Good digitals for how much? Which ones?

[Ceberon]

I currently have a Sony 717. Great camera for above water, but it's too bad I didn't purchase it after I knew I liked Scuba The ikelite housing is around 850, strobe around 1.3k or so I believe.

First question, once you have a working digital camera, you need a housing, you need a strobe (any explanations online about when you need a strobe? I haven't seen one). What else might you "need"?

Second question. If I wanted a decent underwater digital camera (3 mp's or more), which one would you recommend as being the most "underwater" compatible? IE, cheaper housing & strobe..

I can always get the 717's housing & strobe for a bit over 2k, but if I can get a camera with housing for less, and I'm told I don't necessarily need a strobe, it would be nice to do something a bit cheaper.

Most of my dives will be in fresh-water, murky, looking at little green fish, and a few small wrecks. I assume I'll want a strobe for those dark shots? I will want my camera also for when I visit Bonaire in around 6 months.

 

[El Buzo Loco]

I purchased an Olympus C5050 w/Olympus housing (allows you to access every camera control) and paid about $800 or so for the set up. The housing fits like a glove. No need for a huge camera case to carry your camera and housing. I would suggest if you get one, go to a discount warehouse store and buy 2 additonal sets of NiHD batteries (about $20 a set) and buy a couple 256MB flasd cards for about ($40) each. You get about 200 shots per card...

Here's a couple links to photos taken on my first trip with it:

Jewel Eel shot in August at San Carlos, MX

1" long Blue Damsel protecting his rock

For the money you can't go wrong with the Oly. I also have a Sony F717 but can't afford the cost of the housing for it.

 

[Dee]

I just upgraded to the C-5050, $579 from Newegg.com and Oly PT-015 $169, no shipping and it got here in 3 days.

 

[ssra30]

For now it seems like the Oly 5050 is just about the most popular digita camera for underwater especially when consider the price/performence ratio. The housing/camera should be no more than $800. As far as strobe goes, Sea and Sea, Ikelite and Inon are going to be the choice for the Oly, depending on the model, it will run $500-$1000 range. You will also need to spend around $100-150 (I think) for a tray/handle if you go with PT015 housing from Olympus. For a few more hundreds dollars, you also will have a choice of the Ikelite housing as well.
Do a search here and at www.digitaldiver.net regarding PT015 vs Ikelite housing, and Ikelite DS 50, DS 125, Sea and Sea YS90DX and the Inon D180 and Z220. There are plenty of info out there.

 

[Craigus]

TheCanon S45 (4.0mpxl) and Canon underwater housing will run you about $570 at Adorama. We use a S50 in the same housing with a Sea&Sea YS25DX external strobe. You can get decent shots without the strobe as long as your subject is close in.

Let's get wet!!!
Eric.:tree: :tree: :tree: