Any reviews/opinions on a good starter camera?

[dstrawhorn]

I was considering buying an u/w camera and was wondering if anyone had any opinions or reviews on a good starter camera?

 

[Dee]

Read through this forum for the last couple of months and you'll find dozens of discussions on choosing, buying and using your first digital camera.

Also, at the top of the screen is a blue button with 'Search' on it. Click that and search for new camea, first camera, getting started, etc. Any combination will work. This will get you started...
CLICK HERE

 

[blacknet]

Hello,

one thing to consider is to rent/borrow a unit and try it out. Each has their own personality.

Ed

 

[OglalaDiver]

Most all of the photo equipment posts on here that I have found deal mostly with high dollar stuff. SLR cameras and housings. Yes, those take great pictures....there's no debating that. But not all of us can afford $1500-$2000 for a set up to take pictures every now and then. Plus, everyone knows that police officers dont make a ton of money LOL I guess thats why down south here they call us PO-leece....emphasis on the PO!! LOL
I opted for the ReefMaster. Good point and shoot starter camera, does what I want it to do.....take good pictures underwater to share with friends and family. Plus, I didnt have to mortgage the house to buy it.
Marty

 

[notabob]

Not to sound too presumptuous, but going digital might not be as expensive as you think. A nice setup (including camera & housing) can be had for <$600. A strobe will be more, but you can at least get started. Digital, in my opinion, allows you to take better shots quicker, since you get instant feedback and can adjust on the fly. Also, digitial will be cheaper in the long run. Don't forget to take the cost of film and development into account. They can rack up very quickly. For instance, you can get a 3MP Canon S30 for <$400 and a Canon-made housing for it (rated to 100ft) for <$200. That's not too much more than a reefmaster 35mm with macro lens and the cost of a few developed rolls of film. And the digital camera will give you much more flexibility than a reefmaster can. Last I checked, Reefmaster did not have built-in zoom or a macro mode, among many other features that digital gives you in addition to a simple point'n'shoot mode, without buying add-on lenses.

-Roman.

 

[OglalaDiver]

Roman, you're right on that. I hadnt thought about that.

 

[Dee]

My last dive trip with my film camera, I took 20 rolls of film with me at a cost of apprx. $65. When I returned those same rolls of film cost me $220 to have developed and printed. That's 720 pictures, half of which I immediately threw in the trash. Now I'm down to 370. Another half didn't make the cut due to bad composition, soft focus, etc. so that leaves 185. Of those there may be 2 or 3 suitable for enlargement for framing. Those 185 snapshots cost me $1.54 each for 4x6 prints. And I'll have the same expense, if not more, just in film and developing on the next trip.

Now with digital I don't have film but I have Smart Media memory cards. I pay about $50 per 128mg card and can get 130 pictures at HQ compression. I have the option to view and delete any or all of those pictures and try again. So by the time I get home, I'll have 130* good pictures. If I have all 130 of them printed at either the local photo shop or online with Ofoto or Shutterfly, I'll pay 50¢ each for a 4x6" print or $65 for the whole lot. If I print them my self, they are just a bit more expensive. The photos, up to 8x10's, that I have had printed from digital are equal quality to the naked eye to the prints I've had made from film. I don't count the memory card in the expense because it will be reformatted and reused over and over again.

Also with digital, I have a zoom feature, auto or manual focusing, among other features that will make taking those photos alot more fun as well as easier. I'll never be sorry I went digital!

*Actually I have four 128mg SM cards that I rotate. I download each days photos into my laptop in order to re-use the SM cards. I used 1 card as an example.

 

[Bacchus]

I probably "trashed" at least 60-70% of all the shots I took on my last trip. Thankfully they were digital and I didn't have to pay to get them developed to see just how bad they really were! ;-0

Now I have the shots that did turn out on my computer (and some on the wall). Also, when friends want to see the pics, we don't have to flip pages, I turn on the T.V., sit back and watch! :relaxing:

 

[OglalaDiver]

Preach on Brother! Im beginning to see the (digital) light!!

 

[dstrawhorn]

The Canons sound about what I'd be looking for as far as what you get on a budget.

Does anyone have a website to a website that sales their factory housings? I can't seem to find it on the Canon web site.

Thanks