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Bonaire Photography & Videography: Underwater digital camera question
Bonaire Talk: Bonaire Photography & Videography: Archives: Archives 2006- 2007: Archives 2006-08-01 to 2007-12-31: Underwater digital camera question
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg & Lani Muelrath (BonaireTalker - Post #24) on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 5:37 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi,
Are there any BTers who can provide feedback on a digital underwater camera? I've been tracking a Sea & Sea DX 750G Camera & Flash Kit on eBay for $629.00.
I've been unable to locate any on-line reviews. If anyone is familiar with this camera in terms of picture quality, user-friendliness, and pricing please share. Thanks.
Greg

Here's the eBay link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sea-Sea-DX-750G-Digital-Underwater-Camera-Flash-Kit_W0QQitemZ160119297853QQihZ006QQcategoryZ30019QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2017) on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 7:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

http://www.divester.com/2006/06/13/sea-and-sea-dx750g-reviewed/

(google search of dx750g)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Victor Castagnoli (BonaireTalker - Post #11) on Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - 12:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Also, search the forums on wetpixel.com and scubaboard.com

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William Gates (BonaireTalker - Post #65) on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 7:21 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Greg:

My experience is limited to rental of the Sea & Sea DX-860G. I used it during a 24 hour period on Bonaire when my camera had overheating and developed stress related problems. I did a night snorkel with the DX-860G as well as a trip on the Woodwind [the next morning]. I did get some nice photos. The camera was used as set up by the Divi Flamingo Photo Shop. The problem that I had [EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING] was that the camera would not focus underwater.

It has a very nice green light indicating focus achieved as well as the center bulls-eye on the diaplay turns green when focus is achieved. I spent literally minutes trying to achieve focus on each shot. The majority of my photos are out of focus. Sometime we had as many as three Dive Lights [not the mini things] aimed at the target or at something at a comparable distance. I was convinced that there was a problem with the camera, so bright and early the next morning I exchanged it for another one. It was somewhat Better [in daylight of course] over at Klein but still major focus problems. Again I used it as setup by the shop. Perhaps, it was on ESP and not spot focus, I couldn't see the display well enough without my glasses to make changes.

Anyhow, I WOULD NOT rent the camera again!
In my opinion the camera has major underwater focus problems. In a word, unacceptable.

Pictures [the ones that came out] can be seen at

http://falls4sale.com/Bonaire/Home.html

Only the Night Snorkel with Reneee, and the Woodwind Pictures [the latter are not yet posted] were taken with the DX-860G.

Bill

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William Gates (BonaireTalker - Post #66) on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 8:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Greg:

You have mail.

Bill

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff (BonaireTalker - Post #55) on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 1:35 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

The best DP site that I have found is www.dpreview.com. The Sea&Sea is not listed, but if you go with a land camera and housing its a great place to start.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By bob (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2020) on Thursday, May 24, 2007 - 3:17 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

greg and lani,

you guys posted pics last time...pretty good ones...

not sure what camera that was but the one you are looking at now may be very similar...

are we having a hard time sharing? are we looking at his/her cameras?

just foolin' :-)

ps - did we ever determine if what you saw was a manta or just a regular ray?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By allan schein (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Thursday, August 16, 2007 - 1:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Anyone had any experience with a NikonislV-A? Are they hard to use? I think its an older camera.Thanks, Al

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1966) on Thursday, August 16, 2007 - 3:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post


It's a 35mm film camera. That said, I think the Nikonos were the cameras to have before digital.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By allan schein (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Thursday, August 16, 2007 - 3:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

So which is the way to go, 35mm or digital, or disposable Fugi? Curious, I am not a camera buff, just want to take some pictures while there. Allan

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1967) on Thursday, August 16, 2007 - 4:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Personally, I'd say digital. I don't know anything about disposable fuji cameras, but I do know that it's a lot more fun being able to click-click-click, oops, delete that, than go on a dive knowing you'll get a maximum of 36 shots and it's very likely 33 of them are junk - and you only find that out after waiting for the film to be processed.

I think if you add in the cost of all that film, much of it wasted, a new point and shoot digital with housing ends up costing a whole lot less in the end.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #350) on Thursday, August 16, 2007 - 10:06 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Allan:

It all depends. The nikonos is indeed a pretty nice u/w film camera (especially useful for wide angle shots when using certain lenses). It can be a bit more difficult to use for macro stuff focusing wise.

If I was buying a brand new set-up, digital would be my choice. That said, you can find some awesome deals on used film stuff. And, your keeper rate should be more than 3 out of 36 (although truly stunning shots are probably 1 to 3 per roll...). But film has two giant limitations: a) 36 frames per dive; and b) no opportunity for immediate feedback. And there is no question that those two things can improve the quality of your photos a great deal.

I have an Ikelite N90 housing, Ikelite ttl strobe cable, two ikelite strobes (the 50 and the 200), arms, charger, etc. I would be surprised if you could get much more than $750 for the lot (and maybe much less). Replicating that mix in the digital world (and bear in mind this is before ports, cammera body or lens) would be over $3k.

What to do?
a) Set your budget. How much do you have to spend and what do you want to get for it?
b) What features are important to you? (I strongly suggest one: the ability to use an off camera strobe, ideally via ttl)
c) Digital or film? (I would personally suggest digital to anyone new to this whole gig)
d) P&S or housed DSLR? (I would suggest P&S unless you have lots of experience as the learning curve, while totally worth it, is steep)

Lets say you are now in the market for a housed P&S camera. I would start by looking at housings. I would probably look at three brands: Canon, Nikon and Olympus. Find a housing that supports the features you are looking for. Buy that housing. An off camera strobe will help correct the colors, reduce blurring from camera motion and reduce backscatter. If you are able, buy the strobe/arm that best works with that. And, of course, buy the camera.

Now you still need to buy a few more things. Ideally, a few spare parts (i.e., o rings), some sort of bag or case, ideally a spare battery and few memory cards. Some dessicant. Probably 4gb is the size to get now.

Now, try and learn your camera. Try and take pictures at first without the case. Learn what the buttons do. Try and pretend you are taking pictures like you would underwater - including using the camera in the housing.

So where else should you look? There are lots of good websites out there. Wetpixel. Dpreview. Reefphoto. Scubaboard. KEH (for used gear).

It really is easier than it sounds -- and a whole lot of fun!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1968) on Friday, August 17, 2007 - 8:30 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I agree with a lot of what David says, except: though you may want the ability to use an off camera strobe, you don't NEED it immediately, especially if you are just taking photos for memories. We've gotten some darn good ones over the years without one.

You can probably save some money and skip the strobe for a while, until you get to the point where you want to take your photos to the next level.

Again, with a film camera if you're taking photos just for the memories, you may get more than 3 out of 36 that you consider keepers. But there'll be a lot of blurry memories that had you known beforehand that the focus wasn't very good, you could have taken another, better picture. You can do that with digital; with film you just won't know until the moment is long past.

And with film if you take a bunch of pictures of some subject early in your dive trying to get "the great one", you may have used up all the pictures before you surfaced and saw all those dolphins cavorting around. :-)




(Message edited by susanf on August 17, 2007)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By abraham weiss (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Monday, August 27, 2007 - 1:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Please read the Bonaire Talk posting policies. You are not allowed to self promote or Spam here and your posts will be deleted. If you post the same thing more than three times your account will be removed.

(Message edited by modfreddie on August 27, 2007)

 


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