Digital Camera Search

[Spectre]

I've been thinking about getting an UW camera for a little while now. I've actually been leaning towards a digital camera. Now I realized today as I was driving around that I should get a camera before my business trip next thursday anyway, so my search intensified [at least for the land camera].

So I started looking around. I had already been looking at the Reefmaster Digital @ my LDS, but I stopped by Underwater Photo-Tech today on my way through town, and I talked to them about digital cameras. He [obviously] was pushing the Olympus packages, but that's just _way_ out of the price range I'm looking for.

At this point, I'm just looking for a basic camera. In fact I'm more just looking for a land camera, with the added benefit of getting something I can use underwater so I don't have to turn around and buy something later.

Anyway... So the guy at UW Photo-tech pointed out the Canon A20 and the WP-DC200 housing. Now when I compare that with the Reefmaster, I see that it has better resolution [2.02 vs. 1.3], and has 3x optical zoom and 2.5x digital zoom.

The reefmaster is only 1.3 megapixel, but it has a land/sea/and sea w/ external flash modes [not really sure what the difference is, and if a land digital camera will be a problem], and it has a 200 ft depth vs. the WP-DC200 100 ft depth.

Oh... the other benefit of the A20 is that I don't need to get the housing yet, I can get the camera for my trip, and then get the housing after the fact. The cost from UW Photo-tech was higher than the reefmaster, but a little digging and I found I can get the Camera from Walmart and the housing from Gateway for exactly the same price as UW Photo-Tech sells the camera itself, thus making it the cheaper option than the Reefmaster.

I also hear that the Reefmaster housings aren't as good, and are more apt to incur a user error on sealing and thus cause flooding.

So my questions are:

1) Is the land/sea/sea w/ external flash modes important?
2) Are the Reefmaster housings worse than the WP-DC200 for the A20?
3) Do people have experience with one, the other, or both?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Dee]

Sorry Funky, I don't have experience with either one. But...

I think the land/sea/sea w/external flash thing is just their simple auto system. ie...if you are shooting on land, you just set the mose to 'land', etc. rather than you learning the aperature/shutter speed settings. It's a shortcut to setting the camera yourself. Reefmaster is gearing it to people in the water. It's not different than other nrands who have portrait, night, party, etc. modes.

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by Dee
I think the land/sea/sea w/external flash thing is just their simple auto system. ie...if you are shooting on land, you just set the mose to 'land', etc. rather than you learning the aperature/shutter speed settings.

It's digital, so there really isn't any speed settings and that stuff. I just returned from my LDS [who has been playing with the reefmaster digital some to know what he's selling] and he hasn't totally figured it out, but he's pretty sure it has to do with the timing of the flash. Land flashes a little earlier, and sea w/ external flash has some different timing as well for the flashes that trigger off the internal flash.

Now if that's something I _need_ or not, I'm not really sure I'm actually starting to lean over to the Canon A20, but I want to double check that I won't have a problem with add-on lenses and such...

 

[socaldiver]

I have the Reefmaster and have used it above water as well as underwater.

It takes good pics above water, I normally take it out of the housing, unless I am around water or in inclimate weather. As far as underwater, I personally have never had any problem with the housing leaking. It is a pretty simple housing and you should not have any problems, as long as you follow manufacturer's recommendations. Plus, if you do have a problem they back their product (including replacement if necessary, and from what I hear, at no cost provided you operate as recommended).

I have no experience with the Canon but my question would be why be concerned about 100 ft vs 200 ft? 9 times out of 10, you will be no deeper than 100 ft anyway. Besides that, when you go below 100 ft what is there to photograph? Most marine life is in shallower water.

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by socaldiver
I have no experience with the Canon but my question would be why be concerned about 100 ft vs 200 ft? 9 times out of 10, you will be no deeper than 100 ft anyway. Besides that, when you go below 100 ft what is there to photograph? Most marine life is in shallower water.

Well I solved the 100 ft vs. 200 ft debate pretty simply:

"Do you want the extended warranty for $60?"
"Will it cover if the camera gets wet?"
"Yep, for 4 years"
"I'll take it!"

I went with the Canon A40, purchased @ Best Buy. That serves my immediate needs, and I'll pick up the housing sometime in the next couple of weeks.

 

[sumguy]

I wish the A40 had been out four months ago when I bought my A20. It gives the user more control and costs less than I paid for mine. Oh, well. Technology rolls on...