Newbie looking for housings

[ckaspar]

Hey guys!

I am fairly new to diving and am very new to photography, espescially underwater, and wanted to see if you guys could help me out.

I am trying to see if someone makes housingsfor cameras that I currently own. I am not looking for anything production ready I just need something that I can take to a decent depth and take decent photos.

I have a Kodak Easyshare Digital Camera and I have looked everywhere and can't find a housing for it.

I also have a Sanyo VM-R-22R Video Camera that was given to me by my fathher a few years ago.

I understand that manufacturers make housings for very few cameras but wanted see if you guys knew of a way to accomplish my goal.

Thanks in advance.

 

[diversteve]

I also have a Sanyo VM-R-22R Video Camera that was given to me by my father a few years ago.

Hi,

First of all I'm assuming that you have a VMR-Z2R camcorder. I couldn't find any listing for a VMR-22R camcorder. No one makes a specific housing for Samsung camcorders that I'm aware of. There are however several manufacturers of generic tube-type mechanical housings that will work with your camcorder.

Check Aquatix, Atmo-Seal or Yellow Jacket on the Video Housing mfr's list that's near the top of this forum. You should be able to house your camcorder in any of them, given that it's within the dimensions they specify on their websites, you'll also get mechanical control of the Standby/Record button with Aquatix or Atmo-Seal.

further questions?

Steve

 

[ChrisA]

Hey guys!

I have a Kodak Easyshare Digital Camera and I have looked everywhere and can't find a housing for it.

I also have a Sanyo VM-R-22R Video Camera that was given to me by my fathher a few years ago.

Thanks in advance.

I dounbt you will find a housing for the still camera but there are simple generic housing that the video camera might fit. These are very simple. basically just a tube with clear ports on each end. The simplist ones have no controls. you turn on the camers then seal it inside the housing then just before jumpping in the water you use the remote control to press "record". The camera records "everything" later you edit the tape to select the few "good" minutes you want to save.
These sell in the $250 to $350 range. Going one step up you can add a mechanical control for the "pause" or "record" button so yu can save some tape and battery life. More sophisticated housing are more camera specific and I doubt you will find one.

When shopping for an underwater video system you really should look at housing first then pick a camera. The bet housings with the full feature set cost twice what the camera insdie costs. More then tripple after you add lights.

One problem with the tube type housing is that they hold a lot of air so you need to add weights. The total weight can be lover 15 pounds. A more custom fit housing can be smaller and so hold less air. But weight only matters if you do entries/exists through the surf or if you want to carry it around an airport in your luggage

See the list of housings in this forrum. Just go down the list you wil find several makers of simple "eal and go" housings.

 

[ckaspar]

Thanks guys. I knew that I should have bought a housing first then a camera to go with but I wanted to see if anyone knew of anything for my currents cameras.

I will have to check out the generic cameras to see what I can find.

As I stated above I am just getting started and wanted to see if it is worth getting an expensive rig or if I would get bored quick with underwater photo and move into something else, maybe hunting. HaHa.

Well any way. Thank you for your input. Take care. Anyone else have any ideas.