Help buying new camera

[Bigkidneys]

Hello all. I have been reading posts here for the last month trying to figure out what camera I should buy my wife for X-mas. We just sold our reefmaster DC 250 and sony DSC-P52 and would like something in the 5mp range. Just hoping to get good quality pictures underwater without serious shutter lag. Its so confusing reading all the posts so could anyone throw some models out there that would be the best bang for buck and that have housings available? Thanks.

Jason

 

[DesertEagle]

Try the Canon A95. It's got great reviews, uses AA batteries and has an inexpensive housing that's easily available. You will be able to use all the strobes & add-on lenses.

Shutter lag is an issue on all digicams. Some, like the Fuji Finepix F810 have a quicker response. Others like the Olympus C-5060 are slow. The Canon is in the middle. The key is to pre-focus by pressing the button half down. Then the delay is about .2 seconds on the A95. On the Fuji it's like .08 or something.

Whatever you get, make sure that you have full manual control.

 

[Gilligan]

I'll second what Desert Eagle posted especially the part about full manual controls.
You may want to check out the article I did for those who have a basic camera and housing.

 

[RonFrank]

This is an AWESOME camera, 5mpix, and has the best shutter lag in a prosumer digicam next to the Sony DCS-V3... AND it's about to be discontinued so it can be had at a steal for about $300.

The downsides are that it has a 34mm lens (widest), and the only housing for it is made by Ikelite, and is about $500.

More upsides include a WA converter, and the ability to change the port on the housing to accept the WA lens.

More downsides include the fact that the Ikelite house BLOCKS the flash, so external strobes are required to use UW flash...

I'd own this camera RIGHT now IF it had a *Oly* priced housing option. As it is, I may get one anyway. It's a heck of a camera in a very small package with amazing features, but was released in *gasp* 2003!!

http://homepage.mac.com/techedgeezine/2003xmas_digtal_cameras10.htm

Ron

Hello all. I have been reading posts here for the last month trying to figure out what camera I should buy my wife for X-mas. We just sold our reefmaster DC 250 and sony DSC-P52 and would like something in the 5mp range. Just hoping to get good quality pictures underwater without serious shutter lag. Its so confusing reading all the posts so could anyone throw some models out there that would be the best bang for buck and that have housings available? Thanks.

Jason