What I should look for is not underwater cameras but snorkeling cameras!
2014 buying guide to the best snorkeling cameras
http://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/waterproof-digital-snorkel-cameras.html
Panasonic TS25 is good enough! Olympus Tough TG-3 is overkill.
Best Underwater Compact Cameras for 2015: <1> <2>
Update (12/2015): Panasonic DMC-TS30 - Bought for $99
Pictures taken by TS30: <1> <2> more
Spec: 1/2.33-inch CCD Sensor. (cf. Canon Elph 100 HS : 1/2.3 inch - 28.0735mm2 (6.17mm x 4.55mm) so about the same)
Battery: DMW-BCK7
Beautiful Underwater Shots
The red color reproduction of Advanced Underwater Mode easily compensates for
the red tones which are easily lost in underwater shooting to create more
natural underwater images. Additional action modes include Sports, Snow
and "Beach and Surf."
Creative Panorama
With the Creative Panorama function, you can shoot and overlay consecutive
horizontal/vertical images, then add filter effects with Creative Controls.
Time Lapse Shooting
Position the camera to record stationary observation for flowers coming into
bloom, scudding clouds and other subjects. A series of successive images can be
combined in-camera to produce time- lapse video.
Torch Light
Torch light helps record beautiful videos even in dusky underwater environments
or in camp at night. And even when camera functions are inactive, you can turn
the light on to illuminate subjects.
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So what are the drawbacks of buying one of these waterproof digital snorkel cameras?
First, these cameras all have little compartment doors (for access to batteries and memory cards), often more than one. And the waterproof seals on these tiny doors are very small and delicate (compared to a regular underwater housing). If one fails, your camera is ruined. Based on the reviews I have seen of almost all of these cameras, you run a good risk of a failure if you snorkel a lot. They just are not as robust, and they need to be. We really bang our cameras around at times.
If you are very careful with the seals, keep them clean, and don't hit the doors underwater, they may work well for years.
The second important thing to note about most of these waterproof digital snorkel cameras is how small their lenses are compared to most compact cameras. A small lens means a small sensor. And the combination means lower image quality. Even an inexpensive compact camera with a separate underwater housing will likely give better image quality because of the lens/sensor size. There are a few exceptions though.
So if you plan on using it often I would steer you towards the next step up in a snorkeling camera.
- See more at: http://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/waterproof-digital-snorkel-cameras.html#sthash.wbHjtbfO.dpufNote that most of the cameras above are waterproof, but they don't float. Lots of folks have watched them sink to the depths.
So one of the most popular accessories to buy with one of these is a float strap like the one at right.
- See more at: http://www.tropicalsnorkeling.com/waterproof-digital-snorkel-cameras.html#sthash.wbHjtbfO.dpuf2013 Waterproof Camera Roundup Digital Photography Review
Panasonic Lumix 16.1 MP Rugged Waterproof Digital Camera (DMC-TS25)
- Waterproof to 7 m
- Video made with the Panasonic LUMIX TS25 camera and an ALZO Snorkel-Pod monopod. The location is Honeymoon Beach on St John USVI.
- Amazon white color $120 2/27/2014
Olympus Tough TG-2
- best 2013 snorkeling P&S. With a fast f2.0 lens, and an impressive depth rating of 50 feet. Video Test.
- Another unique feature of the TG-2 is the ability to add conversion lenses. The camera supports both telephoto and fish-eye lenses. As you'd expect, both of these lenses are waterproof. The conversion lens adapter that comes with these lenses (and can be purchased separately) also allows the use of 40.5mm filters. dpreview
My impression: Panasonic TS25 video look vey nice so good enough. For all-around and better performance, spend $200 more on TG-2.
Note: The WP-DC310L Underwater Case ($70) (Amazon; B&H) has been specifically designed for the Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS Digital Camera and is waterproof down to the depth of 10 ft.
Weakness of WP-DC310L:
(1) "I
noticed that the zoom [tsiu: really?], auto/manual setting [tsiu: don't need;
always set to underwater setting], play photos, and even the near/far
buttons do not work with this case."
src
(2) "because
the housing is so air tight, my battery overheated a lot" src
Review:
(1) This case was great for our trip to Mexico since we did a lot of water
activities. Very easy to use and fits the camera like a glove. I love that I
could still zoom and edit and use all of the camera's features while the
waterproof case was on. Photos were clear... Just be sure to shake or wipe off
the outside before shooting because water droplets may cover areas in the pics.
Pros:
Easy to use
Convenient
Fits camera perfectly
You
can still use all of the features( zoom,
etc)
Took great, clear underwater shots.
Cons:
A little bulky ( but that is necessary to use the zoom)
You have to remove the camera's wrist strap before putting in the case, so when
you use the camera without the waterproof case you will have to put the wrist
strap back on every time.
Overall, so happy that I purchased this case!! :-)
Pictures and video on Web from Canon ELPH 100: <1> (e.g., this beautiful Trumpetfish: <1.1>)
<1> Best Underwater Compact Cameras for 2013
<2> Olympus PT-EP01 Underwater Case for PEN E-PL1 Digital Camera (Rated for a Depth of 40m)
Amazon.com $400 (3/2013) $250 (2/2014)
The PT-EP01 underwater case has been especially customized for one camera of the
PEN family, the E-PL1. It is the world's first waterproof housing for a Micro
Four Thirds camera. The extreme light weight PT-EP01 (only approximately 1100g,
just half as much as the PT-E06) is waterproof up to a water pressure equivalent
to a depth of 40 meters. As a genuine advantage to the underwater photographer,
you can make use of the Live View function on the one hand, but it is also
possible to attach the electronic Viewfinder to the E-PL1 and use it underwater.
Additionally the PT-EP01 has a small, but very important feature at the backside
cover. The back is semitransparent and has a further monitoring window just
below the LCD window, which allows you to detect any water leakage before having
serious material damage. The PT-EP01 has a fix lens port and
supports the use of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6
(How about my Panasonic 14-42mm lens? Autofocus still work?)
and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm 1:4.0-5.6 (very expensive!). Besides the possible flash
connection the PT-EP01 offers the use of a macro lens adapter (PMLA-EP01) to
attach the macro lens (PTMC-01) for special macro photography. The high
quality underwater photography is additionally strengthened through the
underwater macro and underwater wide shooting modes of the E-PL1.
Product Description:
Waterproof up to 40m
Front cover and back cover, locked by a rotary buckle
Two optical fiber connectors
Monitoring window to detect water penetration
Large buttons for easy operation
Multi coating glass to reduce inner reflections
Review 1:
... a package that was light, yet with possibilities of having near professional
level options.
Both the E-PL1 camera and the PT-EP01 fit the bill perfectly.
Shooting in RAW with no extra light made it possible to correct for the lack of
color on 20m,
although a flash is recommended.
Review 2:
As a staring point I used the following basic settings on the E-PL1 for my
tests, ISO-200, auto white balance, adobe raw files, Image Stabilization-1, ESP
metering, single frame advance, single and continuous AF, RC mode off (this
would be turned on when using the Olympus UFL- strobes), images were exposed
shooting in both TTL and manual. I have found the optional VF-2 electronic
viewfinder to be an outstanding option above water but it is of little use in
the PT-EP01 housing because your eye is just to far back from the viewfinder
while wearing a mask. The VF-2 would work very well if an accessory like the Inon 45 degree accessory viewfinder could be added to the PT-EP01 housing.
The
PT-EP01 is a clam-shell style housing (e.g. front section and door held together
by a hinge) made from high-grade polycarbonate. It is smaller in design but very
similar to the well-regarded Olympus PT-E05 and PT-E06 housings for the
E-510/520 and E-620 DSLRs. The housing has a large hinge on the left side when
viewed from the rear and a rotary buckle locking device on the right which locks
the housing with a firm counter-clockwise turn. The rotary buckle can be
released by depressing a red locking button and turning it clockwise. This
rotary style locking system has been used on many Olympus housings with great
success and is very easy to use and maintain. The rear door has a single O-ring
which seals the housing and prevents leaks.
As always this o-ring should be removed, cleaned, re-greased and re-installed
after each diving day.
Like all the current Olympus housings the PT-EP01 is rated to a depth of 130
feet (40 meters), the maximum recommended depth for recreational sport divers. I
have pushed that limit to 150 feet (46 meters) without issues to structural
integrity or loss of push controls. The housings rear door has twelve well
labeled push buttons for all twelve push button controls on the rear of the
E-PL1 camera, a push button to activate the optional VF-2 electronic viewfinder
and a rotating dial to control the mode wheel on the top of the camera. The top
of the housing has the on/off push bottom and the shutter release lever which is
presses down from the top rather than being pulled like a trigger. I found this
a little awkward at first when using a try with grips. Once you hold the right
side of the housing with your right hand and use the grip as a wrist support
tripping the shutter becomes much more comfortable. On the left front of the
housing viewed from the rear is the focus/zoom dial which is 30 mm in diameter.
This dial is used to zoom lenses and could be used as a focus dial as well for
fixed focal length lenses like macros. Using a tray with a grip on the left side
my index finger is in perfect alignment with the zoom dial and rotating it with
light weight dive gloves is a breeze. With my dry suit gloves the zoom control
will be more awkward to turn. Next to the zoom dial are two optical ports for
use with fiber optic strobe cords.
When the PT-EP01 housing was introduced by Olympus it was advertised as a “fixed” port housing a non-removable flat port for use with the Olympus M. 14-42 mm and M. 9-18 mm zoom lenses. While these two lenses cover a wide range of possibilities and would appeal to any new comers to underwater photography, the Olympus flat port will limit the wide end of the M. 9-18 mm zoom and give less than stellar results. This is an excellent entry-level system at a very appealing cost.
This article mainly focus on still photography but I did do some video clips with the M.14-42, M. 9-18 and Pany 7-14 zooms. With the kit lens you can hear a little noise in the sound track when the lens re-focuses on a moving subject with the more expensive zooms no focus noise was detected. I shot A/V light in 8 to 12 feet (2.5 to 3.5 meters) of salt water. I am not a capable videographer so I will leave further comments on the E-PL1s video prowess to other more knowledgeable journalists.
With the Olympus port and kit lens the housing is buoyant by a few ounces in salt water. This is not a bad thing at all, I found that by the time I added a tray/ grips and some lighting it was one of the most well-balanced systems I had ever used. With its light weight and small size I was able to use the system for hours underwater, mostly holding it with one hand and not end up with a sore wrist at the end of a days diving.
The housing allows space for the optional electronic viewfinder, but due to the high resolution LCD screen on the back of the camera, we found the electronic viewfinder unnecessary. Unfortunately this additional viewfinder space makes the housing taller than it needs to be, but the extra air space gives buoyancy to the system and makes it near neutrally buoyant in water and easy to swim and shoot with one hand.
One nice touch that was not present on previous PEN bodies is a
dedicated movie button,
allowing the user to start recording at any time. The shutter release also has a
great feel, allowing the user to feel half press even with dive gloves.
Camera installation and removal is a breeze. There's no camera tray like SLR
housings and the camera just easily drops into place on rubber guides. The latch
system has a lock to prevent accidental opening. Many new shooters have
commented that they like the clear back door as it allows them to see the o-ring
and verify any leaks at the beginning of the dive.
Our critiques on the PT-EP01 underwater housing
It’s
important to remember to pop up the cameras flash prior to putting the camera in
the housing.
There is no way to pop the flash up underwater. Since the pop-up flash is
required to trigger your underwater strobes, forgetting this step can be a deal
killer on an important dive.
The zoom gears are of a flexible but firm material that is easy to install on
the lens. However, the zoom knob on the housing is just stiff enough and
positioned is such a way that one finger operation isn't possible. While we
didn't find this problem a huge issue in our tests, cold water divers and
frequent zoomers should take note.
Review 4:
Just remember that the flash cannot go off underwater (? even after popping up?) on the PEN EPL1 so you'd have to get an external flash as well.
<3> Panasonic/Leica 45mm Macro in the Olympus PT-EP01/03 Housing for Oly E-PL1/2
<4> 10bar manual mirror very expensive!
Olympus PT-EP01 Underwater Case for PEN E-PL1 Digital Camera (Rated for a Depth
of 40m)
- The PT-EP01 has a fix lens port and supports the use of the M.Zuiko Digital ED
14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 (How about my Panasonic 14-42mm lens? Autofocus still work?)
So may need to buy the M.Zuiko 14-42mm.
Note: And this build-in port does not work well with M.Zuiko 9-18mm. Wide
angle lenses like this the behind the flat port exhibit refractive
magnification, radial distortion, and chromatic aberration.
(http://zenunderwater.com/products.php?prodID=5)
- Unlike many housings that come without a dome port (different lenses may
require different domes), the EP01 comes with a port. Many early reviews and
descriptions on the web said that the EP01 port was not removable and even the
Olympus store says the housing has a fixed lens port, but it is, in fact,
removable. That's not immediately obvious as it requires removal of a screw and
retainer clip, but then the dome rotates off. The folks at Zen Underwater offer
the WA-100-EP third party port (http://zenunderwater.com/products.php?prodID=5)
that replaces the Olympus flat port with an optically coated glass dome port
that guards against distortion and aberrations, and offers a wider field of
view. Other third party domes will undoubtedly follow.
- cleaning equipment?
"As always this o-ring should be removed, cleaned, re-greased and
re-installed after each diving day."
- no need external flash for shooting picture:
Shooting in RAW with no extra light made it possible to correct for the lack
of color on 20m
How about movie?
- Need a Underwater Zoom Ring for zoom lens
Olympus PPZR-EP01 Underwater Zoom Ring - for M.Zuiko 14-42mm (I, not II)
Olympus PPZR-EP02 Underwater Zoom Ring - for M.Zuiko 14-42mm II / II R and
M.Zuiko 9-18mm
Visit "Geoff Brownell at Mullen"
http://scubadiverinfo.com/3_cameras_olympus_pl1.html
Conclusion:
Need to buy minimum:
- Olympus PT-EP01 Underwater Case $250
- M.Zuiko 14-42mm (I, not II) $95 (Used) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B002CGSYLW/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
- cleaning equipment
- Olympus PPZR-EP01 Underwater Zoom Ring $45
More:
Zen Underwater FP-100-EP Port for Panasonic 45mm in Olympus PT-EPxx Housings - $439.006/2015:
Cnet:
The Yi is unabashedly a GoPro knockoff, albeit one with a Sony image sensor and an Amabarella chipset like the one that powers the GoPro Hero3+ Silver.
It can capture 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second and single-shot or burst-mode 16-megapixel images. It features a microSDXC slot for storage and Micro-USB and Micro-HDMI ports. And it has Wi-Fi, which lets you link to the camera via an Android or iOS device to modify settings, live-stream video and so on.
The Mangrove DEH-V is a state of the art power heated undersuit, that allows to
turn any standard wet and drysuit in to a much more comfortable heated suit.
Worn underneath a wetsuit, it creates a thermal layer between the body and your
wetsuit for a much more pleasurable and warmer diving experience.
The system warms to 42º C using any of the available battery packs and keeps the
core body temperature warm. Its unique rubber heating element technology
guarantees that it is completely safe totally immersed in water.
One size for men and another for women fit all. The DEH-V can be used with
drysuits by means of the drysuit bulkhead connector CEH-DS.
Re-usable chemical heater integrated in a neoprene vest compatible with wet and
dry suits. The heat pack contains a liquid solution of sodium acetate in a
sealed bag
Flexing the stainless steel “trigger” within the sealed container causes a
single molecule of liquid to crystallize which starts a chain reaction causing
the entire solution to change from liquid to a solid.
This phase change causes the pack to heat to 54ºC (130ºF), and the generated
heat will last up to 30-40 minutes. By placing the pack in boiling water, the
crystals are returned to a liquid state, this process can be repeated hundreds
of times.