Can I get some opinions as to which of these I should lean toward. Am currently debating between the Olympus 1030 SW with an Olympus Housing and the Sealife DC1000. Any other suggestions in the same price range would be greatly appreciated. One other criteria would like something fairly idiot proof as far as potential floods.
1030 Sw or DC1000
- Thread starter thrashin
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masterof0
Guest
I have used both cameras and am definitely partial to the 1030. They have similar features, but of the more advance features (panoramic, extended video, etc) require the Olympus M+ memory card. Also, I think overall, it produces better pics. More importantly, the nice part about the 1030 is that it is waterproof down to 33ft. Knowing this, if the housing leaks, the water in the housing will not ruin the camera. (There are two types of underwater cameras - One that that is flooded and one that is waiting to be flooded)
With that said, Olympus has discontinued (or soon to be) the 1030 and released the 8000 (I think). You will have a tough time finding hte Olympus housing for the 1030, but Ike still makes one. It took me weeks to find the Olympus housing and most vendors still have them on backorder with no ETA. So if you do go the route of the Olympus, you will definitely want to look at the 8000.
Just my .02
With that said, Olympus has discontinued (or soon to be) the 1030 and released the 8000 (I think). You will have a tough time finding hte Olympus housing for the 1030, but Ike still makes one. It took me weeks to find the Olympus housing and most vendors still have them on backorder with no ETA. So if you do go the route of the Olympus, you will definitely want to look at the 8000.
Just my .02
pinotscubajack
Registered
I have the 1030SW in the Olympus housing - I like it because of the redundancy of having a waterproof camera in a waterproof case. Also you can get INON adaptors to fit an Inon 28AD wide angle lens which matches the native lens of the 1030SW. I'vve also incorporated an Inon D200o strobe on an Inon tray. Takes good pictures, but underwater photography takes some practice. Don't like lack of manual settings - but life is a series of compromises. I can't comment on the Sealife camera as I have never had one.
Don't count on the waterproof to 33ft saving you from flooding the camera. The camera itself is rated to 33ft. I've seen many Olympus without housings fail above 33ft and flood.
If your housing floods beyond 33ft the pressure exerted on the case and the camera would exceed the depth rated pressure the cames was designed to withstand and will most likely also be ruined.
I have personally had more than one housing flood, and been in the water when a few others have flooded.
The first time was probably due old o-ring (with help). Took a number of pictures of a whale shark early in an 80' wall dive, but while switching from P to MyModes I accidently stopped at M, which resets to 1/1000th shutter when changing batteries. Those images were black, which caused me to review them many, many times (what went wrong?).
At the SS the dive leader wanted to see the pics so we were reviewing the series of the whaleshark, including the black ones, when I noticed water entering. I was near the end of SS, after a not pushing the limits dive, so I ascended as quickly as prudent. It's possible that all the reviewing at depth heated up the interior, so expansion pressure popped the o-ring out.
All the other floods I have experienced or seen have been at the start of the dive, and except on a deep solo dive where I would plummet as fast as possible, if you are paying attention to your camera you should see that it's happening before reaching 33'. A clear housing is also a pretty nice feature!
Being waterproof is the best feature of that line of Oly cameras; without manual settings and without raw images the waterproof-ness is almost the only redeeming feature IMHO. The other feature I like over the SeaLife is that it is a compact P&S for above water shots as well.
I personally can not recommend any camera that can not do raw and manual.
The first time was probably due old o-ring (with help). Took a number of pictures of a whale shark early in an 80' wall dive, but while switching from P to MyModes I accidently stopped at M, which resets to 1/1000th shutter when changing batteries. Those images were black, which caused me to review them many, many times (what went wrong?).
At the SS the dive leader wanted to see the pics so we were reviewing the series of the whaleshark, including the black ones, when I noticed water entering. I was near the end of SS, after a not pushing the limits dive, so I ascended as quickly as prudent. It's possible that all the reviewing at depth heated up the interior, so expansion pressure popped the o-ring out.
All the other floods I have experienced or seen have been at the start of the dive, and except on a deep solo dive where I would plummet as fast as possible, if you are paying attention to your camera you should see that it's happening before reaching 33'. A clear housing is also a pretty nice feature!
Being waterproof is the best feature of that line of Oly cameras; without manual settings and without raw images the waterproof-ness is almost the only redeeming feature IMHO. The other feature I like over the SeaLife is that it is a compact P&S for above water shots as well.
I personally can not recommend any camera that can not do raw and manual.
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