Monday, 29 August 2011
Underwater Camera Case - dicapac, underwater camera case
What a wonderful alternative to taking underwater pictures. I was looking into purchasing underwater housing case for my Sony Cybershot DSCW100 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3 x Optical Zoom which would of cost me almost $200 and I was also looking at underwater cameras which are way too expensive for me to consider. This is a terrific way to protect your camera from water, sand and even snow. I quickly tried it at home when I received it and YES BY GOLLY no water or moisture was inside the case! The optical lens sometimes does interfere with the camera's zooms lens. Check out the pictures I posted so you can see for yourself how crystal clear the pictures look. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Here is something I found that was helpful since the description does not list the camera's that are compatible:
DicaPac WP310 Case will fit the following brands:
CANON:
IXUS 970IS/960IS/950IS/900Ti/800IS/750/700/500/430
IXY 500/600/700/800IS/810IS/820IS/1000/2000IS
POWERSHOT SD 500/550/700IS/850IS/890IS/900/950IS/S500/410
CASIO:
Exlilim
QV-R 3/4/40/41/51/61
EX-Z 10/100/110/120/200
PENTEX:
Optio 30/50/60/330/430/300RS/430RS/E30/T30/X/S40/45/50/55/60
SONY:
CYBERSHOT DSC P100/120//150/200/W100/S800
I only listed a few of the camera brands but I was able to find the entire list on the company's website - which by the way sells the cases for much more than Amazon's price. DicaPac WP310 160x105mm Medium Alfa Waterproof Digital Camera Case with Optical Lens (Clear)
I ordered the DicaPac case DicaPac WP310 160x105mm Medium Alfa Waterproof Digital Camera Case with Optical Lens (Clear)to use with my Sony Cybershot DSC-P200, as I was going on a Caribbean cruise with a stop at Grand Cayman Island, known for great diving and snorkeling. I tested the pac in my kitchen sink, and was happy with the resulting photo I took of myself from underwater. I went ahead and snorkeled at Grand Cayman with my camera inside the DicaPac, taking a dozen pictures or so. The camera stayed well protected from moisture. However, it is not a snug fit inside the bag. You need to zoom out in order to avoid a black ring in your photos (from the optical lens ring). I was able to use the flash which helped greatly in photo quality underwater. I purchased this particular version because it was clear on the top side--I noticed another version had the dark band on top which would make seeing your top camera controls much more difficult. The bag floats, and I used the accompanying strap around my neck, which perhaps could have been a little longer, or it may have been better to wrap the strap around my wrist instead. Most of my pictures were just fine, considering it is quite difficult to remain still while snorkeling, and it was hard to see the camera screen through the bag and my fogging dive mask! I would recommend this as a cost effective way to get some underwater photos while snorkeling.
I agree with everything Lowell Carter said. I bought this for a Caribbean cruise and didnt want to spend $150 for a hard case. It fit the Canon Powershot SD890IS perfectly. The only gripe I have is being able to zoom...it's quite difficult with the Canon, but otherwise I'm really glad I bought this for our trip. it was great for the beach as well to simply keep sand out of the camera. you can just unscrew the lens cap to avoid any of the black rings being in your pics when you are on dry land.
Purchased to use with my Fuji F70 EXR P&S camera instead buying throwaway underwater cameras while in St. Thomas and Grand Turk (crystal clear water 30+ft).
Positives: 1) kept camera dry and 'no worries' there.
2) got some 'useable' images
3) lens did not appear to adversely affect the image quality. At surface of water or above water it worked well, so a good option for beach use.
Negatives: 1) hard to get the camera into the bag even though it was the 'recommended' size.
2) once in the bag, the camera moved around WAY too easily, which was a problem for zoom extension.
3) my camera forces a shutdown when zoom extends in the bag unless it is PERFECTLY aligned with the hole (not easy)
4) my camera could not be zoomed the full 10X while in the bag (even with the joke of an 'extension' they provide), but needed some zoom to avoid a
'round' image.
5) I could not see the LCD screen (too dark) while in the bag so I was shooting in the dark. This may be a function of the camera, I dunno.
6) no manual, no 'helpful hints'. Instructions poorly written (though I was able to figure it out, so...)
Conclusion: While you'd think that I'm very down on this bag, I think it could be made to work well enough. For me, I'd want to make a foam insert to align
my camera to the hole and to secure it in place. I'd need to play with it enough to figure out what setting(s) would work while using it. If
you need to change settings while using underwater, forget it unless they are button settings; very difficult to turn a 'wheel' of the
camera, and zooming is do-able but not easy. I do think I'd have liked the bag much better if I could have figured out what settings to use. For
1st time use, ok but disappointing. With experience and the right camera (hopefully that you know can take underwater images well) I'd say the
bag will work. Durability seems to be adequate but be careful, as you'd feel bad ruining a good camera! - Underwater Camera - Dicapac - Underwater Camera Case - Waterproof'
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