Looking for a new camera

[Sub-Mariner]

My Olympus 4040 has made its last trip. It's inability to hold a charge for more than a day has made it impractical to take it on dives and it is a bit long in the tooth so it it time for a new camera. I was wondering what kind of performance people were getting with there point and shoots underwater and what cameras and housings they were happy with along with those who felt there purchase was the biggest mistake of there lives.

What I'm looking for is something that travels well since my dives are always in foreign countries, can work with or without a strobe a camera that is feature rich but not a bare to operate at depth. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RAWalker]

I have a Fuji F50fd SE and the FXF50 Fuji housing it cost me less than $300 new.
Along with the camera I use a pair of Pixtreme PX21 slave strobes. They cost me $100 each also new.
This outfit is highly compact and very capable.
The camera outside it's housing fits easily in a shirt pocket.
The housing would fit in most BC pockets if your needs don't require external strobes.

 

[Sub-Mariner]

I have a Fuji F50fd SE and the FXF50 Fuji housing it cost me less than $300 new.
Along with the camera I use a pair of Pixtreme PX21 slave strobes. They cost me $100 each also new.
This outfit is highly compact and very capable.
The camera outside it's housing fits easily in a shirt pocket.
The housing would fit in most BC pockets if your needs don't require external strobes.

I took a quick look at the specs of the camera and it seems impressive. I noticed that it has "scene modes" have you ever used the underwater mode? if so how well does it work?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Any of the older Canon "A" series cameras + Canon OEM UW housing is a good choice. Look for manual features ("M" setting). I'm very happy with my now discontinued Canon A570IS. I've loaded CHDK on it so that it shoots in RAW. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find at online retailers. It's not quite as compact as RAWalker's Fuji rig, however.
Good luck with your search for UW equipment.

 

[RAWalker]

I took a few shots with the underwater scene on my recent trip to Catalina. The shots had good color definition and clearity but I need to do some comparisons in auto with forced flash and manual modes.
Overall I'm very pleased with my compact outfit the only change I would consider is the newer more powerful Intova strobes. They price is about another $50 each over the PX21 but they more than double the output. If close up work is your primary interest then the stronger strobes may not be needed.

 

[Sub-Mariner]

right now I'm considering Fantasea housing and a Coolpix L18 there is a package avialable for 689 with strobe has anyone used this setup?

 

[scottfiji]

right now I'm considering Fantasea housing and a Coolpix L18 there is a package avialable for 689 with strobe has anyone used this setup?

hey submariner - congrats on looking into new cameras, that is always fun

Nikon coolpix L18 -

A quick glance online shows bad reviews, no manual controls or manual white balance, extreme shutter lag, and a close-focus distance of 6 inches, which is terrible. So it appears to be very poor choice for UW photography.

Scott

 

[hammerhead man]

Sub-Mariner, I have been using sea&sea cameras for years and now have the DX-1G that I like a lot. It is compact underwater and takes great above water shots as well. Plus it has a great wide angle lens, a close-up lens, and strobes that work well with it. It can be used in both a point and shoot mode or manually. Here is a link to my recent trip to Egypt, you can see both above water photos and underwater photos: Kodakgallery.com Album Not Found. Email me a jamescrew6@verizon.net if you have any questions.

Regards

Bill

 

[SeaLife Joe]

Sub Mariner,

Thought I would throw my two cents worth in. have you looked into the SeaLife cameras?

The DC800 Pro falls in around your price point or the New DC1000 Elite is a great kit as well. Check it out at
SeaLife Cameras - Underwater Cameras and Accessories

 

[delray.piper]

Howdy: I'll second the Sealife cameras. I use a DC800 and it works well both with and without the strobe. Have fun