Cheap waterproof camera...

[Amp34]

I'm going to learn to dive next week and have decided actually I do want to take a waterproof camera with me to get some snaps. I wanted something with some decent manual settings but it appears they are only available when you encase a normal camera in an expensive waterproof case.

I know there are some decentish compacts that will go down reasonably deep, any suggestions which I should buy (cheap would be useful bit as usual IQ is the most important!).

Thanks

 

[Amp34]

I have three days of diving after I complete the open water bit so was thinking of taking one down then just for some fun, which is why I'm not looking for an expensive one, although a basic tough one to use when playing in rivers and such would be good too.

I'm going on Friday though so something online isn't going to be any use as well.

 

[Amp34]

well the first thing to decide is how deep you want to go. Most 'waterproof' cameras only go to 2m. Some even go to 10m but beyond that you're into 'normal camera in a case' terrirory.
If you're doing scuba you will probably be going up to 18m down but without lights and filters photos can look crap at that depth.

It would mostly be a case of taking it to take pictures of each other and some shallow fish, so 10m would be fine. As there seems to be a lack of manual controls and ISO is poor on compacts I wouldn't be thinking of taking any pictures below about 5m anyway. I've decided that it's going to be not worth the cost so will see if I can maybe hire one for a day in resort instead.