Underwater Camera without Housing

[scubajo007]

I have just been on a dive holiday, which was excellent apart from my attempt to do some underwater photography. On the first dive the trigger bottom broke on my old camera housing which resulted in total flooding and destroyed the camera. I then managed to get a new camera complete with a new housing, which unfortunately leaked the first time I tried to use it under water with the same result as above, so the end product is no pictures and no working cameras.
Now my question is: are there any UW cameras available on the marked which can be used with out housing down to a working depth of around 24m (80ft).

 

[Larry C]

Deepest you can go without a housing is 30 feet, with Olympus tough 8010 or Canon's adventure camera that is similar. Panasonic also makes one, but I think it only goes to 10 feet. If you want a sealed camera that goes to depth, you'll need a Nikonos film camera, but they still require maintenance and due diligence.
I've been fortunate never to have flooded a camera yet, but I have flooded 3 strobes and a flashlight. Generally, it comes down to poor design, lack of maintenance or operator error. Sometimes a case of all three.
Whatever you get, check the O-ring constantly for looseness, damage or contamination. Don't over or under lubricate it (my latest flashlight failure occurred after slopping silicone grease on the outside of an o-ring that hadn't been touched in a year. It leaked on the next dive. I should have removed the o-ring, cleaned the groove, and carefully lubed it and replaced it in it's groove without excess grease.) Never close your case until you have thoroughly inspected the o-ring and its mating surface, and always do an empty test dive with a new housing before putting the camera in for a dive. I check them during cleaning in a sink between dives as well.

 

[vladimir]

Now my question is: are there any UW cameras available on the marked which can be used with out housing down to a working depth of around 24m (80ft).

The NikonosV and the Nikonos RS do not require housings. They are no longer manufactured but still available used, and, at least in the case of the V, cheap. They're cheap because they're film cameras. They still require painstaking attention to O-ring cleanliness and lubrication, so I don't see them as a solution to your problem.

 

[primus]

Deepest you can go without a housing is 30 feet, with Olympus tough 8010 or Canon's adventure camera that is similar. Panasonic also makes one, but I think it only goes to 10 feet.

Panasonic camera DMC-FT2 (TS2) is declared for 10 meters (33 ft), but I tested it on depths up to 12 meters. And Panasonic FT2 (TS2) is also the best UW camera without housing (Underwater cameras test 2010 - Introduction - Lenstip.com). I have had almost all UW cameras without housing and I also think that FT2 is the best UW camera in this group.

 

[DarrenDavis]

There is the Tachyon Micro. It is waterproof without a case and goes up to 100 feet underwater. And it is not too expensive. It does video and still pictures. Check it out at Tachyoninc.com

 

[zen12]

Hi

After much deliberation and online research over which UW DC without housing was going to be my first, I came to a crunch between the Olympus STYLUS TOUGH-8010, or the Panasonic DMC FT2;

The FT2 won on looks and the leica optics alone..Sad I know, but that, Electric Burnt Orane just spoke to me. ..

Technically there practically identical.
The only thing that almost swayed my choice was the fact that the 8010's watertight closure system felt alot more solid.

There were two Sylicon/Rubber protections systems + heftyish elabourate lock and only one door.. To the FT2's one Sylicon/Rubber protection system with locking system and two doors..

Double the problem or trust panasonic???

Also the ft2 comes with a nifty sylicon, gel anti shock and nock case that adds ( if desired ) that extra protection. " Good thinking Panasonic "


Im off to the seychelles begining of Septemeber for a skorkling / free diving holiday.. Im going risk taking the FT2 If anyones interested in the FT2S " Outcome" ..still and HD vid results, conclusions ect. on my return, itdd be a pleasure..
+++
Im going risk taking the FT2 deeper than it is certified "10metres/60mins", for stints of 45s to 1min to depths of 15/20metres... I figure 10 to 60 gives me a good chance of pulling it off.