waterproof digital camera costco image
Nick from
My Situation: I'm going to a family reunion in Hawaii in a couple of weeks, and was thinking taking pictures while snorkeling may be fun. I could buy one of those $10 disposable underwater film cameras, but since I go into caves a lot which are wet, I thought getting something not disposable could be useful there also. I don't want to spend too much money, but am exploring my options.
What I've tried so far: I went to REI the other day, and bought a $30 heavy duty underwater plastic baggie with a hard lens opening that goes over the camera lens part. I tried it out with the digital camera I already have and noticed the pictures are okay if I don't use the flash, but once I use the flash the pictures come out very cloudy. That was the AquaPac brand, and I'm not sure if the DiCaPac brand name underwater baggie would be any better or not. As an alternative, I'm not sure if those "hard case" underwater housings take care of this "flash problem", although with how much they cost for my particular snapshot camera model, it may be cheaper just to buy a real underwater camera. I'd also be worried that a hard case housing wouldn't be useful if I decide to upgrade cameras later on, since they're specific to the camera model?
So, moving the story forward, at Costco there's an underwater camera usually $300, but I just bought it on sale for $150, trying to figure out if I should open it or return it. It's a Nikon Coolpix AW100. It's waterproof to 33 ft, drop proof to 5 ft, and has "underwater mode" (although the camera I already have has an "aquarium mode", not sure if that would help or not).
My Question: I'm not sure if it would be best to go with the Nikon AW100, or get a better underwater heavy duty baggie case with the hard lens to go with my existing digital camera (so that I can always upgrade my digital camera later on), or some other option?
IT'S NOT NEEDED TO READ BELOW UNLESS MORE DETAILS ARE NEEDED:
The underwater camera I found at Costco is http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-Waterproof-Digital-Camouflage/dp/B008JI0R8U/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365876725&sr=1-4&keywords=Nikon+AW100
If I do get some underwater housing, the digital camera I have now is a Canon Powershot A720 IS that I got in 2007 http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-A720IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B000V1VG2E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365875483&sr=8-1&keywords=Canon+Powershot+A720+IS
The type of underwater housing which gave me foggy pictures when using the flash was http://www.amazon.com/Aquapac-Small-Camera-Case-Shown/dp/B0012BRAFY/ref=sr_1_24?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365875732&sr=1-24&keywords=aquapac+underwater+case
The housing which I haven't tried but don't know if it would be better is http://www.amazon.com/Dicapac-WP-ONE-Digital-Camera-Waterproof/dp/B005IAXVMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365875559&sr=8-1&keywords=dicapac+waterproof+case
Answer
At a given price a non-waterproof camera is usually a better picture taker than a compact waterproof camera. If you can combine the better non-waterproof camera with a dedicated underwater housing, the proper weight for net neutral buoyancy, and some silica gel packs inside the housing to prevent condensation, you can probably get better underwater pictures that way than with a compact waterproof camera.
As for using a one-size-fits-many housing, I haven't tried it, but I would not be optimistic about it. Access to controls could be difficult. I don't know if it can work with weights. If there is positive buoyancy, you will be fighting it instead of taking pictures with it.
At a given price a non-waterproof camera is usually a better picture taker than a compact waterproof camera. If you can combine the better non-waterproof camera with a dedicated underwater housing, the proper weight for net neutral buoyancy, and some silica gel packs inside the housing to prevent condensation, you can probably get better underwater pictures that way than with a compact waterproof camera.
As for using a one-size-fits-many housing, I haven't tried it, but I would not be optimistic about it. Access to controls could be difficult. I don't know if it can work with weights. If there is positive buoyancy, you will be fighting it instead of taking pictures with it.
What is better: Underwater camera or an underwater camera case?
Nick from
My Situation: I'm going to a family reunion in Hawaii in a couple of weeks, and was thinking taking pictures while snorkeling may be fun. I could buy one of those $10 disposable underwater film cameras, but since I go into caves a lot which are wet, I thought getting something not disposable could be useful there also. I don't want to spend too much money, but am exploring my options.
What I've tried so far: I went to REI the other day, and bought a $30 heavy duty underwater plastic baggie with a hard lens opening that goes over the camera lens part. I tried it out with the digital camera I already have and noticed the pictures are okay if I don't use the flash, but once I use the flash the pictures come out very cloudy. That was the AquaPac brand, and I'm not sure if the DiCaPac brand name underwater baggie would be any better or not. As an alternative, I'm not sure if those "hard case" underwater housings take care of this "flash problem", although with how much they cost for my particular snapshot camera model, it may be cheaper just to buy a real underwater camera. I'd also be worried that a hard case housing wouldn't be useful if I decide to upgrade cameras later on, since they're specific to the camera model?
So, moving the story forward, at Costco there's an underwater camera usually $300, but I just bought it on sale for $150, trying to figure out if I should open it or return it. It's a Nikon Coolpix AW100. It's waterproof to 33 ft, drop proof to 5 ft, and has "underwater mode" (although the camera I already have has an "aquarium mode", not sure if that would help or not).
My Question: I'm not sure if it would be best to go with the Nikon AW100, or get a better underwater heavy duty baggie case with the hard lens to go with my existing digital camera (so that I can always upgrade my digital camera later on), or some other option?
IT'S NOT NEEDED TO READ BELOW UNLESS MORE DETAILS ARE NEEDED:
The underwater camera I found at Costco is http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-Waterproof-Digital-Camouflage/dp/B008JI0R8U/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365876725&sr=1-4&keywords=Nikon+AW100
If I do get some underwater housing, the digital camera I have now is a Canon Powershot A720 IS that I got in 2007 http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-A720IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B000V1VG2E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365875483&sr=8-1&keywords=Canon+Powershot+A720+IS
The type of underwater housing which gave me foggy pictures when using the flash was http://www.amazon.com/Aquapac-Small-Camera-Case-Shown/dp/B0012BRAFY/ref=sr_1_24?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1365875732&sr=1-24&keywords=aquapac+underwater+case
The housing which I haven't tried but don't know if it would be better is http://www.amazon.com/Dicapac-WP-ONE-Digital-Camera-Waterproof/dp/B005IAXVMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365875559&sr=8-1&keywords=dicapac+waterproof+case
Answer
The Nikon AW100 is one of the better underwater cameras. I'd keep it.
I never liked those baggies. They are OK for above water use - such as at the beach where the camera might get wet, but they are no good at all for snorkeling.
Also realize that there are two defacto standards for underwater compact cameras. Those that go to 3meters and those that go to 10meters like the Nikon. There are also some cameras that can exceed that depth rating a bit (like the Nikon AW110).
Thing is, depth ratings with compact cameras/housings/bags are for "static" (still) water for 1 hour. If you put the camera into a river, surf, or have an ocean current, there will be increased water pressure on the camera, which necessitates having a deeper rating.
This increased pressure may exceed the 3M rating of the lower end underwater cameras and bags, even if you do not go to their rated depth, and may result in damage. This is why I never recommend 3M rated cameras/bags for anything but above water use in wet areas - as I take a conservative approach to this.
Underwater housings are indeed designed for one camera, so if that camera becomes obsolete and you have to replace it with another model, the housing will be no good. However, housings are typically rated to 200m, so they are not usually needed unless you are going scuba.
Here is my take on the applicability of the various bags, cameras, and housings:
- Above water use in wet environments: bag or 3M rated camera.
- Snorkeling: 10M rated camera.
- Scuba: 200M rated housing.
Also realize that there is a color shift to the blue when you use a camera underwater. So to get a properly color balanced photo, you need to use a RED filter, or manually adjust the color balance of your camera. This can be tricky to do, and most (if not all) underwater cameras have an underwater color balance setting that will provide the correct color balance.
With some cameras, you may have to set the scene mode to underwater to use this mode, and other cameras may do this automatically.
The aquarium mode in your camera may set the blue-shift color balance correctly, but it might also only make the fishes look more vivid. But some of the older Canon cameras did have optional underwater housings available, so the aquarium mode may also work for underwater use. You might see if you can find an old Canon housing for your Canon.
I have an Olympus 8010 underwater camera which works well enough, but I would have bought the Nikon AW100 if it had been available when I bought mine.
The Nikon AW100 is one of the better underwater cameras. I'd keep it.
I never liked those baggies. They are OK for above water use - such as at the beach where the camera might get wet, but they are no good at all for snorkeling.
Also realize that there are two defacto standards for underwater compact cameras. Those that go to 3meters and those that go to 10meters like the Nikon. There are also some cameras that can exceed that depth rating a bit (like the Nikon AW110).
Thing is, depth ratings with compact cameras/housings/bags are for "static" (still) water for 1 hour. If you put the camera into a river, surf, or have an ocean current, there will be increased water pressure on the camera, which necessitates having a deeper rating.
This increased pressure may exceed the 3M rating of the lower end underwater cameras and bags, even if you do not go to their rated depth, and may result in damage. This is why I never recommend 3M rated cameras/bags for anything but above water use in wet areas - as I take a conservative approach to this.
Underwater housings are indeed designed for one camera, so if that camera becomes obsolete and you have to replace it with another model, the housing will be no good. However, housings are typically rated to 200m, so they are not usually needed unless you are going scuba.
Here is my take on the applicability of the various bags, cameras, and housings:
- Above water use in wet environments: bag or 3M rated camera.
- Snorkeling: 10M rated camera.
- Scuba: 200M rated housing.
Also realize that there is a color shift to the blue when you use a camera underwater. So to get a properly color balanced photo, you need to use a RED filter, or manually adjust the color balance of your camera. This can be tricky to do, and most (if not all) underwater cameras have an underwater color balance setting that will provide the correct color balance.
With some cameras, you may have to set the scene mode to underwater to use this mode, and other cameras may do this automatically.
The aquarium mode in your camera may set the blue-shift color balance correctly, but it might also only make the fishes look more vivid. But some of the older Canon cameras did have optional underwater housings available, so the aquarium mode may also work for underwater use. You might see if you can find an old Canon housing for your Canon.
I have an Olympus 8010 underwater camera which works well enough, but I would have bought the Nikon AW100 if it had been available when I bought mine.
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Title Post: What is better: Underwater camera or an underwater camera case?
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Rating: 100% based on 99998 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
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