptop to check the pics until after I was home. He was also late dropping off the camera and the pictures - minor things. Regardless, if you're going to do pictures I'd recommend doing them on your second or third day so you can track down whoever you get them from if you have problems.

Oh, and watch your buoyancy. ;-)


Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[Brules]

I

Love

This

Video:



Makes my point about neophyte photographers nicely......don't be those people lol!

[cvchief]

Ginger may have snapped a little, and I KNOW Christi meant to be helpful, but it did sound condescending to me.

but please do not take a camera down unless you are very comfortable in the water and have excellent control of your buoyancy. Consider taking a photo course with an instructor as well

I can understand her being a little put off by it. I know Christi didn't mean it that way. Maybe it is a PA thing... I bought a case for my Canon and took it to my pool sessions in OW. I took picture on my OW dives. I brought it with me to Cozumel for my first dives after open water. Been diving with a camera ever since. It isn't one of those giant arrays, but I did get a strobe. I have seen a few newbie divers who would be better served by carrying a camera rather than failing their arm around all the time.

Ginger forgive Christi, she really did just mean to be helpful.... The rest of you don't wipe the floor with Ginger because she objected to the tone. She is from Philly and knows to SHOOT first.