Can you Choose a Digital Still Camera Intelligently?

Staff · Issue 38, Sep/Oct 2007 · pp. 29–31

Products mentioned: Bonita, Sea and Sea Dx860, Canon A95, Ikelite housing, Olympus 740 mu, Olympus 750 mu, Fantasea

Little did I know when a diver friend of mine threw me a “disposable” underwater camera that I would be hooked faster than I was hooked on diving? It was a 35mm crank, point, and shoot camera. But when I got the film processed it had scratches down the center of each negative. Even with the scratches, however, I could see I wanted to continue my quest for good underwater images. I also knew that if I wanted anything decent I would have to upgrade to a device of slightly higher quality. Thus began my search for a new camera. Now keep in mind, since I am not a world renowned diver/ photographer nor am I a PADI Course director, companies won’t just send me cameras and housings to play with to see if I like them. Pity. Therefore all my research had to be theoretical and on the web. I wanted a device that I would be able to use both topside and down below. My criterions for choosing were not …