I am going to Bonaire soon and would like to know if a underwater camera could be rented and how much it would cost. Is there any place I can buy a inexpensive underwater camera in Bonaire ?

When we were in Bonaire in October 02, I broke my camera, so inquired on getting a rental. We went to Photo Tours and they wanted $40.00 per day. I thought that was expensive, so I went to the hardware store and got some glue and fixed mine. The only cameras to purchase there were also very expensive. Click on my profile and e-mail me and I'll give you some info on an inexpensive Camera.

The rental scene for photo gear was pretty pricey and pretty thin when I went. I am going back two times next year and would love to rent a video setup or a housing for my Sony VX2000/PD150 while I am there. Any chance or should I try to do it at home?

There are a number of places to rent cameras on Bonaire, most any dive shop has some rentals. Here is the website for the shop at Sand Dollar, I suspect it is typical. http://www.infobonaire.com/fisheye/rental.htm

The $40 for 24 hrs is not that bad, you can get in at least 4 or 5 dives, including a night dive if you time it correctly. Take some 36 exp rolls with you and that should be enough pictures for one trip. If you do rent, GET THE STROBE ALSO, otherwise your pictures will not come out very good. Considering the cost of a good UW camera, if you don't intend to use it more than a couple of times a year, it's not worth the cost.....I just ordered a new digital camera and and in the process of ordering a new housing, the strobe is going to have to wait.

If you have never dove with a camera or are a new diver, you may be surprised at the level of control and task loading that a camera adds. You need to pay special attention to your gas and have a buddy who will put up with you taking pictures. Your buddy also needs to be more aggressive in their gas monitoring, both yours and theirs. If you are not careful, you will get caught up in the photography and forget some more important things like having enough gas. Photographers make horrible buddies, just ask my wife.

Here are a couple of tips for your photographs. Try to shoot at an upwards angle, not down. Get close, then get closer and when you think you are too close, get a little closer, then take the picture. Pictures with the limited strobes you may rent, are limited to about 4 feet max from the subject unless you are in very shallow (<10ft) water, anything farther than that will come out blue green. Don't use the internal flash in the camera, they will cause backscatter to show up in the picture and usually make thing worse that no flash at all, DO USE A EXTERNAL STROBE.

Hi Larry,

I'm pretty sure you cannot rent a housing for the PD150. It is too specific. Great camera though. The renting prices for camera setups or housing when done from home tend to be rather pricey. The mandatory insurance, the rent price for the days you are not diving, ... You are easily talking around 1000$ for 10 days.

Anyway, that's the situation in Europe.

Peter

Yeah, that pricing situation is what I ran into last time. The lowest price housing I could find was the Ikelite but it still rings in at ~$1500 USD, so not a good deal for rental. I can always hope, but the above is pretty much what I expected. Darn. :D

If your looking for a good inexpensive U/W camera, consider either the Bonica Multi-Snapper or Sealife Reef Master which are both point and shoot. Check them out on e-bay for more information or e-mail me. I own both and they work OK for diving or snorkling. To get GREAT pictures you will have to spend a lot more money. I also have a Sony P7 Digital with U/W housing but little more difficult to use. I have not used it in Bonaire yet but I have seen the results from another diver. The digital shots are awesome. P.S. Buy it BEFORE you go!