What is a good point and shoot?

[Mike_gaud]

I currently have a olympus Stylus300 with housing, and I was thinking of getting a small upgrade. I've had a great time with my stylus, and like it a lot, but it is getting old. I'm by no mean a real photographer, and like the point and shoot technique. Yes, I know, this is heresy... but I have enought things to think about at work that when I dive I want to keep it simple. I know some cameras have underwater settings, and even if everyone is against them, I was wondering if there are some that are better. (Actualy, I even managed to get some nice shoots in the 40' range with a disposable fudjitsu camera). I saw that the Olympus Stylus 1010 and 1020 both have that setting, and so do some canon camera in the SD series.

So basicly, I'm looking for something compact, not too expensive, COMPLETLY automatic, that could produce good pictures (no, I won't put them in poster size) Any input on the subject?

Mike!

 

[rezoon]

Well, if you point and shoot and love why change a good thing? Why not consider adding a strobe to your aresenal? It'll give you much greater flexibility for shooting in low light, and macros suddenly pop with colour! If you don't want to spend much, you could go for a cheap strobe, triggered optically for not too much moulah - say around $200-300 (see bhphotovideo.com in NYC - ship it to a friend on the vermont border) for a selection. If you don't mind ponying up (~$700), I'd definitely recommend INON, I've had a little rig for a few months, and it is sliiiiick. Inon's strobe's have fairly decent power, and work beautifully in fully automatic glory through an optical connection (read: Full Point and Shoot compatibility). If you choose to upgrade in the future most of their strobes are compatible with SLR style ttl metering too. But the love don't stop there - there are also wide angle and close up lenses you can add on - in a snap - to your camera. A set up with those bad boys and flash will run about $1000-1500, but imagine - a point and shoot with a dome port (think over/under shots and mega wide angle), and macro ability. You'll be pimpin' the point and shoot world, and all the scuba babes will want you to photograph them underwater.. (ok maybe a small stretch of the truth). If you're interested, contact joleen at inonamerica.com. Somehow she shipped mine to my office in Toronto, with NO BROKERAGE, GST or PST. Awesome!

 

[sharky60]

This may be out of your price range, but I have the Sea & Sea DX5000G, and although some will say this camera series, (DX3000G, DX5000G, DX8000G & the new DXG1) is over priced, I have been very happy with the results. See my photo gallery for examples, anything taken before 2005 was taken with the DX3000G, after that using the 5000.

I have recently purchased a DLSR and even though I will eventually get an uderwater set-up for it, I have also been thinking of upgrading to the DXG1 (10Megpix version), just because I am so happy with the results and flexibility of the point-n-shoot.

Sea & Sea retailers put together a package called the "Island package" that includes the camera, housing, strobe & lighting package, including extra sync cord, wide angle lens and pelican case (love my pelican case), for around US$2400.00. Camera and housing alone are around $900-1000 and I've seen camera, housing and lighting packages for around $1200-1400.

 

[Mike_gaud]

Thanks to the both of you. I'll look into that. While the 2400$ price tag is a bit too high for me, I think the 700$ range would be thinkable.

Here is a small video of a shark I took in NC with a stylus410 (it fits in the same casing than my 300). I don't usually take videos, but this one turned out not too bad.

 

[Randy43068]

Point and shoot eh?
... Smith & Wesson comes to mind.