Digital Camera selection help please

[Splitlip]

Hi All.
Looking to purchase a new digital camera I can use top side and below. Would appreciate any help and advise on the three I am considering.

1. Sealife DC500. I like the price and small housing.

2. Olympus SP-350. I like price, feel out of housing and the fact that I have some lens options on the surface.

3.Olympus stylus 720. I like the fact that it is water proof and shock resistant outside of housing.

I am not a serious photo guy, but like to have a camera about. Most of the time I will be using out of housing.
Any input on the above , or alternatives, would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[SmileMon]

Did you check the Fuji Finepix E900?
I'm on the same boat, too many cameras, too little money, video, stills, HD.. etc' etc' etc'...

 

[alcina]

Of the choices either of the Olys...you'll likely use them on land more. The 350 definitely has room to grow, but the shock and water proof to 3m is kinda cool on the 720 But there are no manual controls on the 720 so that wouldn't be on my list too seriously - only for a fun camera.

Fuji has some contenders as does Canon - but if you've played with the 350 and like it,that's the way I would go...there will always be another camera out there that does one thing better or one thing not as well - you've just got to make the best the decision you can at the time and learn to work with what you choose...there really aren't too many "bad" options out there so it's a pretty safe, if a little overwhelming, jump!

Have fun!

 

[Eileentk]

I have the Sealife 3.2 mPx with housing and strobe and recently purchased the Olympus SP-350 with the PT030 housing. I took both cameras with me to Fiji and my room-mate on the trip had a brand new Sealife DC500 with housing and strobe. By the second day of the trip I was using only my SP-350 camera. By the end of the trip, my room-mate and dive buddy was planning to return her DC500 camera to the shop where she brought it. She had a lot of trouble getting the strobe to work (it may have been defective since she was able to get my Sealife strobe to work just fine with her camera). The main reason for her not being satisfied with the DC500 was her seeing the pictures that I was getting on the same dives, same subjects with the SP350. I took most of my initial pictures on full auto and only started playing with the semi-manual and fully manual settings towards the end of the trip.

 

[Splitlip]

Thanks all.
I did consider the Fuji, but I can get one of the 3 I mentioned for a decent price, all things considered.
The Oly sp 350 is it.
Thanks again