Question About Simple Digital Camera

[12voltman]

I apologize for a new thread on this, but after searching the other threads I failed to find specific comments regarding my questions.

If I only want an underwater digital camera for use in shallow water -- no deeper than 20 feet, daytime only -- would the reefmaster, or similar, be sufficient. I've seen this camera for less than $300, and that sounds like a great price for what I need it to do. I only want to take photos that are of souvenir quality saved to a cd, and if printed, only to postcard size.

The follow up questions is: Can this camera be used at all for topside photos? And if so is, do you need to remove the camera from the housing? I need a camera that can do both, but I'm hoping I can do it under the following type of situation:

Imagine you are a tourist with no camera:wacko:, but would like to rent one for the day that can provide both snorkel/very shallow dive during the day photos while allowing you to also take photos topside during the course of daytime sightseeing activities:tree:. At the end of the day the photos will be burned to a cd for keepsake.

Of course I would prefer to have the sony dsc f717 with an underwater housing, but that's down the road. I only want something that is minimalist, easy to use, and I can give to someone without fear that I might lose a fortune to damage :smash: while they're happy with the photos they get.

I am searching previous threads for any information I can get, and am familiar with the discussions that deal with everyone's favorite cameras and the pros and cons. I will at some point buy a "serious" camera, but I just need to know if reefmaster or sea and sea cameras will provide what I'm looking for.

I appreciate any knowledge out there.

 

[Dee]

For what you describe, yes I think the Reefmaster digital would serve your purpose. I haven't personally used one but from what I understand you can use it out of the housing for topside pictures but I don't think you have to.

Thanks for doing your homework and knowing exactly what you want and what to ask for!

 

[norcaldiver]

The reefmaster digital would be ideal for that.
It can be taken out of the housing and used on land just fine. Mind you, it's not that impressive as far as material goes. The camera itself is plastic. But I have played with one in the store and downloaded a few pics from one and the pics are pretty good. I would suggest getting a larger mem card for it because you don't get the option of deleting pics once it's in the housing. You have to take it out of the housing to go to review/delete mode.
For snokeling/shallow diving, you're not going to get a better bang for your buck.

 

[ReyeR]

Not familiar about the Reefmaster Digital and it's features but I would rather go for a Olympus Stylus 400 (mju 400) or 300 (mju 300) + PT housing. Or even the older C2 + housing.

You'll get an excellent land camera as well with this option.

 

[desertdiver]

APS type rated at 10m U/W. also good at topside pics. autofucos. zooms a little bit (forgot how long). flash can be switched off, important to prevent backscatter. friend of mine has one for his students to have fun. under 300 us$

 

[RICHinNC]

I have a Reefmaster Digital and i HATE the dang thing.

Yes, it takes ok pictures...and yes you can take out of water pics in the housing or take it out of the housing. What I hate is...it is defaulted to a 10 second wait...and..."do you want to delete the last photo"....prompt.

Before you all get rude....yes...you can take it off the default wait and prompt...but...you have to open the camera housing...take the camera out...and play with the settings....put it back in the housing ...then dive. The weak area there is...in North Carolina it is dryer underwater than it is on the boat getting to the dive site...so if you take that camera out of the housing just before diving....it is going to bite the big "got wet" bullet.

Now Reefmaster said, no problem skippy....just take it off the prompt before you get on the boat. Obviously they have never dived the NC coast line. It takes 45 minutes to 2 hours to get to most dive sites and by then your batteries have drained or...the auto default no use turn off....has turned off the dang camera.

DONT BUY THE REEFMASTER DIGITAL....OR....CALL ME AND I WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD DEAL ON MINE !!!!!!

 

[norcaldiver]

How much ya want? Seriously! I can always use a backup or snokeling camera.

 

[Dee]

Would you mind taking your business deals to private PM's please! Either that or list the camera on Aquatrader.

Thanks!

 

[12voltman]

Thanks for the responses. While there are several ways to go on this I think the reefmaster will do what I need. Just simple snorkeling and generally used by non certified diver types, so for the money this seems to be the most cost effective and easiest way to go.

 

[scubagrl]

I'm just in the beginning stages of photography, both digital and underwater, and chose the Olympus Stylus 300...should be delivered today as a matter of fact. This seemed like a great starter digital cam at 3.2 mp and you can find it now for around $350. The housing is just $200 more, so I'll have great topside pics with the ability to take the camera with me to 40 meters underwater....and it's small...woohooo.

I'm not sure if the housing is available in the US just yet....this spring sometime I think.