Simple Camera - Lumix FT7/TS7

[PugHugger]

Hello All

I'm considering getting a very basic camera for diving. The Lumix FT7 (or TS7 for Americans) appears to be waterproof with no housing to 30m.

I would love some opinions if this is an okay option to start with. I've found no reviews particular to diving for it. I don't want to be spending a lot until I know if I am interested in photography during my dives. Diving rather than photography will be my first focus as I only have 60 - 65 dives. With a smaller and cheaper camera I can sling it around my wrist and focus on diving.

Would this particular camera suit? It's the same price as the TG-5 but I then need to buy housing for the TG-5. With the Lumix I can use as is. However, I do not know if I need to (or even can) add filters or lights to the lumix or if the flash will work underwater and suffice for a true novices needs. The camera store could not help me and I didn't want to waste their time any further.

If anyone has any views I would be grateful.

 

[Chris Ross]

It will work and take reasonable pictures, the flash will cause backscatter unless you are very close an dthe range it can be used within is quite restricted. People use the TG-5 particularly as it is very good at close focusing and the olympus housing is pretty good and is neutrally buoyant off the shelf. Are there even housing options for Panasonic? The Oly housing will take accessories on the 52mm filter thread on front and it's fairly simple to trigger strobes from. Ive seen people using them twin strobe setups

One thing to consider with these action cams like the FT7 you are talking about is that they generally have a limited life, the seals are not user serviceable apart from cleaning the door seals. IN fact in common with many of these cameras Panasonic recommend replacing the seals yearly: https://www.panasonic.com/content/d...-FT7GN/DC-FT7_BASIC-User-Manual-Australia.pdf see p13. I have had similar cameras flood, they don't leak at the doors rather at the buttons which seem to be sealed by membrane seals which wear out and once they hole through the camera is toast.

The UW housing on the other hand has a user servicable main o-ring and the proper o-ring seals on the buttons are generally more reliable. If you are prepared to wear the limited life the photos taken by the Panasonic and the Olympus will be fairly similar as the basic specs and layout are similar.

Also consider that strobes are really essential to get nice looking pics as you go deeper the pictures get bluer/greener and flatter, the in built strobe sort of works but it relatively limited.

One option may be scour the classifieds on the Facebook group buy sell Scuba online, it's an Australian group. For example right now there's a Nauticam housing and Sony RX-100 MkI going for $895 and others come up periodically. You would also find it easier to sell a housing camera package, but be aware they do depreciate quite a bit.

 

[PugHugger]

Thank you for your reply!

I decided against the Lumix due to the lack of reviews and I'm going to go with the TG-5 and the seafrogs housing (which comes in pink and matches my scubapro seawing novos... sadly this was a selling point for me!)

Fingers crossed they don't upgrade it to the TG-6 like what happened to us when we bought our last go pro!