Digital camera - advice and pointers welcome

[kinetic]

Hello,

I've just started poking around for a camera and would like to be able to get waterproof housing for upto 60-70m.

I've found a few cameras that look interesting but don't seem to have any U/W housing as an accessory (Olympus C750 UZ, for example).

What are the general thoughts and comments would be greatly welcome before I decide on which camera to get.

What is the maximum optical zoom you can expect for a camera with a U/W housing?

If I buy a larger memory card, is it phscically larger aswell and therefore have an impact on U/W housing...will it still fit?

I'd really appreciate any help.

Thanks and regards.

Graham

[AdmiralHanson]

<font color='#000080'>In terms of memory cards, if the XD cards are anything to go by, I recently got one for my land digtial camera ... upgrading from 16mb to 128mb and there is no difference in size.

It went from the abilaity to take something like 12 high quality photos to over 200

[John Gulliver]

I'm no expert on digital cameras but I think you'll find that the memory cards are the same size right up to 1 GB.
As regards the house, most are only rated to 30 m, some to 40 m, I believe. I wonder if any is rated to 60-70 m.

[kinetic]

Admiral and John,

Many thanks for the initial tips.

What cameras are you using and do you recommend them?

John, I suggested a 60-70m range to be on the safe side as far as waterproofness goes...I don't think I'd actually dive to that depth with a camera as I'd have plenty of other things to be worrying about. I suppose 30-40m range would be perfect....any ideas re: camera for that?

Thanks again.

Graham

[Ali]

Hi Graham,
I have a Pentax Optio 330 and a 40m rated housing for it, it has been to 42m!. It's not the cheapest housing, mine cost £200 but we already had the camera, the pics that it takes have been pretty good. The camera we have was the 1st Optio out I think. It is 3.2 mega pixal and will do a 30 sec movie but with no sound I think the camera can be picked up for around £150 now. It is a nice small camera and the housing is easy enough to use under water! I will send you a couple of pics, I think I still have your email.

Ali &quot;&quot;&quot;()

[AdmiralHanson]

<font color='#000080'>I've just got an Olympus Mju 400, but I am still waiting for the hosuing, so no idea what the quality underwater is like

[Tim Ingmire]

Right what you want is the Olympus c5050z or the new c5060 (wider angle lens and lots of neat new accesories for underwater use)

Click here for more links.

You can now pick up the camera for just over £400 now and housing for around £135 I believe.

If you goto my site here, you can see some piccies I took in the red sea last year.

I really don't believe you will do any better for the money without spending serious money on an SLR system.

If you have any more questions after reading this lot then just come back and ask or PM me.

[JohnK]

Kinetic - Timing is right - you wont go far wrong with an Olympus.

Now for the shameless plug - I will be selling my outfit in march and it comprises:

Olympus C4040Z (4 megapixels)
PT010 housing (rated to 30m)
Wide angle lens
Close up land lens
3 x diopters (+1/2/4) for magnification
3 x 128mB smartmedia cards
1 x 16mB smartmedia card
8 x high ampage (2100 Ah) rechargeable batteries
battery charger (includes seperate dar ciggy lighter charging lead)
Olympus software for camera
Photoshop Elements software for editing
Carry bag
Card reader plus software
manual printed from disk

In short - the whole kit to start you off !!!. The only thing you will need after that is a strobe.

Why am I selling ?... need to cash for a housing for my new camera !!. How much - £550 the lot

[Gunna Do]

Nice pics Timming

[billvet]

I'll second Timing's thought re the Oly5050z - I'm off to Sharm tomorrow with mine in its housing and using a NikSB-102 strobe in slave mode - I'm determined to get some decent Thistlegorm shots this time.
The only slight down point to make is that the housing is quite bulky if you compare it to say the Canon s-45/50 with its housing - both rated to 30m safe.
HTH
Bill