Underwater Camera Recommendations

[northernone]

Ease of use aside, Olympus TG's will be the worst choice for Costa Rica. Just in case, I own TG-4.

I'm curious what factors in Costa Rica would have you finding the tg4 less suitable for those waters? (I've dove there with a tg3 and returned with usable images) I appreciate we all have our favorite brands and reasons for liking them... but the sweeping generalisation it's the worst choice seems a little strong when considering the price point difference and the possible inexperience of the intended operator.

 

[tarponchik]

I'm curious what factors in Costa Rica would have you finding the tg4 less suitable for those waters? (I've dove there with a tg3 and returned with usable images) I appreciate we all have our favorite brands and reasons for liking them... but the sweeping generalisation it's the worst choice seems a little strong when considering the price point difference and the possible inexperience of the intended operator.

Please read my 1st response here. TG-4 is a nice slim piece for snorkeling on a sunny day, or even better for snapshots of kids playing in the pool, but it has a lousy small sensor which gives you horrible noise at ISO >200. In RAW processing, turn the noise filter ON, and all details are lost and look like covered with slime. Turn it off, and the noise is just way too bad.

Moreover, the whole idea of using something like TG-4 with a housing is a rip-off. Look, I already paid extra for the camera that is waterproof down to 50 ft. Why would I pay more money for a housing? Just to go deeper and take bad noisy pictures down there?! Yes, I will be able to take nice macro with an external flash at ISO 100, but this is not enough. There is more than macro down there.

 

[northernone]

Please read my 1st response here. TG-4 is a nice slim piece for snorkeling on a sunny day, or even better for snapshots of kids playing in the pool, but it has a lousy small sensor which gives you horrible noise at ISO >200. In RAW processing, turn the noise filter ON, and all details are lost and look like covered with slime. Turn it off, and the noise is just way too bad.

Moreover, the whole idea of using something like TG-4 with a housing is a rip-off. Look, I already paid extra for the camera that is waterproof down to 50 ft. Why would I pay more money for a housing? Just to go deeper and take bad noisy pictures down there?! Yes, I will be able to take nice macro with an external flash at ISO 100, but this is not enough. There is more than macro down there.

I agree, it's low light performance is less than some other options.


It sounds like you may not be using adequate lighting for the camera? A good video light and you'll find it does beautifully for anything the viz will allow. Trying low light photography underwater without artificial light is challenging even on a DSLR or a rig costing 3x as much.

 

[hilljo88]

Task loading with a camera underwater multiplies dramatically. If you are a new diver, your buoyancy will be a challenge while you fiddle with your camera. You'll either crash into the reef, or be bouncing to the surface. Best to take earlier posters advice to enjoy the diving and ask other divers for copies of their pics. But if you still want a camera....I dive with friends who have camera rigs costing as much as many cars, and others who use Go Pros. The Go Pro users are just as happy with their photos as the folks with the expensive rigs.

 

[tarponchik]

I agree, it's low light performance is less than some other options.


It sounds like you may not be using adequate lighting for the camera? A good video light and you'll find it does beautifully for anything the viz will allow. Trying low light photography underwater without artificial light is challenging even on a DSLR or a rig costing 3x as much.

Of course I am using an external flash. But there are plenty of situations when no external lights will give you enough light: schools of fish, large species which won't let you come closer so you have to zoom in, etc.

 

[mcohen1021]

Have you considered a go-pro with a red filter? I take stills off my videos are get pretty nice pics - I'm in in for ~$200...

I am getting decent with just a clone and a generic red filter:

 

[DavidFL]

This photo of a well camouflaged Scorpion fish on Juno reef was taken with an Olympus TG5 on Monday; 90FSW; dark and pretty low visibility because of the continued effects of Hurricane Irma; yes there is an external light and yes the TG5 is in a housing for this pic. There are tradeoffs in every underwater system especially with complexity and price in the trade-space.; the TG5 tradeoff has a small sensor but it also has a larger "wide-open" aperture on the lens. This scorpion fish photo was ISO 320; shutter 1/60 second at f2.8 lens aperture.

The video in the link was also shot entirely with the TG5:

 

[PatW]

I dive with a full frame DSLR which I call “Boat Anchor 2.0”. Actually, it is pretty near neutrally buoyant so besides being large, it is not hard to handle.

If you want near DSLR performance, you can get a mirrorless camera. They are much smaller than DSLRs but have much larger sensors than point and shoots. A system can be had for about half of a DSLR’s price.

There are several retailers in the USA, Backscatter, Reef Photo and Video and Blue Water Photo. Their websites have pretty good write ups. You can check out suggested systems.

 

[Howl2255]

Hi everybody,

I will be going on a variety of dives in Costa Rica next month and, due to the unique marine life, I would like to get a camera and take pictures of the amazing experience while down below.

I'm open to recommendations. Like with anything else being purchased, I'm looking for a nice quality/affordability ratio. Ultimately, I'm a vacation diver and I'd imagine going forward I'll dive once a year.

I have found a company in New York that you can rent cameras from.

Hi everybody,

I will be going on a variety of dives in Costa Rica next month and, due to the unique marine life, I would like to get a camera and take pictures of the amazing experience while down below.

I'm open to recommendations. Like with anything else being purchased, I'm looking for a nice quality/affordability ratio. Ultimately, I'm a vacation diver and I'd imagine going forward I'll dive once a year.

Thanks in advance!
Daron

Blue Water Photo out of New York rents cameras for just about every event known to man. It cost me a $140.00 to rent one a week shipping included

 

[Storker]

A good video light and you'll find it does beautifully for anything the viz will allow.

Depends on whether you want to shoot WA with balanced ambient, or whether you want to shoot macro/semi-macro where ambient light doesn't matter. I prefer the former, so low-light capabilities are high priority for me. I don't think I'll ever go back to a compact, no matter the issues of handling a larger rig with strobes on long arms.