A guide to Waterproof compact cameras

Waterproof compact cameras are becoming more popular nowadays.. and for good reasons too. These compact cameras are airtight, so they can function above or below water, letting users cover a wider range of pictures previously limited to the land only. If my analysis is correct (it’s a no-brainer really) people generally buy such cameras to take on vacation for snorkeling, scuba diving in shallow water or even just to take pictures in the pool.

You can take such shots with your usual camera…but your land cam risk short circuits by the splashes that will come your way…or drowning, should you tumble….

Some of the waterproof compact cameras model by popular brands currently are as follow :

Canon – Powershot D10, Nikon AW-100, Panasonic Lumix DMC TS-4, Sony Cyber Shot DSC-TX20, Pentax Optio WG-3 -GPS and Olympus Tough TG320….

A waterproof camera is the ideal travel companion…you can take it in the pool and ocean without worrying about your camera getting damaged or ruined. But should you use it in salt water , you will have to rinse or soak the camera with fresh water for at least 10mins after using it in the ocean. You can also use these cameras to take pictures and videos in the rain and snow. And it’s great that many of these models are shockproof as well…but don’t go dropping it though.

Other than price factor, choosing a good waterproof camera should be based on performance consistency..which in this case, the Panasonic Lumix have been enjoying rave reviews…and which all the pics in this blog are shot with.

For such composition…the pool should be ideally still and you be the 1st to get in (slowly) don’t disturb the water too much…position the lens half above the water surface and half below… (that’s difficult unless you wakes up early and be the 1st… or if no one’s using the pool).

Normal AWB (automatic white balance) mode- Do remember to engage the camera “snorkel or under water mode”…as water don’t conducts light rays well..rendering a bluish tint…this pic was shot with AWB.

Same angle with “snorkel mode” or “underwater mode”….. more natural skin tone…

Without waterproof camera, you can only shoot this angle …. with waterproof cam, it opens a new world ! 🙂

Underwater pictures I shot under the jetty at Sapi Island in Kota Kinabalu…the school of juvenile fish are just amazing ! Without waterproof camera… I can only see, feel and not record this for memories and sharing….

 

It always exciting to have fishes comes around you when feeding them… now you can record it as well….but for the best shots under water, shoot plenty and choose the best… because the fishes don’t “co-operate” with you 🙂

…..as always, the picture quality is vastly affected by the visibility of the water and light condition. Avoid using the flash as it can pick up floating particles and make the pictures “spotty”.. this is called “back scatter” in photographic terms.

Just surfaced after snorkeling…love that dreamy feel…. recorded it with waterproof cam…

Waterproof cameras performs well over water as well as under… but do remember to switch back the mode from underwater to AWB…otherwise, the pic will get too warm.

The prices of waterproof cameras have become affordable compared to when they first appeared on the market. For those who do not want to buy another camera, perhaps check out if your brand manufacturer produce dedicated underwater casing (which usually allows you to go deeper than waterproof compacts). But prices of such dedicated casing can actually buy a waterproof camera itself.

One important tip before I end this blog : Remember to keep sand, dust, hair, etc away from the protective seal cover of the waterproof camera to avoid the risk of “flooding”…And keep the rubber seal clean and change with authorized repair workshops when necessary.

Have great memories….wet or dry 🙂