Snorkel Camera Guide
Digital vs. Film
&
Point & Shoot vs. SLR
For the next step up in a snorkel camera, you need to start considering digital cameras, because they offer so many advantages over film in the underwater world.
Some of the advantages are:
- A digital viewfinder - framing a picture underwater is hard in a small viewfinder, or a pop up cross hair. The digital screen/viewfinder, if big and bright, can be a great advantage. Plus, it really helps underwater to be able to hold the camera out at arms length, getting you that much closer to that fish. Try doing that without a digital screen.
- With digital you have a nearly unlimited number of pictures - at least as many as your picture card will hold - hundreds of pictures in most cases. And you can easily put an empty card in the camera between locations. This is a big advantage because framing and focusing pictures can be hard underwater. The solution? Take tons of pictures and just delete off the bad ones.
- Physical Size - digital cameras can be very small compared to film cameras. This is good for the lazy snorkeler (me) who does not like hauling around a big bunch of junk.
- The availability of very high quality underwater cases made specifically for your camera - so many digital camera manufacturers now offer an underwater case at very reasonable prices.
- Depth of exposure - digital cameras can often see better into light and dark areas, gathering more detail.
- Ability to edit the pictures in photo editing software like Photoshop.
- Video - a wonderful option available on almost all newer digital cameras.
- White Balance - a feature that is a bit hard to describe, but makes getting better colors underwater easier with a digital camera.
So what are your options for a digital snorkel camera? There are tons.
Point & Shoot vs. SLR
There are two distinct categories of digital cameras. Small, less expensive P&S (point and shoot) digital cameras (my preferred choice), or an SLR (Single Lens Reflex). The point and shoot has everything built in, it's flash, and lens, and you have few upgradeable or changeable options. SLRs are the bigger cameras that give you the option of changing the lens and adding many other accessories.
The P&S camera is compact, very affordable, and the underwater housings are much less expensive than for an SLR. But the image quality tends to be a bit lower than a quality SLR outfit. So if image quality is your number one consideration, then you will probably have to go with an SLR system, along with all of it's cost and size problems. For myself, the image quality I get from my P&S is great, and it is clearly the best choice for my uses.
When you are deciding between a P&S and an SLR, consider when and how you might like to use the camera when you are not using it underwater. A P&S makes a great travel camera that you can drop in a pocket, but an SLR is a bigger piece of equipment you have to hang around your neck.
So hopefully I have convinced you that a digital snorkel camera is the way to go when you want a little more quality. Let's take a look now at some digital and film cameras that provide better pictures than your basic cheapos. The first category you may want to consider is a quality camera that has a
built-in waterproof housing.
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