Camera recomendations

[Scudly]

Budget of $100 - $250. Want something lightweight and small. Needs to take good motion shots. Stepped on my Sony Cybershot on one of my last trout outings. Hated that camera anyway. Only took good still shots. Realize you get what you pay for. Would love digital SLR but too bulky and too expensive to risk damaging on the stream. Aside from good motion shots rich color equally important.

Suggestions for my price range? Black Friday is coming up soon. Nikon Cool

Pix any good? In-laws say not bad. Too risky buying a used camera off HSO-Classifieds? Figure a camera drops half of it's value the minute you pay for it.

[Driftless]

the new underwater cameras are too trendy for me. Heard most are hard to focus. They have no lens caps. Go for a top end point in shoot of Sony's

[-Marc V-]

I have an Olympus waterproof, drop resistant, and crushproof camera. I did pay a little more, but not much more, than your price range via the web site Tarzan is from. Olympus Tough 8000 i think it is.

Waterproof may be trendy, but have saved me buying a new camera, and has taken the worries away of having the camera with on many outdoor ventures. Was always worried if the ZipLock was always closed after the rain began to fall, or after a slip in a stream. Not anymore - the thing seems almost indestructible.

It's taken great photos for me. Has a built in hand stabilizer which works great for clear pictures. To be honest, not sure about action shots with mine, but would think it'd be alright. A buddy has a similar Olympus, and took some awesome action shots with no blur or trails.

[Scudly]

Thanks Marc V. Got any photos to share? Looking for vibrant color. Also water shots? Ever release a fish and hold the camera underwater and take photos? Supposed to be good up to 10m.

Digging around Best Buy Cannon PowerShot seems to have excellent reviews. Thin, noted for vibrant clear color shots. $200. Bet Black Friday would put it at $150 or less.

Come on now. Who else loves their camera? Thinking SLR too big for trout stream. Like a sleek camera I can stuff anywhere..

[waterbound]

My parents got me a Kodak Easyshare as a graduation present and I've loved it so far. It's something like 10 megapixels but it isn't waterproof or anything. It has some nice features like a panorama which allows you to take a series of pictures and it will stitch them together for you. I'm not sure what the price is, but I would be willing to bet it was between $100-150 in May.

[-Marc V-]

I'll take a look around tonight to see what I got for vibrant color pics. The Tough 8000 is still a relatively new camera for me, and haven't taken underwater pics with it yet. I have underwater pics with my older camera which seemed to have grown a pair of legs. That was a 7.2 megapixel and those turned out great. I haven't heard of the issue with the higher megapixels and underwaters shots - I'm curious now since the new camera is above 10.

[Scudly]

Checked out the Olympus Tough 8000 at Best Buy today. Liked it. Marc does yours have rapid shoot? This new model does. A touch out of my price range at $300. Yet it appears to be solid construction and waterproof. Something that can take my abuse.

I also liked the Cannon Powershot SX120 IS. Huge lens, image stabilizer, rapid shoot. A more bulkly camera but has 10 zoom. Yet it is not waterproof and if I dropped it it would probably break. Believe this camera will take better photos.

Trade off between rugged and quality? With Olympus Tough you could hold down on the shoot button and it would take photos rapidly. Yet sales guy said they are not going to be good quality taking them fast like this.

Also liked fun features of the new Samsung that is in the commercials constantly. It is the one with a digital preview on both sides of the camera so you can take better photos of yourself. Built in timer. Funny bells and whistles that although look iPhone cool, likely useless.

Still researching...

[Scudly]

Cannon Powershot D10 is another one ime looking at waterproof and shockproof yet also bulky. Anyone have this?

[Scudly]

I have finally narrowed it down. Decided in the long run I want two cameras. One for best possible quality will be a digital SLR. Likely buy a Pentax since father-in-law has a ton of lenses and filters we can borrow.

Yet for outdoor play and vacations I've decided a waterproof and shockproof camera is the way to roll. I'm part of the "Dirty Fingernail Club" and am hard on cameras - fumbling in the dark fish in hand, muddy areas, camera drops (including the drink). Don't want to keep buying replacement point and shoot cameras every year.

Best

Panasonic TS1

Cannon Powershot D10

Middle

Olympus Tough 6000

Pentax Optio W80

I think any of these would be ideal. D10 rated best for underwater shots yet I'm not Scuba Steve. D10 is more bulky. TS1 more slim and great overall every day type camera. Likely buy this one if the price is right.

[Scudly]

Went with the Panasonic Lumix TS1. Here are a few underwater photos. Keep in mind the day we went snorkeling was least favorable - choppy conditions with light rain.

Pool

Reef

[Scudly]

Daylight

Evening

Impressed so far. Only thing getting used to is no lens cover so I clean it more often.

[tom_w]

Any trout down there?

[Scudly]

Quote:

Any trout down there?

Maybe sea trout. Stream trout, doubt it, but who knows. I did not research it. At YS Falls, which I believe is headwaters to the Black River system (largest watershed on the island), the water was cold, however not trout stream cold. There were some minnow sized fish swimming around.

I thought about deep sea fishing but read reviews for Negril, Jamaica and it seemed to be hit or miss. Plus I have gotten sea sick on previous deep see fishing so I decided to pass.

Red snapper was served often, so I assume local.