Digital camera and housing combinations

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Can anyone give me some advise on purchasing a digital camera in terms of getting an unerwater housing for it?
I have seen the Terta by Light and Motion for the Olympus Camedia and the Ikelite housing for the Olympus D320.
Do you know of any other combinations where the camera would be of at least 2 megapixel quality?
 
don't spend one plugged nickel until you read the Spring 2000 issue of Ocean Realm. If the newstands are out (which most are), check out their website at http://www.oceanrealm.org and look up the Photo realm column in that issue.

Yesterday at Catalina Is, I saw no fewer that 2 ikelite housings with Nikon Coolpix 950s in them. The times they is a changin!
 
I am in the early stages of buying some sort of uw photographic equipment myself. Originally, I was thinking along the lines of a digital camera and housing. I have been using a MX-10 for several years and have decided that some form of digital media is the way to go, too many poor picture to good picture ratio to suit my tightwad personality. Don't get me wrong, this little camera has done an exceptional job for what it is, but I am to the point I want to upgrade. Lately however, I am leaning tward a digital camcorder instead of a camera. That way, I can get the advantages of video and using the still capture function I can get still photos as well. A fairly quick look at prices seems to indicate that the prices are about even between the two options (digital still vs video). Anyone have any experience with stills taken with one of the new digital camcorders? Also, any comments, good or bad on specific models. I have made no decisions at this time although a Sony/Aquavideo combo does seem to be in the lead at this time.
 
my buddy was using a Sony PC 100 in a Gates housing in Indonesia a few weeks ago. The housing performed flawlessly (not everyone can say that about their Gates housings!!) That little PC 100 is sweet!!!! The stills were OK and of course, any shots that turned out less than expected were easily erased before we even swam 10 feet to the next coral head. My own personal preference is for Ikelite housings: the customer service is legendary and here in the US, they are cheap enough ( I hear the prices are astronomical in Britain).

One thing i would like to see is some sort of supplementary lighting to better bring out the colors. My buddy did not have a strobe properly light the subjects. Maybe video lights would fill the bill. Perhaps the market is responding with such a product?
 
Hi Mike,

The PC 100 was kind of the one I was looking at as well. Originally, I was looking at Ikelite housing but after reading the Aquavideo web site http://www.aquavideo.com/index.htm (sales propaganda I know but it did seem to make sence) I am leaning tward them. Mainly, their sealing methods are different. As for lighting, there several manufac on the web but an adaquate video lighing system seems to be in the $1500 range and I am not sure it would add enough to encourage me to buy one. Most of my diving that I would be interested in videoing is caribean water in 40 ft or less. Besides, I can always erase what I don't want and add one later. I am in no hurry to buy so I can afford to do some research and find all comments helpful.
 
My dive partner uses a video camera and it works well. The problem I have with a digital video w/ still setting is that the still pictures do not have near the resolution that an actual digital still camera does. I have looked at the Ikelite housing for the olympus D360. It does not offer the performance I would like to see in a camera. The Terta housing for the Olympus C3030 looks great but the package cost would be over $2000.00 Still looking for the right combination.
 
also, think about whether you will use the LCD screen as a finder (much easier on the eyes, but bulkier housings and drag in the water) or the optical viewfinder (tough to compose, hard on some eyes, but smaller more streamlined housings)
 
Depend on the buget. Most people use a olympas 5050 with a ikelite housing and strobe. I have a canon G5 with a ikelite housing and love it. ikelite makes one of the best housings. If that is to much and you are on a buget my girlfriend has a canon s230 $200 ish and a Canon Housing $200 ish also. Pretty sweet pock set up for $400 total. You can also go to thte canon 400 a bit more but worth it. But the canon housing are not as good and you really have to check them good before you go in the water with them.

Oh and you will almost alwas use the digital screen you really want the camera as far in frount of you as possible to not scare the fish and get close.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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