Has anyone used a Minolta Dimage Xt underwater?

[love2godeep]

My hubby gave me a Minolta Dimage Xt digital camera for my birthday. I really love it--it's so small but still takes great pics. Now I'm wondering about taking it with me underwater. I'm not ready to get into underwater photography in a huge way, but I do want to be able to take pictures without being too encumbered with equipment.

I would appreciate hearing any experiences you may have had with a Minolta Dimage Xt underwater, and if so, how the photos turned out. Have you found any way to get more light? That seems to be a weak point with the camera. I thought about using a slave, but perhaps that would be too complicated (and encumbering?) underwater?

I realize that my questions quite possibly reveal a profound ignorance of underwater photography. This is, in fact, the case.

So, a double thanks for any guidance you can give me!

 

[gfisher4792]

I have a buddy who seems to like it, but I have no personal experience with it. Here's the housing that she uses:

http://minolta.digital-camera-revie...ne Case for Dimage XT/review/photo/B00009WQT8

Hope this helps a bit!

 

[Gilligan]

This site shows a Dimage MC-DG200 housing for the Dimage XT camera. It also indicates the housing is not out yet but that may not be current information.
Your camera has auto focus only according to the specs I read. I don't know if it has manual control options over the shutter speed and lens F stops. If not, then that camera is very limited for underwater use when it comes to controlling the amount of light etc. in a photo. You may want to consider that before purchasing the housing.

 

[TTA]

I have a minolta xt and underwater case and I love it! As previous posters have said there aren't many controls that you can manually change - but if you're looking just for an extremely compact point and shoot type camera then it's great (I also use it extensively on land and find that it is very easy to use)

Stuff I like about it:
1) extremely compact - fits easily in a BCD pocket
2) easy to operate under water

Stuff that isn't so great:
1) Built in flash isn't so great (as you point out) so pictures turn out better either in good light conditions (i.e. shallow, lots of sun), or when you are close to marine life (easiest stuff being nudibrachs of course!). Sea & Sea also do a strobe for the camera if you want to spend a bit more money.

I'm really glad I got the case and the dive shops I've been to have all be oo-ing and ah-ing over the nice little size of the camera.

Tip: I've found setting the white balance to "cloudy" generally gives better results - but you should have a play around.

 

[love2godeep]

I have a minolta xt and underwater case and I love it! As previous posters have said there aren't many controls that you can manually change - but if you're looking just for an extremely compact point and shoot type camera then it's great (I also use it extensively on land and find that it is very easy to use)

Stuff I like about it:
1) extremely compact - fits easily in a BCD pocket
2) easy to operate under water

Stuff that isn't so great:
1) Built in flash isn't so great (as you point out) so pictures turn out better either in good light conditions (i.e. shallow, lots of sun), or when you are close to marine life (easiest stuff being nudibrachs of course!). Sea & Sea also do a strobe for the camera if you want to spend a bit more money.

I'm really glad I got the case and the dive shops I've been to have all be oo-ing and ah-ing over the nice little size of the camera.

Tip: I've found setting the white balance to "cloudy" generally gives better results - but you should have a play around.

Sounds good! Thanks for your post! Where did your get your UW housing? Can you post (or PM me) some examples of pics you took?

 

[love2godeep]

Some time has gone by since I started this thread. I'm wondering if anyone else out there has had any experience with using the Minolta Dimage XT underwater housing. The housing is kind of pricey and I want to make sure before I buy.

Thanks!

 

[Peter Guy]

I got the DiMage Xg last spring because I'd always liked how small it was AND I needed something waterproof to go river rafting down the Grand Canyon. It worked quite well -- both the movie mode and the plain stills. I got the housing to go with it. (Camera from Adorama and Housing from Walmart online!)

Then I started diving again and decided to give it a try since I had the housing, etc. I did get a Sealife strobe (it seems to work fine although I'm still trying to get the use of the strobe figured out).

Images at: www.tsandm.com/maui05 and www.tsandm.com/uwclass2 and www.tsandm.com/uwclass

I still really like the camera and it will become my backup UW camera for trips. I'm currently looking at the new ones that have the 2.5 inche LCD -- my eyes just ain't what they used to be and having the much larger screen will, I hope, reduce the bad shots.

 

[ChrisA]

Some time has gone by since I started this thread. I'm wondering if anyone else out there has had any experience with using the Minolta Dimage XT underwater housing. The housing is kind of pricey and I want to make sure before I buy.

As U/W housing go $200 is cheap. The better quality housing are all 2 or 4 times that much.

Next time around shop for a camera, housing and strobe. Figure out what all the parts before you buy the first item. You got lucky, that they even make an UW housing for your camera.

I know a few divers who bought a camera because it is the one that fits the housing they like. Makes sense because underware you don't toutch the camera, it's the housing that you use.