Begginers Camera

Dear all,

I have read the pinned topic but it didn't really help.

My sister is about to lear to dive , she will be going from OW right through to instructor , but thats another story............

She has asked my advice on what camera to buy.

She needs something for holiday snap shots and would prefer digital.

Her budget is about 250 quid (US$400).

She hasn't asked about underwater possibilities but I think it would be wrong of me to suggest a camera that doesn't have the possibility of being housed.

Any help or suggestions would be really appreciated.

Cheers

The Olympus x0x0 (3040, 4040, 5050) and Canon G series (G2, G3, G5) are good (and popular) cameras. Have her check around for pricing.

Based on the budget, you can get Sony DSC-Px (P7, P8, P9, P10) or the Canon S-x0 (40, 45, 50) which are great cameras on land. Small in size and I find this excellent for beginner diver like myself who doesn't want to carry bulky stuff on a dive. You may need an additional USD200 for the manufacturer's housing, these should be a good start for beginner, IMHO.

Do seek info on the Olympus as well, which I am not familiar with.

I have used a Sony P9 with Sony housing (spent over USD800 with additional accesories - batteries/memory), am now planning for a Canon G5 with Ikelite housing (need approx USD1500).:freak:

Cheers!

Check available housings here. The Nikon - Coolpix 885 is currently a cheap shot. The Fantasea housing is available between $130 - $180.

In what country will you buy? The prices differ quite a lot depending on your location.