Sealife Camera for 13yr Old & Black Friday Options

[saxman242]

Yes, if I could have a personal 24/7/365 limo service for the same price as kia micra I'd take it, but for some strange reason that never happens in real life. You said yourself you have to buy a housing for TG5 to go below 15 metres.

Which is awfully close to the depth limit for a 13 year old diver. Sounds like it'd work great for him now and could be upgraded with the housing in the future as his diving progresses into deeper water. Yah, 50 feet isn't 60 feet, but I'd be shocked if it was actually an issue.

What you are getting is what seems to be a much better camera for less out of pocket, but with a depth limit that isn't really a problem in this scenario.

 

[aalbert]

Right now the Micro is at the top of my list, though the Reefmaster looks interesting, just suffers from availability.

If I were to go outside the Sealife matrix, I would probably look at the Nikon W300 (with no housing for at least 2-3years) or the Olympus with a housing.

I went through the whole NAUI Photo certification back in the 90s, and still have a housing floating around for a Canon A1 - but that is not a trivial beast to use, and by todays standards, archaic. RAW would be great (I prefer it - as that is what I shoot with my Canon 6D on land), but for his shots jpeg is fine.

Still weighing the responsibility vs. age factor. I trust him with guns of all manners, but that is also because he has been around them a while, and has learned the rules of the road.. Anyway, probably going to do the camera, as he is excited about it, and if need be, let him grow into it.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@aalbert
Deleted - No interest by OP
Wasted time and effort
K MAG YO YO

 

[aalbert]

So staying on the Sealife subject -- any thoughts of the Micro vs the Reefmaster RM4k?

 

[dmaziuk]

RAW would be great (I prefer it - as that is what I shoot with my Canon 6D on land), but for his shots jpeg is fine.
...
Anyway, probably going to do the camera, as he is excited about it, and if need be, let him grow into it.

So, is he likely to want to fiddle with his shots after? If you may go for RAW from the start. That takes you out of SeaLife line as AFAIK DC2000 is the only one that can do it and that has a very noticeable write lag apparently.

The old Micro's auto-WB was OK, no worse than what I often get with a white slate and manual WB on DC1400. I'm sure the current model is better.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

Magnus - what type of compact did you end up with.

Canon IXUS 220 HS.

 

[Dan64]

The Micro is a great little camera, easy to use and well made. However for a 13 year old, stick a go pro on their wrist or pay for a phot to dive with them. They should be focusing (excuse the pun) on improving their diving skills and safety in the water as a higher priority than taking pics. As soon as you give them a camera they will use their air much quicker. When I dive with my kids, I do the phot work and let them enjoy the dive.