Cameras for underwater video

[Ilikefronts]

Does anyone have experience with taking videos underwater? I am looking for a video camera or camcorder that will work underwater and be suitable for filming different fish collections at Lake Tanganyika. The camera will need to be waterproof in deep water. So far, my limited research has not yielded much information and the few dive shops I have contacted haven't been able to offer any assistance.

Any suggestions and/or help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Alison

[ddaquaria]

Need more information.

What format do you plan to film in?

You basically hav two options of camera. You get a really nice one and you put money into a housing, strobes, etc or you get one of those underwater handhelds without all the bells and whistles but also limited ability.

[Ilikefronts]

Now you are going to see just how photography unsavvy I am....not sure what you mean by format

I was thinking it would be something similar to a camcorder. Mine uses an internal memory or an additional memory card which can then be uploaded to the PC. That's what I am looking for.

Limited ability is fine as I don't want complicated attachments.

Thanks,
Alison

[Complexity]

If you already have a camcorder you like, you might be able to find an underwater enclosure for it. Some are expensive, some are not, but they shouldn't be more than the cost of a whole new camera.

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&safe=off&q=waterproof+camera+(housing+OR+closure)&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=tGZTS4fmI5GgswOqioyICA&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CCUQrQQwAg

[Complexity]

Sorry, double post.

[ddaquaria]

If you are going full gear, at the minimum you are going to need a nice housing and strobe. I enjoy underwater photography when I get the chance to do it. I have a Sea and Sea housing for my D200, and I wish I had the funds for a strobe as well. Majority of the time, the housing will cost as much as or more than the equipment going into it.

If you do just a little bit of googling, you'll find http://www.underwatercamcorder.org/ and http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets...ater-20090731/
These sites will provide you with underwater camcorders.

Format: Do you wish to film in HD, DV, analog, etc? My wife's LX3 allows her to film in HD, and I love it.

My main question - from your title - are you looking for a camera that does video as a secondary function or a camcorder whose primary function is video?

[Ilikefronts]

Thanks for the info. I am looking for the least expensive camera that is capable of taking video and can take the pressure from deep dives. Because of the area it will be used in and the inexperience of the divers using cameras, I suspect that it will be damaged at some point and will not be returned to me in anywhere near good condition. I'm still not clear on the format type but it does not have to be HD. We are only looking for video that is reasonably good quality and can easily be uploaded to a PC. Professional quality film is not necessary.

Thanks,

Alison

[Complexity]

As far as format, do you want the video to be recorded on a large VHS cartridge, a small digital cartridge (like a small cassette tape) or a memory card? That's all that's being talked about regarding format.

[ddaquaria]

As far as format, do you want the video to be recorded on a large VHS cartridge, a small digital cartridge (like a small cassette tape) or a memory card? That's all that's being talked about regarding format.

Actually I meant format as in non-HD or HD.

So you are basically looking for a camera that also does video and saves to an SD card. HD is not important, so you would be using SVGA or VGA most of the time. But you still will have an issue of light if you are doing deep dives, and several of the less expensive cameras for this do not go very deep.

I know Olympus makes some cameras that fits this. Personally I would recommend a G10 or Lumix LX3 with a housing. ONly problem is this option is not very cheap. There is an online diving magazine that I read every now and then - it would be worth your time to research there. Also look into getting the insurance. I used H2O insurance.

Check here, and get your read on... http://www.uwpmag.com/

Not sure what else to tell you since there is a lot of information on the web regarding what you are looking for.

I was hoping to take my housing to Maui next week, but I didnt hit my numbers - so we will see about next year!

[Complexity]

Actually I meant format as in non-HD or HD.

Whoops! Sorry about that.

[Mzungu]

Alison, have you purchased a camera yet? If so, which one?