Being cheap, I like to use stuff (crap) I already have to make something else. When it became time for an underwater housing for my camera, which is pretty old, I basically had three choices.
Buy a new camera and housing ($$$$$$$)
Try to find a housing for my old camera which is slowly dying ($$$) plus a new camera in the future ($$$)
Build a housing for my existing camera and who cares if it dies.... (oh, nothing...)
So, I did a hasty search in my old parts bin of scuba gear and came across my SnapSights! 35mm camera and U/W housing (paid about $15 for the set about 5 years ago), and as it's getting really expensive and hard to find developers for 35mm film, plus not having used it for about three years, it wasn't hard to see a new use for the case.
Begin. How to secure camera inside case? Foam of course, expecially if you can get some of the pieces of 'tear-away' foam that comes in the storage cases...the type that is about 1/2" square...
Open case, remove old camera. Place old camera back in junk box.
Turn digital camera on, determine approx placement in housing so that the lens will actuall sit between the levers and crap that's in the housing now.
Fit foam to case, remove a few pieces for the lens to go thru, trim for depth.
Glue a few strips (cutting for thinkness as needed) on other side of housing.
Dive.
I tried this yesterday. Results can be seen here : YouTube - Whiskey Cove (Please note, this is first attempt at video-ing and a rather hasty edit, so NO cheesy comments on quality)
To operate, turn camera on, place in foam, start video record, seal tight and dive. Aim the thing where you want it to video, look at screen for view.
When the battery dies, it stops recording. 57 minutes for mine.
When I got home, I used Windows Movie Maker to edit out the crap.....
Buy a new camera and housing ($$$$$$$)
Try to find a housing for my old camera which is slowly dying ($$$) plus a new camera in the future ($$$)
Build a housing for my existing camera and who cares if it dies.... (oh, nothing...)
So, I did a hasty search in my old parts bin of scuba gear and came across my SnapSights! 35mm camera and U/W housing (paid about $15 for the set about 5 years ago), and as it's getting really expensive and hard to find developers for 35mm film, plus not having used it for about three years, it wasn't hard to see a new use for the case.
Begin. How to secure camera inside case? Foam of course, expecially if you can get some of the pieces of 'tear-away' foam that comes in the storage cases...the type that is about 1/2" square...
Open case, remove old camera. Place old camera back in junk box.
Turn digital camera on, determine approx placement in housing so that the lens will actuall sit between the levers and crap that's in the housing now.
Fit foam to case, remove a few pieces for the lens to go thru, trim for depth.
Glue a few strips (cutting for thinkness as needed) on other side of housing.
Dive.
I tried this yesterday. Results can be seen here : YouTube - Whiskey Cove (Please note, this is first attempt at video-ing and a rather hasty edit, so NO cheesy comments on quality)
To operate, turn camera on, place in foam, start video record, seal tight and dive. Aim the thing where you want it to video, look at screen for view.
When the battery dies, it stops recording. 57 minutes for mine.
When I got home, I used Windows Movie Maker to edit out the crap.....
