Underwater compact

Ros

Ros

Messages
190
Name
Rosaline
Edit My Images
Yes
I am in the process of booking a trip for February. We will be cruising the Galápagos Islands for a week then going to Peru where we will have a few days cruising the Amazon. As well as the chance of getting splashed while on zodiacs and skiffs, rained on in the rainforest etc. we will have the opportunity to snorkel. So, besides my main camera, the Fuji XT1, I am thinking of buying a compact suitable for underwater. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have done some looking around and had more or less decided on an Olympus TG-4. It has lots of features I like the look of, including the ability to shoot in RAW. However, I've noticed a few reviewers say they've had problems with the lens fogging up. Wouldn't want to be left with no chance of taking photos on what will be a once in a lifetime trip.

Would be grateful for any advice.

Thanks

Ros
 
Used to have one of the Olympus's ancestors until it decided to be full of water rather than underwater... The replacement, a Canon D10 is now several years old and is still waterproof, as is the Nikon 1AW which I now use. Both also give better results in terms of colours etc. above and below water as well as being easier to use underwater.
 
recently sold an Oly TG-830 on here(only sold because I prefer using action cam), great little camera never had fogging issue which is something that cannot be said for the Nikon AW120 I had before it, horrible to use fogging was a given luckily Amazon took it back..

I wouldn't hesitate on going Oly again
 
GoPro maybe? I was in the same situation I am about to head to my holiday and bought a GoPro 4 Black instead, as I plan to shoot video mostly underwater rather than take photos
 
Thanks guys. Might do a bit of video with it but mostly it will be photos while snorkelling or if it's raining too much to use my Fuji. Might get something soon and give it a try out so that I have time to get something else if it doesn't work.
 
The Canon d20 got decent reviews. I've also seen reasonable pics from the Pentax (now Ricoh branded) tough/underwater cameras.
 
u can get really quiet cheap waterproof film compacts, and sort of waterproof bag type things too
 
I have a Canon D20 for snorkeling. A few years old now, so there will be a successor model or two out there. Great little camera, very robust and very easy to use. Doesn't shoot RAW though. (Newer ones might - worth checking if it's important to you.)
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. Film compacts are not an option - would need far too many of them as I plan to take LOTS of photos seeing as I'm away for three weeks and unlikely to ever be back there. I have read about the fogging up issue and tips for how to avoid it so think I'm going to go for the Olympus and give it a go.

Now need to think about whether to take more than one lens with my Fuji XT1 ......... :) Oh the trials of going on holiday!
 
i suggest u take a different focal length on the xt1 to whatever underwater camera you get, as you could use both when your out and about :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ros
used to have a canon D10.
It was a great little camera however the strap mechanism failed resulting in loosing the camera and a lot of photo's
Cannons service was so poor that I will not be getting another cannon.
We also have a olympus tg810 and the picture from that are not great but ok. The cannon was bigger so easier to use underwater / one handed though new ones are smaller.
 
I shoot underwater professionally so I like to think that I know a thing or two about what makes a good underwater camera. Here's my portfolio of underwater shots - http://www.bardophotographic.com

The biggest problem with these 'all in one' underwater compacts is their lenses - unless you're planning to shoot macro stuff, none of them have lenses that are anywhere near wide enough to really do justice to an underwater scene. When I'm shooting underwater, for example, a use a 16mm fisheye which gives a 180 degree field of view - that might sound overkill but trust me, the key to taking a good underwater photo is to get as close to the subject that you're shooting... and then get closer still. Ideally you want to reduce the distance between you and the subject matter as much as possible. Why? Because water is a filter - it takes away light and colour and particulates in the water will blur your image.

if I were going to the Galapagos - which, let's face it, is a once in a lifetime trip - I'd think seriously about getting a decent underwater camera with a lovely wide angle lens. If you really must go for a compact then something like the Olympus TG-4 seems like a good choice as it a) can work underwater to a depth of 15m anyway and b) can shoot in RAW mode (something you simply *must* have for underwater photography). If I were you, I'd look at getting something like the TG-4 in a dedicated housing (therefore allowing it to be dived deeper) which also allows you to connect accessory lenses. Something like this perhaps?

http://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/compact/olympus/housings/tg/pt-056
 
Bardo said:
I shoot underwater professionally so I like to think that I know a thing or two about what makes a good underwater camera. Here's my portfolio of underwater shots - http://www.bardophotographic.com

The biggest problem with these 'all in one' underwater compacts is their lenses - unless you're planning to shoot macro stuff, none of them have lenses that are anywhere near wide enough to really do justice to an underwater scene. When I'm shooting underwater, for example, a use a 16mm fisheye which gives a 180 degree field of view - that might sound overkill but trust me, the key to taking a good underwater photo is to get as close to the subject that you're shooting... and then get closer still. Ideally you want to reduce the distance between you and the subject matter as much as possible. Why? Because water is a filter - it takes away light and colour and particulates in the water will blur your image.

if I were going to the Galapagos - which, let's face it, is a once in a lifetime trip - I'd think seriously about getting a decent underwater camera with a lovely wide angle lens. If you really must go for a compact then something like the Olympus TG-4 seems like a good choice as it a) can work underwater to a depth of 15m anyway and b) can shoot in RAW mode (something you simply *must* have for underwater photography). If I were you, I'd look at getting something like the TG-4 in a dedicated housing (therefore allowing it to be dived deeper) which also allows you to connect accessory lenses. Something like this perhaps?

http://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/compact/olympus/housings/tg/pt-056
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for that. I ordered the Olympus TG-4 and it arrived yesterday. Have had a quick play with it and seems to be a solid little thing. Not tried it in water yet. I won't be going as deep as 15m, well not intentionally!! I'm not a great swimmer so will just be snorkelling on the surface. There are extra lenses you can buy for it. Do you think the fisheye one will be worth it for me, given that I'll just be snorkelling on the surface? I thought it might be useful for macro stuff in the rainforest too.

Just checked your website - amazing stuff!
 
Ros said:
Thank you very much for that. I ordered the Olympus TG-4 and it arrived yesterday. Have had a quick play with it and seems to be a solid little thing. Not tried it in water yet. I won't be going as deep as 15m, well not intentionally!! I'm not a great swimmer so will just be snorkelling on the surface. There are extra lenses you can buy for it. Do you think the fisheye one will be worth it for me, given that I'll just be snorkelling on the surface? I thought it might be useful for macro stuff in the rainforest too.

Just checked your website - amazing stuff!
Click to expand...
Sounds like you made a good choice there! - the Olympus TG-4 is a solid little camera!

If you're only snorkelling then you can probably get by with what you have although a wide angle adaptor would certainly give you a lot more flexibility for shooting 'reef scape' shots :-)

Thanks for the kind words re: my website too! Glad you like it :-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ros
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top