NEW AUSSIE DIVER WITH PLENTY OF QUESTIONS :)

[Scuba Soph]

Hi guys!! My name is Soph, I’m from south Australia and I’m a new and excited diver. I have soooo many questions left unanswered but I’ll start off by asking whether anyone could recommended to me a good under water camera? I’d like something ideally under $400, which is water proof up to 30m, shock proof and convenient to use (maybe wifi or Bluetooth) and the MAIN thing I’d like is the picture quality to be unreal!!! Anyone have any suggestions?

Also I recently bought a steel scuba tank for $100 only to find out that it’s one year too old to be certified, does anyone know of any places in South Australia where I can take it in to get cashed in for parts?
Thanks in advance for the help guys

 

[rsingler]

The Nikon Coolpix W300 is getting some nice reviews at just around $380. Of course, once you start down this road, it's not the camera that costs, it's the lights to bring out the color.

As for your tank, I have steel tanks that are 48 years old and going strong. If you mean that it is one year out of hydro, just take it to a dive shop and they'll get it retested for another $40.

Good luck, and keep asking questions. There is lots of free advice here (that is often worth just what you paid for it)

 

[Scuba Soph]

Oh okay that’s odd, I’m a bit confused as obviously I’m still so new to all of this. But basically it’s a 1990 tank, or maybe 1989. Either way 2 dive shops told me that it’s fine to be tested and certified, then another two told me it’s “one year too old” and I wouldn’t risk it. So I have no idea what to do or what to believe because so many people are saying different things and obviously I don’t want to risk it.

Oh cool, have you personally used that camera before? Just mainly wanting to know about the picture quality and capabilities?

 

[rsingler]

Oh okay that’s odd, I’m a bit confused as obviously I’m still so new to all of this. But basically it’s a 1990 tank, or maybe 1989. Either way 2 dive shops told me that it’s fine to be tested and certified, then another two told me it’s “one year too old” and I wouldn’t risk it. So I have no idea what to do or what to believe because so many people are saying different things and obviously I don’t want to risk it.

Oh cool, have you personally used that camera before? Just mainly wanting to know about the picture quality and capabilities?

If a task passes yearly visual inspection, and passes hydro (testing under pressure to 5/3 of its working pressure), then it's just fine! But let's make sure we're saying the same thing with regard to the term "one year too old and wouldn't risk it". That sounds like someone trying to sell you a new tank. This discussion does NOT apply to old aluminium.

No, I use a $400 Canon inside a $1000 case with $500 lights. But like I said, it's getting good reviews and you wanted to start in this price range. You don't need more, for natural light photography.

20171222_095236

• rsingler
• Dec 22, 2017

 

[drbill]

I don't know the rules in Australia but here in the States I dive with steel and Al tanks dating back to the 60s and 70s

 

[RyanT]

As others have said, the tank will need to have a hydro test and either it will fail or it won't. I agree that the advice you got that the tank is one year too old to be tested sounds bogus. Here's what I wonder, however.... Is your tank really a steel tank? There are some older aluminum tanks that many shops will refuse to fill due to some known structural issues with that particular aluminum alloy. If it is indeed an aluminum tank, that could be the issue. If it really is a steel tank, then just have it hydro tested.

 

[RyanT]

As for cameras, the Olympus TG-5 also seems to be a really nice camera that can be had without breaking the bank. As @rsingler said though, the lights/strobes will set you back more.

Here's another suggestion.... No single skill in diving is difficult, but when you combine maintaining buoyancy/trim, navigating, paying attention to bottom time and gas, etc., it's easy to get task loaded. Almost all new divers require time to make these skills second nature. You might consider holding off on the camera at the moment, get some dives under your belt, develop these skills so that you are really comfortable underwater, then start on the camera. I think you'll be surprised right now at how bad your buoyancy becomes when you get distracted by a camera.

 

[blatter]

If it is a steel cylinder that has previously been tested and passed in Australia, and not an aluminium cylinder, then there should be no problem getting it tested again and back into service. Any dive shop in Australia that tests tanks should know that. I would definitley just take it to oneof the places that will test it.

A lot of cylinders were made out of a less robust type of aluminium until the early 1990's. I had two of them which I stopped using. From memory, I think the ones sold in Australia were produced up until around 1992. That type of cylinder has failed catostrophically due to stress cracking around the valve and it is understandable for people to refuse to test them.

Compared to many other parts of the world, Australia has fairly strict rules about scuba cylinder testing. There is a requirement for annual visual and hydro testing of dive cylinders, and cylinders must comply to an Australian standard. However, there should be no problem getting an old steel tested. If it has been looked after, it should pass. If a cylinder does fail, you might be able to get some money from your local metal recycler and sell the valve, but you wouldn't be looking at much.

Have fun diving in South Australia. Have done a bit of diving there and had some great dives at Edithburgh, Rapid Bay and other places.

 

[Oz Chris]

I dive with a few buddies who have Nikon W300s. They seems to produce some pretty good shots, especially macro. I have an Olympus TG-5, but that’s going to set you back nearly $1000 by the time you put it in a housing (the camera itself is only good to 15m compared to the Nikon’s 30m).

I think someone else already mentioned this, but focus on your diving first and your camera second until the basics of diving are more automatic. It’s great to get some photos, but early on I was “that guy” a little too often concentrating on getting a shot and not on my buddy, the reef or anything else around me.

On the tank, get it tested. It’ll either pass or fail, nothing you can do about that. If it passes you’ve got a bargain, if it fails then you’re out $170 (for the tank and the test). As people said, steel tanks can last a long time.

 

[clownfishsydney]

As stated above, there should be no problem getting the steel tank tested. However, an old aluminium one can still be tested, but after a few incidents in the past few years in New South Wales where tanks exploded while being fill, taking limbs off the persons concerned, no dive shop will fill those tanks, even in test.