Beginner needs help

[TLangston]

Hello all of you photo Gurus,

I have been reading lots of posts with information on specific models, types on lenses and resolutions. I have little to no knowledge about cameras.
I NEED YOUR HELP!
Here is what I am looking for:
1) primarily land use digital camer as I can only go diving once or twice a year.
2) Middle of the line that I can also take U/W on dives for good/great pictures.
3) Housing (of course)
4)costs - $500-600.

I have no idea if this price range is possible. Like I said before, I am a novice when it comes to cameras.

Looking for Guidance - Teri

 

[H2Andy]

i use a Canon SD110 and a WP-DC10 underwater case; you can get both for
about $350 or less (that's about $170 for the camera, $180 for the case)

i use it exactly like you want to. it's my vacation camera, and then i put it in its
underwater case and take snapshots under water (this is not professional-grade equipment, needless to say)

check out my gallery for what pics it will take

 

[Mr. Schnitzer]

Teri,

I spent about that much and got this setup:

Canon S50 (was $3-400 when I bought it, probably 200-250 now)
Canon WP-300 Underwater Housing ($150 from Provantage.com)
Lexar Pro Series Highspeed 1 GB Compact Flash II ($100 from Buy.com)

Here are some sample pictures from my first outing with the camera (there are some above water shots as well). Please note I shrunk these pictures down (5 megapixel camera takes large pictures) for posting on the net but did no other editing and haven't experimented with Photoshop to bring back more color in pictures taken without the flash

http://www.e46fanatics.com/members/B/Cayman_Pictures.html

 

[PhotoTJ]

A Canon A-95, 5 mgp $299 on E-Bay

The housing runs about $180

 

[alcina]

Ditto the Canon A series - the 95 is the newest model of this type; you can get great deals on the older versions (85, 80, 75 etc)

 

[justleesa]

yeah, what they said...

 

[Chad_Ordelheide]

Gotta say go with a Canons!! If I bought another one now it would be the Canon A95 mearly to get another Megapixel. I've had a blast with my A80 and have even got a few pictures I don't need to delete!!! Good luck and have some fun!!

Chad

 

[hdtran]

I know you said "mostly land use," but: look for the housing first.

That said, I think you'll be happy with the Canon line (Canon housings) or maybe the Fantasea housings (Nikon Coolpix). Not to bash the Olympuses (Olympi? ), but I find the Olympus cameras significantly larger; the 5050/5060/7070/8080 etc. are all heftier cameras than the S60/70 or A80/95 lines. That said, all these cameras work very well & take excellent dry land pictures. Now, the Nikon/Fantasea combo is interesting because Fantasea includes basic flood insurance

Good luck!

 

[justleesa]

Not to bash the Olympuses (Olympi? ), but I find the Olympus cameras significantly larger; the 5050/5060/7070/8080 etc. are all heftier cameras than the S60/70 or A80/95 lines. That said, all these cameras work very well & take excellent dry land pictures.

Now a days Olympus pretty offers a house for every new camera that comes out. Which meas you can take the entire stuylus line with on your dives. We use our Stylus 400 with 4MP (now also available as the 410, which records sound) underwater too. Handy little point and shoot cameras. I saw that the 3.2 MP verison could be had for under $150 and the housing also costs somewhere around there.

But having the insurance included is a great deal.

Here are examples of UW and surface photos:

 

[TLangston]

It looks like I am going to go with the Canon A-95, and the WP-DC50. What difference does the Flashcard MB make. As I'm shopping around on E-bay, many packages have different MB's- the standard 32 or 128, 256. Any advice on that?

I can't tell you how greatful I am for your help. I would have been shopping for another year if I hadn't found you guys.

I hope to come back from Coz with pictures for all.

Teri