which digital camera to get

[Cecil]

I don't necessarily disagree with all that was said, there are limitations with the Sony's. The worst two being, lack of manual controls and shift to green underwater, but both of these can be gotten around, understanding the automatic and using it to your advantage and shifting the colors back in Photoshop. The advantage (at least to me) is the Sony's size, this allows me to have the camera all the time with the least hassle.

Now what will the Sony's do? Here's some pictures I took last summer in Bonaire with a DSC-P5 Internal strobe.

Bonaire Gallery

 

[mtiffee]

I use a Canon S50 and it's Canon U/W housing. The S50 is also a 5MP camera. Camera and housing will probably run you about $50 more than the Sony.
Eric.

I also use the S50 and Love it. it's very small and so is the housing which makes diving with it somewhat enjoyable, if lugging around a housing can be considered enjoyable.

The pics look great both above and below the water.

To specifically answer your question, go with the more pixels.

 

[MacHeath]

I have the P9 (now discontinued, 4MP). In my experience 4MP is more than enough, I reckon you only need about 3MP to print a good A4 (Letter size in the US I think) picture. However the chances are you will want to crop most photos (Stupid fish always swim off as I press the shutter), so 3.2MP from the camera is boarderline for large prints.

The problem (in my opinion) with the P10 is the pixel size. The 3.2, 4 and 5 MP sensors are all the same size, so the pixel size on the 5MP sensor is rather small. This means you need lots of light to stop the picture being a bit noisy.

My advice would be get the P10, but get a nice big strobe too to give the light you need (costly I know).

 

[Wendy]

Well I thought I'd get the sony p-8 3.2 mp, but now i'll look at the Oly and the cannon that has been recommended by you guys, I don't know who switched this thread over to the underwater photo forum. I'm by no means interested in underwater photography, just figured I'd get the underwater housing so I can take it with me in case there is something I wanna keep a picture of, plus I could use it dry caving and kayaking too.

So I guess I'll get on line tomorrow at work and look a little more. I had only been looknig at the sony's cuz that's what my friends use.

Thanks everybody for your help. I appreciate it.

 

[Jetwrench]

Well I thought I'd get the sony p-8 3.2 mp, but now i'll look at the Oly and the cannon that has been recommended by you guys, I don't know who switched this thread over to the underwater photo forum. I'm by no means interested in underwater photography, just figured I'd get the underwater housing so I can take it with me in case there is something I wanna keep a picture of, plus I could use it dry caving and kayaking too.

So I guess I'll get on line tomorrow at work and look a little more. I had only been looknig at the sony's cuz that's what my friends use.

Thanks everybody for your help. I appreciate it.

Wendy, you may have thought by my previous post I wasn't happy with the P10, which is not the case. It's best feature IMO is it's size, especially with the housing. It makes for a very compact UW setup with plenty of capacity. I'm not sorry I bought it, by no means. I only suggested Oly because of the manual features it has that Sony doesn't. If you are not mostly interested in UW photography, as you say, the P10 will give you some great shots below and above the water, as other Sony owners here have proven. I guess it comes down to where you will use the camera most and how deep you want to get into it's functions(auto vs manual).

Jet

 

[DiveMistress2]

The new Olympus 8080 Wide Lens is now out and about with a housing. Has anyone seen any pricing on it? The camera is $1,400 CDN but I can't find the housing anywhere. Any ideas?

 

[Wendy]

How bout this one:

Canon A80 its got 4.0mp does video with sound, the reviews didn't sound bad, and canon makes a housing for it.

Or the Canon A70 w/ 3.2mp. Ya its cheaper, and its not like I wil be printng photos over 8x10 and that would be rare I print out anything over 5x6, so 3.2 should be good for me, right?

This is becoming the most stressful purchase ever for me.

 

[Dee]

Wendy, go with the highest MP you can afford. 8x10 prints from a 3MP camera is really stretching it. Why limit yourself? You know there's gonna be a photo of a large cave room with beautiful stalagmites and other 'stuff' that you'll want enlarged for your wall! Unless you're talking about a significant difference in price, go with the 4MP.

If you think this decision is stressful, don't ever think about strobes and trays, and arms, etc. You'd never survive!

 

[ScottyK]

Wendy- I have the A70 with housing and love it. The 3.2 MP is enough to make very sharp 4 x 6 prints on my HP photoprinter. As others have stated, 8 x 10 might be stretching it (Although I made one and it did come out pretty sharp). However, if you're not looking to make larger prints there is no need to spend the extra $$$ on the A80.

What originally sold me on the Canon was it's the only one (that I know of) in that price range that had an easy to use, built in macro. It works quite well. I have some beautiful close up shots of live butterflies from a living display at The Museum of Natural History.

If you want to see the whole setup and some sample prints, Jen and I will be in the following areas next week doing some diving. Maybe we can grab some lunch and let you check it out. PM me if you can make it.

Scott

Monday 4/5- Gainesville area. Diving (not sure which spring yet) until about 2PM. We'll then be looking around the general area until about 8PM.

Tuesday 4/6 Crystal River area. Again, diving in the AM, possibly doing some hiking in The Ocala Nat. forest in the afternoon, and free late afternoon/early evening.

Wednesday 4/7 Venice area all day.

Thursday 4/8 Ginnie Springs all day and meeting OneBrightGator for dinner around 6:30.

 

[Wendy]

Wendy- I have the A70 with housing and love it. The 3.2 MP is enough to make very sharp 4 x 6 prints on my HP photoprinter. As others have stated, 8 x 10 might be stretching it (Although I made one and it did come out pretty sharp). However, if you're not looking to make larger prints there is no need to spend the extra $$$ on the A80.

What originally sold me on the Canon was it's the only one (that I know of) in that price range that had an easy to use, built in macro. It works quite well. I have some beautiful close up shots of live butterflies from a living display at The Museum of Natural History.

If you want to see the whole setup and some sample prints, Jen and I will be in the following areas next week doing some diving. Maybe we can grab some lunch and let you check it out. PM me if you can make it.

Scott

Monday 4/5- Gainesville area. Diving (not sure which spring yet) until about 2PM. We'll then be looking around the general area until about 8PM.

Tuesday 4/6 Crystal River area. Again, diving in the AM, possibly doing some hiking in The Ocala Nat. forest in the afternoon, and free late afternoon/early evening.

Wednesday 4/7 Venice area all day.

Thursday 4/8 Ginnie Springs all day and meeting OneBrightGator for dinner around 6:30.

Oh I wish I could meet up with you guys, but I work during the week.

Thanks for the backing on the A70, I went to look at it at lunch and i liked it. I found a place that has it for $309 and that includes a 256mb card, and then you get a $15 rebate, so it endds up being $294. But they are out of stock and then I'd have to wait, etc, so I may just get it from best buy for $299, but the housing I foudn on liine was $169 that sounded good.

Thanks everyone for your help.