Underwater Cameras

I'd been wanting a replacement for my dive camera and in the process of researching alternatives, came across this new generation of underwater cameras that work equally well out of the water. Even better is that they're still compact and lightweight enough to make sense as a replacement for my land use only digital camera. Better still is unlike their predecessors, they can be had at a much more reasonable price.

Used to be the only way of making a waterproof camera was to enclose it in a housing. Of course these special-purpose underwater housings usually cost more than the camera they protected, but scuba divers and underwater photographers didn't have much choice. Those of us just looking for a way to protect our camera from the elements, including a bit of water were mostly out of luck.

It just makes sense that digital cameras be able to take a certain amount of abuse without failing. After all we're typically using them outdoors on some excursion, vacation or holiday because that's where we are and the reason for taking pictures in the first place. Unfortunately, things like too much salt air, getting dropped in water, snow, sand or mud, will pretty much assure they never operate as advertised again.

Or maybe we're at a sporting event or engaged in some other outdoor activity, which are also likely photo opportunities. Wouldn't it be great if our camera could survive getting knocked out of our hands, getting sat on, or best of all continue working after suffering in the hands of small children? Sad but true is the fact that knowing the camera won't survive, many of us leave it behind and lose the pictures forever.

Now at long last, a few manufacturers of waterproof cameras have come up with digital cameras that are watertight, requiring no additional external housing. They also have settings that can be changed depending on whether you are shooting above or below water. In "underwater" modes, the shutter speed and aperture adjustments help compensate for lower lighting conditions typically encountered under water.

When switched to "land" mode they work like any other land camera allowing the user to adjust to conditions encountered above water. They are also compact, rugged, shock-proof and crush-proof. You can drop one from several feet up and not hurt it. The compact size and light weight make them extremely convenient to take along everywhere.

There are two manufacturers, Olympus and SeaLife, offering the best of these ultimate sports cameras. SeaLife makes the Mini (130 feet), and the ECOshot (75 feet). Both are 6 megapixel, compact, and rugged with a rubber-armored, polycarbonate housing to protect them. Olympus makes four Stylus SW (shockproof-waterproof) models, the 770SW, 790SW, 850SW, and 1030SW, which are waterproof to 10 or 33 feet and have image resolution ranging from 7 to 10 megapixels. The Stylus SW achieves protection of it's components by suspending them within a crushproof, sub-compact metal case.

While the SeaLife's are "dive ready", an external housing is available for the Olympus cameras, allowing divers to take them to 130'. Stand-alone, they are perfect for snorkeling and other outdoor recreational pursuits.

Probably the biggest decision point is image capture resolution and whether you require water integrity to any significant depth. Of course there are several dive cameras that are waterproof to well over a hundred feet, and the camera itself can be removed from the housing for use on land. However that leaves the camera unprotected and sort of misses the whole point of this exercise. Also, these tend to be priced higher than what one would want for a good all-purpose sports camera.

In terms of finding the best all-purpose sports camera, the manufacturers already mentioned both offer compact, low-cost alternatives. Features are much the same except for variations in depth, size, and resolution, and it mostly depends on your primary intended use.