What is your take on SeaLife UW cameras vs other underwater camera brands?

[scubadada]

Hi @Regulatrix

I have used 3 compact cameras, starting in about 2007 or so. I am certainly not a serious photographer and mostly want photos to share with family and friends and to include in reviews. I take my photos with ambient light and only used a strobe for a short time. My first was a Canon camera in a Canon housing. My avatar photo was taken with it in Turks & Caicos in 2009. The camera worked pretty well, including macro. I finally flooded it. My second camera was an Olympus in an Olympus housing (pre TG). It worked OK but, for a variety of reasons, I did not like it as much as the Canon. I eventually flooded it too.

In 2015, prior to a series of more exotic liveaboards (Red Sea, Cocos, Galapagos, Revillagigedos, Malpelo...), I decided to get a slightly better camera and housing. I bought a Canon G7X, was also considering a Sony RX100. I also bought a Nauticam housing with vacuum system. For my purposes, this has turned out to be a good camera. The one button short cut white balance has been great as I am not one to spend time processing. I have had good luck using it mainly in aperture mode. The vacuum system has saved me twice from flooding when I had fibers in the O-ring. The camera and housing have been used long and hard and still work perfectly. I had the housing rebuilt once by the shop I use in Florida, Reef Photo & Video. I have quite a few photos in SB trip reviews, here is an example
Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, August 17-31. 2022

My wife also dives but has not generally been interested in underwater photography. We take yearly trips to Bonaire and she expressed an interest in taking photos. I bought her an Olympus TG-6 before a trip to Antarctica in 2019-20. She first used it underwater in 2021 with an Olympus housing, and has used it yearly since. Though she is still catching on to underwater photography, she has gotten some very nice shots, better each trip.

Best of luck in your search for a new camera.

 

[rmorgan]

I do try not to be snarky here (and didn't intend to be), but will elaborate a bit.

I find the relationship between PADI and SeaLife subject to skepticism because under its current ownership and its contractual arrangements with SeaLife lead to a lot of product placement and recommendations in, e.g., Scuba Diving magazine, which is now also a PADI-owned publication. Scuba Diver's "ratings" of underwater cameras, e.g. here, strongly favor SeaLife products, and it's hardly a leap to view the connection between PADI and local dive shops as driving their marketing of SeaLife cameras, especially since PADI offers "Amazing Partner Discounts" to "Padi Club" members who "purchase selected SeaLife camera sets in a PADI Dive Shop."

The SeaLife cameras are basic. E.g., the Micro 3.0 is limited to 64k onboard memory. Neither model has the ability to trigger a flash. On both models, the aperture is fixed at f/2.8, and there is no zoom. Minimum focus is a foot or more, eliminating macro and sharply limiting closeups Only the SeaMaster permits battery change.

My problem with the SportDiver resulted from the limitations imposed by the app, which connects via Bluetooth to the phone, and the very-fiddly nature of the vacuum/leak-detection system. On two dives, after finally getting the vacuum software to let me proceed, a moisture alarm triggered about 10 minutes into the dive. The problem with that was that there was a frequent, loud beep, and 90% of the phone's screen was covered by a big red box saying "moisture detected--return to surface," but in ALL CAPS. I corresponded with SeaLife regarding this, and suggested that they include the ability to turn off the leak alarm; to their enormous credit, Pioneer Research's quality department implied that such a capability would be included in software releases. I don't know whether that happened or not, because the next time I used the housing--this time, snorkeling in cool air and cool water--the same thing happened. And I was on a boat a couple of weeks ago whose SeaTouch beeped up a storm.

Anyway, our guide, in a remote area, had kids learning to swim and I left the SportDiver with him. I've used a DiveVolk for iPhone photography since.

There are reasons that the TG cameras are terrific for both new and experienced u/w photographers, besides amazing macro, they accommodate flashes, have mode selections, and zoom . For someone who wants the simplest way to document what they see on a dive or snorkel, the SeaLife cameras are well-regarded, given their limitations.

 

[Redtwo]

I got a SL micro 3.0. I think its a nice little camera. Does what it says. Can't flood it, in good visibility it makes decent pictures. Battery is great (up to 5-10 dives for me). Its small so i always have it with me. Can control it with gloves on, rated to 60m so no worries. 64gig plenty.

Downsides: no way to focus, no zoom, not good for stuff up close.

Basically its a way to show people and yourself what you saw. The pictures only hit my computer for back up but i use them direct from camera to phone to send through whatsapp or Social media.

I have a couple small printed in my kids room.

No great pictures, blue etc. But hey, saying to your small kids, see that turtle/dolphin/shark/Moray/nemo etc, daddy saw in real life is nice. They don't care if the quality is not super.

I recently also got an older dc2000 for cheap. Havent been underwater with it yet. Look forward to being able to focus myself on stuff, but already annoyed by the bigger housing. Will use it only if i suspect a good photo opportunity.

Yes a TG 6 is in every way a better camera for its value. But a SL 3.0 which you have with you beats a TG6 at home every day of the week. A tg+ housing is something you really have on you. A SL can just sit in your pocket/om a d-ring doing nothing. Putting a light and a tray on a SL3.0 is for me therefore not logical. Yes better pictures, but you lose the form factor.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

The Sealife cameras are totally adequate for taking basic pics that show pretty much what you are seeing through your mask. Compact and simple to use. Easy, small and light to pack when traveling. GREAT deals can be found pre-owned here or on EBAY.

Problem is that what you are seeing through your mask is not what's really there. Once at any measurable depth past a few meters, you need to bring light to show an objects true colors. And LED lights are a game changer for price, battery efficiency, size and weight.

I'm happy with my Canon G16 in a Fantasea Housing on a basic tray with a couple of BluRay video lights. I chose the G16 for a few main reasons. It shoots 60 FPS. It has auto focus while zooming. It has image stabilization when shooting video. The 60 FPS is great for me since I shoot only video, but the quality at 60 FPS is excellent so I can go frame by frame and still get excellent still shots to share or print. The whole kit weighs about 5lbs and packs well.

I know that no one really likes to see others videos but I put together a couple of my video snips at the YouTube link below to show exactly what this basic set-up can do....

 

[David Haas]

I've seen some pretty nice pics from the latest all sealed Sealife MICRO 3.0 and not too many problems traveling with fellow divers.

The fixed focus for wide to medium shooting isn't a bad thing, in fact I'd say it's a great thing! How do you think GoPro, DJI Osmo Action5 Pro and Insta360 cameras work so well?

Even on my higher end Canon G7X II compact with a 20 megapixel 1" sensor (larger than any smartphone) if I shoot wide open at f1.8 and 24mm the apparent depth of field (what appears in focus from front to back) looks great

As I've posted and shared many times I think too many folks are infected with GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome.) They never attempt to simplify their shooting...... It also could be I've grown weary of hauling lots of extras.....Strobes, batteries, arms, tray, cords, etc. after many years of shooting is just something I don't want to do anymore......

Also, I have plenty of brightly lit strobe shots so these days I "challenge myself to "shoot different" traveling and diving with less stuff.

Not saying it's for everyone but if what I see traveling with my fellow divers is any indication smartphones and compacts sure lighten your load and will continue to be more prevalent.

The final thing is editing......

You don't have to be an Adobe Lightroom / Photoshop whiz to make any photo shine. That includes bringing back colors with many available Apps that can be as simple as one slider.

AI and such combined with fixed focus especially for social media sharing works for a whole lot of folks

Just one old guy's opinion!

David Haas

These are all iPhone photos, some with a simple video light!