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Underwater Digital Vs DSLR

Help needed on which Camera to buy - DSLR or an underwater camera..

16 years ago, February 22nd 2008 No: 1 Msg: #28187 Delete Edit

Em and Grae
Emma Riley

B Posts: 3

Please help, I am a trained photographer & Artist, albeit many years ago and on Manual Single Lens Reflex Camera.

I have left my job and will be traveling shortly, when I return I hope to open a gallery where I can sell my pics and paintings.

I desperatly want to do underwater photography as we will be diving in Palau & the Great Barrier Reef (Imagine the shots blown up !), but equally I need a very good DSLR for on dry land...

I cant afford to buy two new cameras as my max budget is £400

Can Anyone advise a compromise ? Reply to this

16 years ago, February 22nd 2008 No: 2 Msg: #28258 Delete Edit

Ali
Ali Watters

B Posts: 5,200

Buy a DSLR - and put aside a budget for renting underwater cameras (roughly £10 per day) - with only £400 you can't have both! Reply to this

16 years ago, February 23rd 2008 No: 3 Msg: #28303 Delete Edit

TeamTurner
Michael & Kelley Turner

B Posts: 289

I;m not sure of the cost, and as an American am definitely not sure of the cost in pounds, but often you can get cases that make your DSLR water proof enough for diving up to 20m. You might want to check that option out...

Here is an interesting article you might want to read: Photo.net Reply to this

16 years ago, February 23rd 2008 No: 4 Msg: #28311 Delete Edit

Ali
Ali Watters

B Posts: 5,200

1 GBP (£) ~= 2 USD ($) - roughly, historically this is high exchange rate - based on the current weakness of the dollar.

So that's $800 to play with - unfortunately those underwater cases clock in at ~$1000 or more!

It might be worth searching on Ebay for an older DSLR with underwater housing - some of the enthusiasts may have upgraded to one of the newer prosumer DSLRs released in the last year.

Reply to this

16 years ago, February 23rd 2008 No: 5 Msg: #28322 Delete Edit

TeamTurner
Michael & Kelley Turner

B Posts: 289

With that in mind as the exchange rate, then I think you're probably right Ali. It seems that underwater photography is VERY expensive...maybe prohibitively so. Reply to this

16 years ago, February 23rd 2008 No: 6 Msg: #28323 Delete Edit

Ali
Ali Watters

B Posts: 5,200

And then I think of another alternative 😉 - Canon G9 and underwater housing? Amazon has the pair listed for $655 and the G9 is widely acknowledged as a rival to SLR's - More in this topic Reply to this

16 years ago, February 25th 2008 No: 7 Msg: #28431 Delete Edit

Em and Grae
Emma Riley

B Posts: 3

Thanks Guys, that is very helpful

I had a quick look into the G9 and quike frankly - what more could I need ! It looks fantastic, and will also allow me to use it in full manual mode, and then take it underwater and have a play around.

Think I'll wait till I'm in Canada to buy it though. Reply to this