Cheap underwater solution...

Youstolemyname · 8 Jun 2008 at 20:20

Im off t'egypt again diving in 4 weeks (woo!) and am still reluctant to shell out on a housing for my compact camera seeing as I only use it once a year! It would cost me around a ton.

Any recommendations for either a cheap disposible solution (I've used kodak ones and found them to be pants, really poor colour reproduction!) or a cheap digital solution- found a few vivitar ones for around the £50 mark but not sure if they are worth the money?

Any advice appreciated

Raikiri · 8 Jun 2008 at 20:31

Vivitar 5188 5mp camera with it's own water proof case - £31 - The case is rated to 45 feet, I don't know if that will be enough?

It's not going to be brilliant but for the price it's probably the best value way to get under water photos.

Youstolemyname · 8 Jun 2008 at 20:33

cheers...that looks quite smart. Will be better than the disposibles and as soon as you get below 15m the light goes anyway. Wonder if they do a case rated to 30m as some dives may get deep and although Iwouldnt be taking any pics at that depth the kit would be with me

footman · 9 Jun 2008 at 09:18

There is a product called a Dicapac. Ive read one review which was mixed.

DampCat · 9 Jun 2008 at 11:30

Without trying to negate your first post, i did a lot of research in to this as my girlfriend and I are working on an underwater mini-series for kids. If you can stretch that extra budget to £100 as you said it would cost, i would really recommend it. The tests i've done with various disposables (i've got a list at home i can copy up if i can find it) haven't really blown me away at all. The results tend to fluxuate between rubbish and meh.

They were alright for documenting what we saw, but we didn't get a single picture i'd want to stick in a frame on the mantlepiece, if that makes sense. I've not seen the one Raikiri has mentioned though, might be a considerable improvement since i messed about with it 2 years ago

tres · 9 Jun 2008 at 11:42

either way, make sure it's got a half decent flash on it
under 5m, red light starts to go.. 15m down, with a poor flash, and it'll still look rubbish

balls · 10 Jun 2008 at 07:14

Olympus do a line of underwater capable cameras supposidly rated to 30m

roboffer · 12 Jun 2008 at 21:59

Raikiri said:
Vivitar 5188 5mp camera with it's own water proof case - £31 - The case is rated to 45 feet, I don't know if that will be enough?

It's not going to be brilliant but for the price it's probably the best value way to get under water photos.

I bought one of those just this week. Its terrible just taking pictures in my house, so I dread to think how it would perform underwater. Its being returned when I get a chance to create an RMA.

Id be tempted to go for a proper housing for your compact, of buy a decent underwater one for around the £200 mark and then sell it on ebay when you get back.