4 Novice Q's re Olympus digital cam

[dlwalke]

So unexpectedly, I'm now thinking about buying a digital camera. I've found answers to many questions...here are some lingering ones.

1) Are the Ikelite containers so reliable that you really needn't have any worries about your very expensive camera being ruined?

2) If I want to blow pictures up to 11X14, do I pretty much need 5 MP?

3) What is the difference between the C50 and the C5050 besides $200 at Amazon? They both do 5 MP. I believe, but am not sure, that the latter takes longer quicktime movies. I don't believe that I need much in the way of flexibility. Above the water, I have been happy to let my non-digital camera figure out shutterspeed and aperture and whatever else it figures out. Are they comparable in terms of flash versatility or how many pics you can store?

4) What is the price history of these things? In particular, is the $700 C-550 likely be $600 or $500 a year from now?

Thanks a bunch,
Dave

 

[raxafarian]

1. no housing is 100%"leak-proof". You have to take care of the o-rings, etc. BUT, it is nice to be able to see the oring get compressed thru the clear ike housing.

2. 3mp gives good 8x10's, so yes. 5mp will be good for 11x14.


3. I don't know... check HERE


4. like all electronics, yes the price will drop as newer models come out.

 

[sparky30]

dlwalke once bubbled...
So unexpectedly, I'm now thinking about buying a digital camera. I've found answers to many questions...here are some lingering ones.

1) Are the Ikelite containers so reliable that you really needn't have any worries about your very expensive camera being ruined?

2) If I want to blow pictures up to 11X14, do I pretty much need 5 MP?

3) What is the difference between the C50 and the C5050 besides $200 at Amazon? They both do 5 MP. I believe, but am not sure, that the latter takes longer quicktime movies. I don't believe that I need much in the way of flexibility. Above the water, I have been happy to let my non-digital camera figure out shutterspeed and aperture and whatever else it figures out. Are they comparable in terms of flash versatility or how many pics you can store?

4) What is the price history of these things? In particular, is the $700 C-550 likely be $600 or $500 a year from now?

Thanks a bunch,
Dave

I just got my C5050 for x-mas and I just bought an Olympus PT-015 housing for it.. Unfortunately I have not had a chance to get it wet... However, the housing looks very impressive and solid.
I think the difference between the C50 and C5050 is the optics and storage options.. My C5050 will read just about any kind of media. CompactFlash, SmartMedia, and the newer xD. It will even read IBM microdrives.. You can have multiple storage uptions loaded at the same time, and flip back and forth with the push of a button. I really liked that idea, since I can't open the cam underwater to change cards.. LOL Its fantastic.