Dolphin

Howdy all. Brand new here. I'm still a fairly inexperienced diver (about 25 dives). Looking to buy a digital camera with video capabilities, or a camcorder with still shot capabilities. I would go the route of buying a regular camera and then getting the housing for diving. I've heard some good things about Canon, but perhaps someone here has some suggestions. Any thoughts at all would be appreciated.

Here's the camera I'm looking at, BTW: Canon SD630

thechipstick

I normally use a Canon with underwater houseing but recently I tried Sea Life 5MP CCD Land-Underwater Digital Camera Sealife DC500. It was really good because it has handy features like "Shark Mode". Here is a bit of blurb about it for you from here http://www.opticsplanet.net/sealife-...ra-sl150.html:

"It features 'shark mode' for faster and sharper pictures of moving objects underwater and in sports photography on land. The Shark Mode is activated by simply pushing the camera's OK button which focuses on the intended subject. The See Life 5MP CCD Land-Underwater Digital Camera Sealife DC500 Digital Camera SL150 will now remember that focus range and take sharp pictures with virtually no shutter lag. Underwater, in diving or snorkeling, everything moves, the diver as well as sea creatures are in constant movement. In addition to the Shark Mode, the automatic Sea exposure mode will shorten the exposure time underwater for sharper pictures. "

hope it helps!

rick00001967

is it just me or does "thechipstick" sound like he works for sealife.....
anyway, i am also looking for any recommendations for a new digital underwater camera. have looked at the sealife dc500 but am concerned about the low megapixels (5mp) and also about the flash set up. i cannot see how the external flash can be perfectly insinc with the camera flash. it must have a slight delay???? it does seem to get good reviews though.
i was considering the canon A710 IS or the olympus 740. any comments or advise pls pass them on. thx rick

ding

But thats cause I have one. I have an oly 8080 in an Ikelite housing with a DS50 TTL strobe.

This is the sort of pictures I get

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YBOD diver on Finstrokes

glynneco

WOW! great pictures. I had no idea the diving was so wonderfil in Scotland. I'm canceling Cayman.

Really these are great. I only dream of shots like this. The camera is important it's the operator that makes the difference.

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Is that the bottom of the quarry or is the vis just really bad today?

ding

The pictures were taken in the red sea

Will post some scottish pictures here later

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YBOD diver on Finstrokes

glynneco

I knew that I was just kidding. The only time we see fish like that where I live is when my scuba mags come. I AM into wrecks and I here you have some worldclass stuff. I wreck dive off Cape Hatteras and enjoy it much better then fishy diving. Wrecks all have stories and they're different every time you dive them. Fish are pretty but you see one ........ Yeah, post your local pics. I'd love to see that! Thanks.

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Is that the bottom of the quarry or is the vis just really bad today?

ding

Me getting ready to dive the german battleship Markgraf which lies on her port side and the seabed is around 45 metres, with a least depth of around 24 metres.



Like all the battleships she is virtually upside down so to get underneath her means getting to the gunwales at around 38 metres. This is Bruce...



There are lots of places to enter the wreck...





All pictures taken with an oly 8080 in an Ikelite housing

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YBOD diver on Finstrokes

glynneco

The vis is great! If we get more then 20 ft we're estatic. I love the kits. Do you have to have a rebreather to play? What is the water temp by the way? I noticed not a wet suit in the lot. I also noticed the tanks upside down. You folks are into serious penetrations. Great pics. This time of year I have to dive vicariously. Excuse me while I run downstairs and smell my wet suit!
Thanks for the post!

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Is that the bottom of the quarry or is the vis just really bad today?

ding

The viz is normally 10-15 at scapa flow and the water temp is 9-11 deg C
So you need a drysuit and thermals. We are all using rebreathers to increase the bottom times and reduce the gas costs.

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YBOD diver on Finstrokes