I am going on a dive trip in a couple of months and I would like to buy a digital underwater camera before I go. I was hoping someone could recommend a good camera for a beginner. I would like to have a compact camera that is simple to use. Some people have recommended the Sealife dc500, but I have not been able to find alot of info on it. I have also looked at the canon sd500. If anyone could give me any advice on these camera or any others in this price range let me know.
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What camera is good for a beginner
8 posts
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Hi BDJ and welcome to Wetpixel.
There are many cameras to choose from, and not all are created equal. What you want to look for is a camera that will let you "Grow" if you find you really like UW photography. That means you need to look for one that will let you adjust some of the settings MANUALLY but also has a full auto mode. Look for cams that let you shoot in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Full Manual mode. That means you can adjust the aperture and shutterspeed yourself.
The two you mentioned do NOT meet the above guideline.
I would suggest looking at a "tier" up from the above, which are fully automatic models. Have a look at the Canon A and S series (a95, S70, etc) and at the Olympus C series like the 7070. The Nikon Coolpix series of cameras that allow full control are good too.
These are good models to choose from because there are "cheap" plastic housings available for <$200, but you can also get a more expensive housing later.
Cheers
James
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If I went with the Canon A or S series, what kind of strobe would be best. Also if I didn't buy a strobe at first would I be able to get decent pictures without it.
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Hi,
Yes, absolutely you can get great photos using the built in strobe, but you need to be less than 1' away.
If you're looking to go w/ one of the cheap housings, you'll need to get a slave type strobe that will fire when the little camera flash fires. Look at Sea and Sea, Inon, and Ikelite.
Cheers
James
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If I went with the Canon A or S series, what kind of strobe would be best. Also if I didn't buy a strobe at first would I be able to get decent pictures without it.
I borrowed my brother's Canon A20 (the ancestor of today's A series) just for fun, and managed to get some decent shots.
Doesn't beat a dSLR with twin strobe setup, but it fits in your BCD pocket and still can achieve good results... Oh yes, there is also that price tag difference
Cheers,
Mat
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Hi,
Yes, absolutely you can get great photos using the built in strobe, but you need to be less than 1' away.
If you're looking to go w/ one of the cheap housings, you'll need to get a slave type strobe that will fire when the little camera flash fires. Look at Sea and Sea, Inon, and Ikelite.
Cheers
James
for the bargain hunter, Sealife now makes a digital strobe kit with a adjustable pre flash setting from 0 to 4. even if you do not know how many pre flashes your camera uses a 10 min trial and error test will give you the answer. Sea and Sea also has a reasonable priced kit although substantially higher than the sealife. Inon makes some VERY nice strobes as well as Ikelite and may be a good choice if you plan on upgrading your camera in the future. and you WILL!!! ;-)
if you plan to use only the internal flash another very good investment would be a macro lens kit or adapter so you can get closer to your subject therefore reducing the amount of particles between the lens and the subject.
For non close up shots using a internal flash,the general rule is turn it off if you subject is more than 3 feet away.
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Would the Canon a610 or a620 be a good starter camera or would I be better off with the a95.
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The A620 is almost the same price as the A95, has a higher resolution, brighter and wider lens, and closer focusing distance. Thus I'd say it's a better choice.
Cheers,
Mat
