Panasonic Lumix TS2 - my first dive photos and videos

[CoopersTroopers]

Hello all!

Haven't seen much info on the TS2, but I was looking for a new P&S camera I could take into semi-dangerous environments without fear - lots of snowboarding, pools/snorkeling, some scuba obviously, and just peace of mind for bad weather (I've vacationed in Vietnam amidst monsoon rains, **** happens that's hard to prepare for). Despite the very 2006 video mode, I really liked the S90+housing, but it's really not that hardy for what I might subject it too and costs a fair bit more to get water ready.

That basically boiled it down to the Panny or an Olympus Stylus Tough 8010. I've had Oly cameras in the past (like 6-8 years ago), and while I liked them, most of the reviews of the past several Tough models have suffered from soft image quality. Other gripes I've had seemed fixed in the 8010 (video mode, reliance on godforsaken XD cards), but I didn't want to guinea pig it with it's historic IQ issues. I have friends with the TS1, and they like it for lighter duty (beach), so I figured I'd give the tougher version 2 a chance.

Anywho, last week my wife and I went on her first/my second ever dives while we were vacationing on the Big Island Hawaii. We did 2-dive Discover Scuba with Jack's Dive Locker and had a blast. I didn't use the camera a lot as I really wanted to make sure I could get a handle on my buoyancy, but did get a few chances after I got comfy to pull it out for some pictures/video. We went down to about 40', and I dove with the camera without a housing.

Links to samples after my fifth post (this one!).

 

[CoopersTroopers]

Pictures: Hawaii 2010 Scuba samples - a set on Flickr
Videos: YouTube - everythingsablur's Channel

The TS-2 is a typical P&S and doesn't have any real manual controls. You can set some things like maximum ISO and minimum shutter speed, but it's predominantly still all automatic. The lens isn't fantastically fast at f3.3-f5.9ish (the Oly is f3.5, the S90 is a bright f2.0, and my brother's old dive camera - an Oly C-3030z - is a ludicrous f1.8), and there isn't a means to really control it. Clearly not a camera for hardcore dive photographers. I set the camera to Underwater Scene mode which is supposedly for depths greater than 10 feet (beach mode is for beach and up to 10' deep) and supposed to boost colours.

Other nitpicking point: top of camera controls are a wee too close together for me. Zoom controls are up there with the shutter and power button, so I've hit the wrong thing on several occasions. Zoom controls are likely easier to deal with under the thumb. Perhaps this wouldn't be so noticeable with the controls on the u/w housing as they're likely larger and a bit more spaced out (I hope).

I'm actually rather impressed with the image and video quality both underwater and above so far coming from a P&S...

Is the housing worth it with this kind of camera though?

 

[ChimChim75]

My friend has the TS1 plus housing. We've had it down to about 140'. It is nice to have redundacy when the o-rings fail. He flooded it a couple times at 40' and it was fine. (Cat hair on the o-ring.)

 

[scubajo007]

Hi CoopersTroopers, I’m looking for an underwater camera without housing, since I have just been on a dive holiday where I managed to damage two cameras with housing due to leakage. The Panasonic TS2 as far as I understand works without housing and do not require any special care, no O-rings to lubricate etc, however it is limited to a depth of something like 40ft, is that correct? Can you recommend this camera? And what depth do you think it may be able to withstand.

 

[ChimChim75]

You really should get a housing for redundancy. No one makes a camera good for scuba depths without one.

 

[adrianable]

is this camera recommended for leisure dives up to 10 metres? any duration for submersion underwater time limits? don't seem to read anything on that

 

[J.Bizzle]

is this camera recommended for leisure dives up to 10 metres? any duration for submersion underwater time limits? don't seem to read anything on that

I just got one over xmas. the "cautions for use" section says:

This camera has a waterproof/dustproof equivalent to "IP68". It is possible to take pictures in 10 m (33 feet) depth for 60 minutes.