08 Digital Camera thread

[wheresmy50]

Originally Posted by kenyee

You just have to be willing to venture away from the mainstream Nikon/Canon.

Pentax K10D's can be had on fleabay for $350 after the live cashback and you just have to pair it up w/ a $700 DA*50-135 lens to make it splashproof. People have done demos where they run the setup under a kitchen sink for a while and they've been dropped in mud and they keep shooting.

Olympus's DSLR system is also weatherized.

SLRs are great. I own a K10D with few lenses, and yes it is sealed better than many comparably priced d-SLR cameras.

I don' know why anyone would take one in or even near the surf. That's why they make waterproof housings (which will cost more than the camera), and waterproof compact digitals.

I hear the Nikon D3 is sealed pretty well, and the magnesium body is less likely to crack if you drop it on a rock. The perfect fishing camera if you ask me. I wonder when we'll see Ashton in waders?

I'll stick to my Optio W70 for fishing use. Works just fine.

[Sea Flat]

Great thread.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I have seen so many awesome pictures online and been out a few times and wished I had a camera to take some shots. I have already got the wife thinking about getting me a cheap digital to keep in my bag that never goes in the water.

Thanks

[kenyee]

Originally Posted by wheresmy50

I don' know why anyone would take one in or even near the surf.

For better photos for a book like Zeno's :-)

That said, I'd feel safer w/ a W30 or 770SW if there's any chance of dropping it in the water...

[wheresmy50]

Sea flat,

Keep in mind that the low light performance of compact and subcompact digital cameras goes from bad to terrible. In the race to put the most megapixels on a chip the size of your pinkie nail, they've saccrificed low light performance to the noise gods. If you have a choice with the compact that you buy, choose the one with the fewest megapixels. Don't confuse the ability to resolve detail with image quality (not that you would, but many do). 5 or 6 MP is more than enough for an 8x10. The only thing you get with more pixels is more noise - unless of course all of your pictures are taken on bright sunny days.

In fact, the reviews on Cannon's latest d-SLR indicate that the pixel limit has now been reached for the APS-C size sensors, at 15 MP.

The camera I joked about in my last post, the $5,000 D3, only has 12 MP on a sensor the size of a piece of 35mm film. The result unheard of low-light capability and overall outstanding picture quality.

[Clogston29]

i have and am happy with the pentax (w30 I think)

i'm on my second. the first opened up while my wife was using it snorkeling. it was her error (she didn't close it right), but amazon replaced it for free. the updated (new version) that i have now has a better mechanism for closing and locking than the first one did.

i think luds had one fail on him this year. not sure how though.

[BatesBCheatin]

After much research on the 1030 SW it seems that the cam is very rugged but there is a big trade off in picture quality. The 1050 just came out and I was hoping they made improvements there, but looking at the reviews it doesn't seem like it - in fact most reviews say the quality is worse.

The Pentax is generally regarded to have much better PQ, but not as rugged. Since I won't be diving with it that's probably what I'll be getting.

BTW the kayaking sites have great info on these cams.

[Pete F.]

I think it's going to be a Olympus 850SW from llbeans. A few more dollars but way better warranty.

[MAKAI]

I have been using the olympus for years in my kayak , no problems , nice picture.

[Finatic]

Just got a 1050SW at costco for 199. with case and 1 gig card and the mini card adaptor. great deal. Photos are incredable.
Vacation March 2009 190.jpg

[leptar]

I had 3 Pentax's Optio WPi fail due to ??? all of them suffered the same problematic fate.. Not an issue of not being water proof but an issue regarding heat and exposure to sunlight... This caused the video and pictures to become messed up...
They blamed the memory, 5 different brands recommended by Pentax... Then it was the camera... then again... the third time i set it on the park bench for 30 minutes and snapped pictures, swapped cards and did it again.. got home what i though was happening proved to me that heat was causing the failure... Bestbuy swapped it out for the Olympus SW770 and i haven't looked back..

[Back Beach]

Just got the pentax optio W60, here's a few from yesterday. Jury still out on the camera, but so far, so good...

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by leptar

I had 3 Pentax's Optio WPi fail due to ??? all of them suffered the same problematic fate.. Not an issue of not being water proof but an issue regarding heat and exposure to sunlight... This caused the video and pictures to become messed up...
They blamed the memory, 5 different brands recommended by Pentax... Then it was the camera... then again... the third time i set it on the park bench for 30 minutes and snapped pictures, swapped cards and did it again.. got home what i though was happening proved to me that heat was causing the failure... Bestbuy swapped it out for the Olympus SW770 and i haven't looked back..

What kind of heat/temps are we talking about here? Did you leave it on your dashboard on a hot day or something of the like? Was the camera itself damaged or just the memory card?
I'm curious as I just got mine.

[numbskull]

I posted this last year, but there are a few negatives about the Pentax Optio W60 for night photography and self portraits (which are, naturally, important to us ruggedly handsome, morally superior plugger types).

The camera does not use a visible infrared focus feature (as the non water-proof and since fried Canon Elph did) so your viewfinder is all black unless you put some light on the subject first (which is harder than it sounds). Secondly, the auto timer set up is poor. You only get a maximum of 10 seconds which makes it hard to get yourself in the picture with the fish oriented correctly to show the beautiful plug it ate.

Worse, the exposure and focus occur when you push the shutter button, not right before it takes the picture. Since you (or by day your shadow) are often in front of the camera when you set it up and push the button, the picture is ruined. It takes too much of a toll on the fish to try and take a second picture when you intend to release it.

Finally, the small print in the warranty suggests the camera be returned annually at your expense for seal replacement if it is used in a wet environment. Whether they will honor the warranty if you don't is not clear.

I am not sure, however, there are better options for a wet environment out there. Those shoot-through waterproof camera bags are useless at night.

[MAKAI]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Just got the pentax optio W60, here's a few from yesterday. Jury still out on the camera, but so far, so good...

nice form on your son, you can sit in the rocking chair now.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by numbskull

I am not sure, however, there are better options for a wet environment out there. Those shoot-through waterproof camera bags are useless at night.

I purchased the optio 60w more for insurance purposes, meaning it may accidentally get wet, but not intentionally submerged. Also, seeing you owned one made my decision easier.

[t.orlando]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Just got the pentax optio W60, here's a few from yesterday. Jury still out on the camera, but so far, so good...

Sweet, got my own camera man now.

[MAKAI]

something cool about dogs that think catching fish is the essence of life

[Bazza]

Last year I got the Pentax Optio w 30 and have been happy with it. The pictures do not come out as clear as my wife's Cannon Power Shot, but it seems like you have to loose some detail if you want a waterproof camera, and built in zoom. It is small and easy to carry, not too bulky.