Sony CyberShot DSC-P10 vs. Sealife DC500

[realdiver7]

I would like some comparisons between a Sony CyberShot DSC-P10 5mp digital camera with housing manufactured over 3 years ago, and a new Sealife DC500 5mp digital camera with housing.

I can get the Sony with good battery, color correction filter, and memory sticks for a little less than the price of a new Sealife DC500, but I'm looking more at quality of the camera rather than what comes with it.

The Sealife uses SD memory cards, and the Sony uses Sony memory sticks. Which is better, cheaper, and easier to find?

Bottom line...which is better, a 3 year-old Sony DSC-P10 or a brand new Sealife DC500?

Thanks!

 

[Cecil]

No brainer, the Sony. Although the later Sony's are better especially the P150. The P10 is still a very nice camera. It focuses down to 4" which the Sealife can only do with a (very expensive) macro lens. Don't worry about the memory sticks they are easy to find on E-bay. I used a P5 for years and got many great pictures with it. Here's some examples with the P5.

http://www.bonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/116771/236437.html?1129059781

 

[realdiver7]

Cecil...OK, thanks for the great info. I have heard this more than once in the last couple of days.

 

[calypsonick]

Realdiver7,

I do not know the Sony and did have a Reefmaster several years ago and the bottom line for me is control of aperature (f-stop) and shutter speed. As soon as I went from the Sealife Reefmaster to a camera with those capabilities, my pictures got so much better. The program mode on many automatics seem to choose a wider aperature and therefore overexposing the photos. They also do not let you experiment and grow. Also, if you think you may want to continue in UW photography, I say go with the one with the greatest flexibility in controling the parameters.

 

[realdiver7]

calypsonick...it looks like the Sony has more options as you suggested.

Thanks!