Inexpensive underwater camera?

[GLOCKSCUBAG!RL]

Bummer!


*~ Adventurer for life ~*

 

[maderadiver]

I got my intova hd2 here

Intova Sport HD II Waterproof Action Camera SP1 N B&H Photo

Amazon has them sometimes with valuable mounts added and cheaper

Amazon.com: Intova Sport Pro HD Video Camera with Accessory Pack: Sports & Outdoors

 

[Tigerman]

A smartphone housing just recently came out called 'Watershot'. It's $100 and I used it for a couple dives and got some great shots of lionfish, coral and a moray eel. Plus, later on when you get more money you can but a lens attachment for it if you want more high tech pics. It's like having a $1000 camera for cheaper.

Im sorry, but no its not. A $1000 camera has a lot more features and a significantly larger image sensor.

Personally I would not go the action cam route for stills either, but I do have one for video (although a gopro, not an intova)

 

[Doppler]

People have attempted to link the words "inexpensive" and "underwater" for many years. Let me know if you have success. Most people have no trouble finding the SUC part of the equation: it's the CESS portion that's hard to find.

Also, think about this. Photography has been called painting with light... for a reason. Underwater, the light issue is ALWAYS the most important one. Without lights you are going to take green, unfocused, uninteresting snaps that will sit forgotten on a hard-drive someplace after a couple of viewings. Save your money.

 

[Interceptor121]

I would recommend a second hand rig on ebay or from a respectable shop

 

[flareside]

Most people have no trouble finding the SUC part of the equation: it's the CESS portion that's hard to find.

Considering CESS is at the root of words like cesspool and abscess, are you sure it is something you'd want to find?

 

[Diver Dave1]

I suggest a used Canon and its used Canon housing. Used G9 or G10 camera's would not be too much. Someday, I will sell my used G9 since I dive with a DSLR now.

 

[Tigerman]

I GAVE my G7 (chdk ftw) and OEM housing away not long ago (although to my nephew) as I just couldnt be assed trying to sell it..

 

[CT Sean]

I suggest a used Canon and its used Canon housing. Used G9 or G10 camera's would not be too much. Someday, I will sell my used G9 since I dive with a DSLR now.

+1

I've seen Canon A570's sell with housing for under 150 here and on Ebay. Has very good image quality - much better than an iPhone - and likely better than anything you can buy new for 150.00 . Also gives you things like full manual control, and manual white balance (IMO, a requirement for a camera that is not conveniently RAW capable*) . It's main downside is video is only 480p - if that's important to you. I've been considering selling mine, since it's been long replaced by an S100.

* I know RAW is possible with CDHK but not everyone is interested in 3rd party firmware, and I found it very cumbersome processing RAW images so I didn't bother with them.

 

[Scuba_tom0488]

I have just recently purchased an Ipix underwater housing for my Samsung Galaxy S4 (received it today) and im very much looking forward to testing it out! The camera on the S4 is awesome so at $149, it was a much cheaper purchase for me than buying an actual camera and underwater housing. HOWEVER, I could not find it anywhere in Europe and had to import it from US, I had to then pay $42 P&P and on top of that I got stung with a £31 customs charge when it arrived in the UK! So all in all it ended up costing considerably more than first thought, but I have see videos of it on YouTube and it looks amazing underwater, so I'm really looking forward to testing it out!