We all know there are a lot of you out there who enjoy taking fishing pictures. Digital is definitely the medium of choice in 2004. I would like feedback on water-worthy digital cameras.

My Sony DSC-P9 just went TU (no, not Trout Unlimited) from one episode of condensation. It never took a dunking, and was not left out in the rain. It did spend some time in a cold, damp pocket and when I brought it into a warm house, it just fogged over pretty good. Sent it in to Sony and after 6 weeks, I was told it was cost prohibitive to repair.... fixing it would cost more than the purchase price of the camera!

Looking for a (non-Sony) replacement. Olympus makes two "weather resistant" models (Stylus 300 and 400), and Pentax makes a "water resistant" model (Optio 33 WR). If anybody has tried these or other makes, your input is appreciated.

I have a sony p-9 also and the mpk-p9 underwater case that is good to 40m. I love it. took it to cabo last spring and its going again. I understand how you feel about not wanting another sony though. I personaly dont like the sony phones, home or cell! Had too many problems, but I love my sony digital camera and I have two other friends that love theirs too. I know cannon makes underwater housings for their cameras too. I dont know about the other camera mfgs though but I personaly would rather have an underwater housing, that is probably better protection and rated deeper, than a camera that is water/wx resistant and loosing some features.

www.digideep.com

this link might help.

also, I have a few pics I took underwater if you would like me to send them to you I can.

Soon my digital video camera will arrive and the underwater housing for that too!!!!

oh yeah, i got my housing on ebay for $160.

just to get an idea of what is out there, check out the digideep site or just do a search on ebay for underwater housing. that way you can look for a camera with the features you like and the price that works for you and then see if there is a housing for that camera.

hope that helps

Have the Sony housing, too. Find it too bulky for everyday use on the water. Plus you can't see the display on a bright day due to reflection/glare off the housing. Have all kinds of other Sony accessories to go with it, too. My first thought was to get another Sony so I could still use the accessories. Then I got to thinking they left me high and dry on the repair.... couldn't stand the thought of rewarding them for lousy product/service.

what accesories do you have, i might be interested in buying them off of you depending on what they are and how much and if your thinking of going to a diff mfg. if not me, my firends that also have the p-7 and p-10 might.

these guys are pretty good

Divers Discount

Doc, one of my distributors carries the Pentax line and i have been using the Optio 33WR since they came out in the market in September and it has been fantastic, it's a little thinner than a Pip's leader holder and if you sqaure off the dispenser you have the optios' size, so its always in wader pckt or vest or boat, it's packed w/ features it's has a nite/shot mode thats quite cool! Besides being compact it can take an abuse! believe me. i've dropped on the bank, in sand, and mud and all i have done is just rinse it off in the river! 3.2 mega pixels provides xclnt pict quality. i find i use it more than my olympus C750 for home use. I sent one to Bob and Fishgal in October to use so I think they can also give some input, i'm pretty sure his daily pic's are w/using the WR, i think he bought a uderwater housing for it also! Totally worth the money IMHO.

I have been using the Pentax Optio for a few months now and it certainly is a great size and it appears to be water resistent.

My friend dropped his a few feet and it stopped working and is now getting it replaced, I have not had any problems with it.

I was using a Nikon Coolpix 950 prior to the pentax and I will admit the picture quality on the Nikon is superior, but for fish pictures that dont need to be blown up super sized, it works great.

I got mine off of ebay for about $80 less than the local retailers were selling it for.

I am on my 3rd canon, just due to upgrades. I know have a canon powershot s-50. 5MG camers. So far the best I have had. Checck this site out pricegrabber

I buy a lot of stuff from here. Plug in what you want and it compare prices from EVERYWHERE.

Now to answer your question, I can only speak for the canon cover. It goes to 100', I just got mine for my trip to Maui in may so I have not used it yet. I have a couple of friends that have and the pics turned out great. I think that they are all going to be a little bulky though.. G/L

I checked that divers discount site... WOW!!! I got my camera, canon powershot s-50 for $150 less and my housing for almost $100 bucks less. shop around for sure

A couple of thoughts.

I'd be willing to bet you will compromise features/performance in one of those "water resistant" cameras. If you are a simple point-n-shoot kinda guy, than it probably doesn't matter. If you are a Dave Vedder of the world, and do all that fancy manual settings, complicated photography, than you probably want your SLR, or user-controlled friendly camera.

I don't like to settle on my cameras, so I just bought a waterproof Pelican Case for my camera. It stays in that case until I need to use the camera. Oh sure, it doesn't help when it's pouring outside, but I just won't pull out the camera if it's that wet outside.

Personally, I tell everyone to check out www.drpreview.com You can do side-by-side comparisons of all the cameras out there. Do your research before buying a camera, as they are all not alike.

Personally, my criteria includes battery technology, RAM technology, ISO settings, manual settings, and quality of the image. Oh yeah, and obviously MP is important, especially if you print them images out. Heck, for the web, a 1 MP camera is just fine.

Finally, those search engines for "cheap" stuff are fine, but will they protect you agains't black or grey market cameras?

Be very very very very leary of those "cheap" search engines. I only will buy my camera from known good vendors that do not deal in grey or black market cameras. There is nothing worse than getting that "$150 cheaper than everyone else" camera just to find out that it's not under warranty because it came off of the grey or black market. A *lot* of camera manufacturers will not honor warranties on grey or black market cameras. Keep that in mind when purchasing from an un-proven site.

Personally, I only buy my cameras from B&H Video. Look them up on the web, if interested. I know they do not deal in black or grey market cameras.

Good luck Doc, and feel free to email me for more info. Purchasing a camera is just like purchasing a computer. Many choices out there, but once you get past all the crap, and know what you need, the choice will be apparent.

The Divers Discount place looked pretty cool. Crap, now *I* want the S50 with the underwater housing! Thanks a lot, guys!

I'm betting that you're not paying any less for the camera, but you probably are getting a great deal on the housing, and buying at all at their package price. B&H has the S50 for $379, but I bet there is a serious markup on that housing. But, at that packaged, price, it's not a bad deal.

Damn. I want one!

Actually, after having just looked at www.dpreview.com, no thanks on the S50. Too much Purple Fringing (Chromatic Aberrations) on the 5MP Canons. As a Canon user for years, this purple fringing sucks.

I'd go with the reviewers option and stick with the S45. Better CCD and better images over the S50.

Looks like I'll be waiting until Canon can fix their chromatic abberations issues.

Man, I love that site. www.dpreview.com ROCKS!

that's why you should read up on which site you choose, each particular one has a rating just like ebay. Most of the cheaper sites are that way because of low overhead not having to pay 15 teenagers to stand around and BS for $8 an hour + commish. You shouldn't go and knock a site unless you have the back up to do so. I have spent well over $5K on those "cheap" sites and have nothing but praise to say about them. Customer service, help answering questions and whatever else you may need. Now if you are quick to part with your money go ahead do with it just as you will. I was just suggesting something that I have a lot of experience with and not just talking about something that I know nothing about..... I would suggest reading the reviews on each site and how long the particular company has been around. Most that are up and running now have been around for awhile.. The site I mentioned "pricegrabber" has nothing to do with selling it's self it is a search engine for shopping for just about anything. They have everybody from Circuit City to jim and bobs wholesale.


Parker - Please don't go a knock something when it is obvious that you never even looked at it. If you had looked at it you would know that it's not the "cheap sites" you were so quick to refer to. The nothing worse that someone knocking something that they have never even tried themselves.


BTW the S50 is a damn great camera. I've gone through the 10,30 father in-law has the 45 . I'd have to give them all great reviews, but by far the S50 top them without question. And compared to a lot of other cameras I've seen and the pic quality I've seen there really hasn't been anything comparable. But, if you must go ahead and slam my camers too. Hell your on a roll. But, then again you have never owned one so what they hell do you know anyway


I've got a couple of walls of 8"X10" and 11"X14" pics of crystal clear pics that were taken by that camera. Opinions are like belly buttons right???


Now get one of those EOS digital and then your talking. Maybe this summer???
canon

Wow. I think someone needs to go back and re-read my post.

Being "leary" of any commercial internet site is just good common sense, not a "knock" on a site. Especially comments comming off of this one.

As for Canon's, I'm the current owner of a G1 and a S400, and have logged many an hour on the S45 and G5. They all have serious chromatic abberation issues. The 5MP Canon's only got worse in this department.

Not slamming you Pmartin, but after you pointed us all towards your S50, I did the research. I concluded that the S50 isn't for me, and why. I'll happily wait to see if Canon can fix their problems before buying another Canon.

Do your homework, Doc. www.dpreview.com is a great, unbiased, and professional place to start.

Parker,
I do aplogize. I took it wrong. I just got out of a meeting and was pretty much just seeing red. There are a lot of good options out there if you do your homework.


My bad

GL &TL

The Olympus Stylus 300 is a fine little camera. My friend has had one for over 6 months now. It's got wet several times and is none the worse for wear. It takes good pics and is very small. If you're looking for a pocket sized point and shoot water resistant camera I'd give it a good look.

Thanks for all the input guys. I want a compact, no-nonsense point-and-shoot camera that can handle an unexpected downpour, surprise wave, or accidental dunking, and also one I can handle with wet hands without fear. So far, the Optio 33WR gets the nod for ease of use and tolerance for potential abuse. Thanks Mavrick! Would like to hear from others who have used that camera, especially interested in any downsides.

Bob, any input on the little camera?
Optio WR is not just your normal "point & shoot" it has all manual settings a novice to pro photog needs and has recieved great reviews and for just under 3 bills is worth it.

If anyone is interested in the little camera give me a shout, although i own a mobile audio/video and auto accessories business, one of my electronics distributors carries Pentax,Minolta,Fuji,Kyocera,Panasonic,Canon digital camera/camcorders & film cameras, so we are an authorized dealers in these products even though I cannot tell you squat about them!
but i can save you guy's some dough.