3 comments about SeaLife SL560 ReefMaster PRO Set 35mm Camera.

1. ....over the Canon Elph. It works at a greater depth. This makes it more versatile at only a slightly higher cost.

   However, the "Pro set" is [no bargain]. Just buy the camera instead.




2. Great camera as far as point and shoot goes. Although you can save money buy direct from SeaLife.



3. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R34TEN38HI82ME I purchased my first underwater camera when I was just 12 years old. At the time, the only one available that didn't cost a minimum of $2K was the Canon Aqua Snappy. It worked quite well for many years, but eventually wore out.
   
   The SeaLife Reefmaster is the camera I replaced it with. I didn't get the Pro set, but I later got most of the accessories that are in the Pro kit, including three macro lenses. I would recommend this camera for anyone ho can't afford the higher priced digital models. The photos are clear and crisp, the flash filter does a fairly good job at restoring yellows and reds to the images, and there is a good array of accessories for it, including macro lenses and strobes.
   
   With all underwater film photography there is a significant amount of intuition and luck involved in taking good photographs. However, the attachable underwater viewfinder for the SeaLife Reefmaster does a pretty decent job at lining up the subject well.
   
   This camera is durable and easy to use, and the perfect starter camera for someone interested in underwater photography. One of these days, I will be upgrading to a digital underwater camera, and when I do, you'd better believe I'll be looking toward SeaLife in my top picks.
   
   This video contains pictures I took during a trip to Western Samoa in 2004. Music in the video is by Steven Wiseman, http://www.stevenwiseman.com/

5 comments about SeaLife SL545 SportDiver II Compact 35mm Underwater Camera.

1. I purchased this camera for a friend to use in Hawaii. We had nothing but problems getting it to wind properly and the pictures both on land and underwater were all blurred and my friend was very unhappy and I was frustrated. I do not know if this is just a bad camera or what.



2. I bought this camera for my honeymoon, as I expected to do a lot of snorkling and thought that the price compared favorably with purchasing several waterproof disposable cameras. The camera and case functioned properly and were easy to use. The pictures taken on land turned out swell. The undersea pictures were okay, but could have been better. The flash is automatic and, in my opinion, the camera would have taken much better photographs if it could have been activated manually. All in all, great for an inexpensive vacation camera, but don't expect to take pictures like Jacques Cousteau.



3. Camera is decently made for the price. But range of use is limited to between 3-8 ft. Should come with shroter focal length lens as standard.



4. I used this camera once and have no good photos to show for it. It took 5 frames then skipped several and took 2 more, then nothing for the rest of the roll. We swam with sharks and I have nothing to show for it. Should have bought a disposable one.



5. I went on a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. The pictures I took with this camera were ok. I'm glad I got the email of someone else on the boat and got their digital photos, they were beautiful. I'd recommend to anyone going diving to pony up enough to get a decent digital camera. Oh, and if you do buy this one, remember to TURN IT ON before you dive. Nothing will infuriate you more than lining up a white-tip reef shark then realizing you have to open up the case to turn the darn thing on. Why they didn't design it to be turned on underwater is a mystery.

5 comments about Canon Sure Shot A-1 Water Resistant 35mm Camera.

1. This camera was very handy to have around. It did everything you would want in a point and shoot (timer,flash no flash,waterproof etc.)The body seemed fairly sturdy. So I thought. One of the hinges on the back broke--water got in---camera was trash. All in all it did a good job before this dreaded event. I would recommend the camera for anyone interested in lots of outdoor activities where water-rain could be an issue.



2. I recently bought a Sure Shot A-1 because I've ruined 2 other very expensive cameras with saltwater & sand. I was a little skeptical about this camera because it is relatively inexpensive and simple compared to my SLR or the Minolta underwater camera. Well, I've shot about 10 rolls now, on the beach, in saltwater, swimming with the kids in Hawaii and hiking. This little camera takes terrific pictures in all settings. I'm especially impressed with the exposure control system which could have easily been tricked with lots of scattered light....but was not. The fill flash works well, even at high noon on Maui, breaking up harsh shadows and brightening colors.

   I've also used the negatives with my Nikon Coolscan IV with great results as well...the digital images from the Sure Shot/Coolscan combination have been nearly as good as my Nikon Coolpix 990.

   Two thumbs up on the A-1




3. I enjoyed this camera in Cancun where the water was very clear, haven't used it underwater anywhere else yet. You have to get fairly close for the underwater pics but they come out nice. The camera also works well on land. Photos come out clear, but you'll want to shoot a little closer that you might think. The color in the scenic shots came out beautiful. Good camera for vacation. I'd recommend it to a friend.



4. ....This camera was darn-near perfect, no matter where I used it, be it under water or all the way to the top of Mount Etna. I made the rounds of the entire island, Germany, Israel, Spain, and a whole bunch of detachments in other places. As good as it was, it was bound to die eventually. I found it's only flaw, you can't cheat on the directions. They say to dampen the seal before swimming, and there's a reason for that. If you don't, it will leak under pressure and short out the whole thing. So be warned, READ THE INSTRUCTION BOOK! It's there for a reason. One bonus, it works to 20 feet, even though they say 16.5. So listen to someone who misses a faithful camera, wet the seal and this bad-boy will serve you for a long time. (I have 2 years of great pictures to prove it)



5. I bought a second hand A1 with reservation. I have a Canon 20D SLR with L-lens and a point and shoot Powershoot A95. On the fishing trip in July 2006 to Alaska, I was thinking of taking my fancy cameras, however, I was affraid of getting water into these cameras because the people that I travel with were really serious fishermen and they were going to be in the water most of the day. Thus, I took my A1 with me since I know the it is resistant to water. I have the camera in my chest wader most of the time so I can be ready for action shots. I finally took my film to Costco to develop in January 2007 (6 months after I took the pictures). To my surprise, the pictures turn out good. I think the pictures are just as good of a quality as my point and shoot digital Power Point camera. I am happy with the quality of the pictures. This camera will definitely be with me this coming summer trip to Yosemite's Merced river swimming trip. I got my used via the internet for fifty dollars...
   
   Have fun taking pictures

5 comments about SeaLife SL511 ReefMaster RC Underwater Photo Set 35mm Camera.

1. I bought this camera for photographing my SCUBA dives. My first experience was that the case leaked and ruined the film on my first dive. There was a flaw in in the o-ring gasket, which the manufacturer remedied by replacing the camera. The second model works well, is easy to handle, has good viewfinder size, and clips easily on my B-C. However, I find that the camera has problems with film advancing, too. The flash color compensation is not the best and could stand some more strength. The pictures I've taken in relatively shallow water come out with a boring color sameness. I would like more contrast. However, for a beginner, this would be the right camera until you get to wanting better underwater exposures.



2. I just came back from a trip to Maui and the pictures came out exceptionally good. ...If you plan on being a published photographer, but if you just want great pictures for yourself and family,and don't want to spend another $500.00, I would reccomend this camera. I have been scuba diving for the better part of 25 years and have seen many other cameras that cost more but don't deliver the quality of this one. It takes great pictures in and out of the water.



3. I just purchased this camera and have already used it on 6 dives and found it to work so much better than other disposable cameras and housing for scuba diving. It's not a Nikonos (sp?) but it's still pretty good for a beginner. The only thing I don't like too much is that if you're pretty close to one object but also too far away from another object in the same frame, the flash is only good for within some many feet. Anything further and you can start to see the bluish cast from taking underwater photos around the perimeter of the photo. I also purchased the 3X macro lens to go with it, but found that I had much difficulty keeping this portable lens on without actually using both hands at the same time trying to keep it on the camera while taking a photo. Otherwise a great camera!



4. Well I bought this camera a few weeks ago to go hawaii. Well it leaked after one roll of film so cleaned it out and let dry over night and loaded it again the next day and leaked again to where the camera didnt work anymore. Well I ended up getting some underwater disposable cameras. When I got the film developed the the disposable pics actually came out better than the 1 roll that came out of my $... camera (imagine that). Well now Im trying to get it repaired or replaced and I have to pay to ship it to them plus another $... I have to send to them for processing, what is up with that if I have a warrenty and its faulty equipment they should cover at the the shipping back to me. Over all There is nothing that I can recomend about this camera from the pics to the service. Would give it a 0 if possible.



5. I am a novice scuba diver, and completely new to underwater photography, but I do have a lot of land photography experience. I bought a ReefMaster RC camera a few days before going on a recent Caribbean vacation and am very happy that I did. I took it on 3 different dives, a shallow (35') reef dive, a deeper (72') reef dive, and a deep (82') wreck dive (a WWII Soviet Warship!). The camera is very well designed and performed extremely well; even after I dropped it! (It bounced.) It's a breeze to handle underwater, with all the key stuff easily readable and accesible. It's also really easy to use; a couple of times I handed it to my fellow divers (underwater) and they took very good photos without needing to fuss with dials, etc. I shot 3 different rolls of 36 exposures of Kodak ASA 200 Gold film. My first roll (the shallow dive, my first with the camera) yielded 10 photos I put in my album. The second and third rolls (dives 2 & 3) yielded 18 and 15 photos respectively that I judged good enough to show to friends and colleagues (who were blown away by the pics). The 'rejected' photos were due to 'operator error' (as in, I was too close, or too far away, etc.). I highly recommend this camera to people who want to take high quality underwater photos without the expense and hassle of higher-end cameras. If you get the camera, be sure to also get the 3x close-up lens, which really brings out the best in your underwater subjects. And READ THE MANUAL ... I suspect that some of the folks here who complained about the camera didn't take the time to follow the instructions. Have fun!

4 comments about Canon Sure Shot A-1 Panorama Waterproof Camera (Includes Case, Battery and Neck Strap).

1. Take all the advice you can about pre- and post-water care for these cameras, and in fact, read up on other models' tips, because even though I would rinse this camera carefully, its own manual is not as stringent about after-dive care. As a result, this, the very best water camera I had ever bought (I took it to 40 feet, no problem) totally and terminally punked out on a short snorkeling excursion due to leakage. And once it leaks, it's over. To its credit, it did rewind the already-shot film before it gave up the ghost, a truly valuable death-throe. So take GREAT care of it and you will never have reason to complain. It corrects for underwater optics and it also works well on land. It does like to turn itself on (the "on" dial is quite slippery) so keep tons of extra batteries (C123A, $$$) around. Takes delightful pictures; I would buy it again. And I have to because mine died.



2. We purchased the camera to use on a snorkeling cruise. Sadly, the camera drifted away during one of our dives never to be seen again. Had the camera come with a wrist strap instead of a neck strap this would not have happened. Needless to say, I am very disappointed in this camera.



3. I'm a former professional photographer who went through every technological innovation in imaging during a long career, from 4X5 press cameras to digital.
   
   The Canon Sure Shot A-1 is one of my all time favorite cameras, out of dozens I have owned. It's incredibly rugged and easy to use in any situation. It has sloshed around in sea water in the bottom of a kayak and worked beautifully in sub-zero temperatures on ski slopes. The high-eyepoint viewfinder means it's easy to frame the image with one eye for the camera and the other for oncoming waves.
   
   The lens is extremely sharp and the moderate wide-angle view makes it useful in all kinds of situations. If I had to carry just one camera to get me thorough any situation, this would be it and, in fact, that's exactly what I've done, many times.



4. I used this camera for many years and received a lot of enjoyment from it. It took wonderful pictures and was very durable. It met its maker when it took a pretty hard whack from a boulder in a fast-moving river. I, unlike the other reviewer, could not get it to rewind that last roll of film. I definitely miss it! I'm looking to find something comparable in a digital model but it's proving to be quite difficult.

5 comments about Canon Sure Shot WP-1 Weatherproof 35mm Camera.

1. I had WP1 and A1 before. Both of them looked almost the same except the colour of the rubber grip for the hand is different, the macro logo of the mode dial is different. WP1 is a weatherproof camera, not waterproof. It is excellent for snorkelling and rugged use. WP1 started to leak at 6m or 20ft when I used for SCUBA diving, that was my mistake. So I bought an A1, so far tested to 35m (though only guaranteed to a few metres) and still going strong, same for another 2 A1s that my friends have. Both WP1 and A1 are excellent cameras, gave excellent pictures. The price difference (almost 100%) basically gives you the peace of mind in terms of water-tightness. One thing to take note, the flash is not strong enough so underwater pictures will turn out to be greenish or bluish, and fine particles will tend to disperse the flash and over expose the pictures. Have fun!



2. Took this camera down 80 feet in salt water. Works like a charm. My friends couldn't believe it either. I recommend this camera highly.



3. I have taken this camera on 4,000 miles of river canoeing in all types of weather. I takes very good pictures without the need to worry about focusing. I have never used this underwater and would never consider doing so. However, I did drop it into water a few times and it suffered no damages. I am considering purchasing the A1 for its panoramic mode.



4. Yes, the cameras are virtually indestructible. And NO, WP isn't "weather proof" it's "water proof" according to Canon's own literature for this camera including the owners manual. Ours says it's "waterproof to 16.4 feet" Has worked fine in our local lake and motel swimming pools. You simply can not compare the quality of photos taken with this camera with the quality of those taken with the disposable 'waterproof" cameras that you buy at the discount stores. You really can't come up with a better fun at the lake, snorkeling, hotel pool camera for this kind of money. Generally a decent waterproof camera costs a LOT more and a water proof housing for a camera yo may already own is very expensive. You're not gonna get a lot of National Geographic quality shots with this but you just may surprise yourself!



5. Very pleased with this product. Have had one for about 25 years which got broken this past vacation. When I took it to camera shop, I was told it was impossibe to find parts or to replace a film camera. This one is exactly like my own and in great condition!!! I love it!!! It arrived much earlier than I thought and in very good condition.

5 comments about Kodak Max Waterproof 35mm Single Use Camera.

1. When I first bought this camera I thought I had made a mistake. I was in Hawaii going snorkeling and I took some pictures of some fish. The fish were beautiful and the colors were vibrant. Thats exactly how my pictures turned out, full of color and detail.This is a really great buy. You get alot for your money! Happy Shooting



2. Admittedly, I had low expectations when I bought one of these for a recent trip to the Virgin Islands. I didn't believe that a disposable camera loaded with consumer-grade film would return anything better than barely acceptable pictures. I guess I was wrong. Not only were the underwater shots crisp and bright, but even the out-of-water pictures look like they came from a much more expensive camera. I have a few complaints about the film advancer sticking periodically and the lens being too sensitive to suntan lotion (this was a beach after all), but overall I was quite pleased.



3. We used these cameras on the beaches and in the ocean while in Hawaii. The picture quality was as good as any permanent camera I own. The only draw back is it has no flash which would have been helpful in a few situations. But you just have to plan around this one fault.



4. I used the camera in Hawaii. It was easy to use, and it was nice to have pictures underwater, but when I tried to take pictures of things on the ocean floor, I discovered that the camera won't work deeper than about 10 ft--the plunger gets depressed by the pressure.



5. I took this camera on my honeymoon to St. Maarten and the pictures came out beautifully, better than the ones I took with my "real" camera. Would definitely use again! Would also love to go to St. Maarten again (but that's besides the point :-) ).

4 comments about SeaLife SCL520 ReefMaster CL 35mm Camera.

1. I bought this camera.
   At 5 meters was full of water...

   BE CAREFULL!!

   DO NOT BUY!!

   -message to amazon:
   you must have no star rating option-




2. please ignore this review.
   I was wrong about the type of camera.....
   (the type that I've tried was Sharkdiver sl301)

   sorry.




3. Unlike the other reviewers I had no problem taking pictures of fish and reefs in Mexico. The camera stayed dry and the housing held up. The only area of caution was keeping sand away from the rubber ring gasket. If you keep this camera and housing clean you should have no problems.



4. It works as advertised - no, it's not a great camera, but for the money it's great value.

5 comments about Kodak MAX Water & Sport Single Use Camera.

1. I work at a professional photofinishing lab, and I can attest to the quality of the film inside this camera. The Kodak Water & Sport camera provides excellent results both in and out of the water. It performs comparably to the Kodak HQ Max Versatility camera; it produces a high-quality image in most situations.
   
   There is no flash on the camera (though using a flash underwater can produce unpredictable and sometimes undesirable effects), so do not plan on using it in low-light situations.
   
   Film does not like to get wet, and accidentally dropping your camera in water could mean that all the pictures you just took are lost forever. So even if you don't plan on taking your camera physically underwater on your family boating expedition, you might still want to consider purchasing a Water & Sport camera as insurance against "splash damage".
   
   If you need a flash, or if you plan to take pictures at depths greater than 50 feet, you'll need to consider a professional underwater camera or camera housing.



2. I just used this camera for a dive in Mexico (my second dive, first attempt at underwater photo).
   
   Although the camera has no flash, it worked perfectly fine at depths up to 12 meters. I guess the lack of flash can be a problem for some other locations or if outside is not a sunny day, but at least for Cancun this camera did the job perfectly.
   
   The wheel that turns the film does a specific noise when the film is correctly positioned and ready for a new shot; this noise is different from when there are no more positions on camera, and the wheel turns continuously - so if you pay attention you'll know when the film is over, even if the position indicator may still show 1 or 2.
   
   Yes, the pictures are grainy (I think it uses ISO800 film so this is expected), but they look "clean" when scaled down on computer at 800x600, and I think the prints will look acceptable, too.
   The pictures will also show vignetting, but this is nothing unexpected for such fixed focus disposable camera lens.
   
   Out of 27 positions, I got 20 pictures I consider good enough and "keepers". The picture turned out crisp - only 2 of them are motion blured. Try to stay still when taking pictures and you'll be fine. For best colors, take pictures of close divers/fishes (less than 1-2 meters away)...
   
   We also used a non-disposable 35mm plastic camera with case and underwater casing, but the Kodak yielded better quality pictures.
   
   As for the viewfinder, it is a bit harder to look through it with the googles on, but I got better framed pictures than with the non-disposable camera that had a "target" sistem.
   
   If you want to spend only 10-20$ and don't plan investing more on underwater casing for digital cameras, this camera is a good choice.
   I don't regret buying it.



3. Nice camera and it takes great photos but it bugs me to buy disposable cameras when non-disposables aren't much more expensive. So why did I buy it? Because I left my non-disposable at home when we went on vacation! Not a bad little camera, though.



4. You can't beat the $price! I just used it when I went snorkeling at the Bahamas. The pictures turned out deceit for an underwater camera. The only problem I found was pressing the 'shoot' button. It was quite awkward. Besides that-Great.



5. We always bring a few of these with us when we go on warm weather vacations. They are perfect for taking snorkling and getting great photos underwater. You just need to be careful to use the sun as you light source and to shoot down, not up. The photos are a lot of fun - even just of people smiling two feet underwater! I would never use this out of the water - I'm sure the photos would be terrible. I prefer it to any other type of waterproof case, because I have zero worry about ruining my multi-hundred dollar digital camera. It is no fuss and lots of fun.

5 comments about Fujifilm Quick Snap Waterproof 35mm Single Use Camera.

1. I used this at the beach with one of my friends during the summer. Taking photos were easy, and with the camera in the case, we were able to take pictures without worrying about the film, not to mention toss the camera around (or chase after it after getting buffeted by the waves- the camera floats)
   
   When developing the photos, they came out slightly blurry (even the ones on the ground) and the colors seemed pale and washed out. While I haven't used film cameras in a while, I'm still positive that the color quality is much higher than what we achieved.
   
   Then again, you get what you pay for- and it's not many digital cameras that you can take into an ocean and walk back out of it with your photos. For the price we paid, we're just glad we still have the memories.



2. We purchased these for our gift bags for a wedding because we were going on a Caribbean Cruise. Everyone loved them.



3. Easy to use, good clear pictures, results better than expected. We used them snorkling in Grand Cayman where the water was very clear. We took pictures at depths between the surface and 15 feet. The best pictures were taken when the sun was shining as it made it brighter under water. I was surprised how well the pictures came out even when pictures were taken when it was cloudy. The only thing that was a bit strange was that you don't hear a "click" sound when the picture is taken. You push the lever down until it stops and then wonder "did I actually get the picture?" or "what part of the picture did I get?" because we took a lot of motion pictures i.e. someone or fish swimming and wondered if the target was centered in the middle of the frame. Scenic pictures above the water came out very clear too. I would definately buy this brand again.



4. I bought this before going shark diving in a cage in Australia. It worked perfectly. The photos came out clear and taking pictures was quick and easy. If you're looking for a low-cost solution to a few underwater shots, this does the trick.



5. DON'T buy this camera from Amazon. (actually you can't anyways). We ordered this camera for our upcoming cruise. As time was tight we chose the more expensive purchasing option from Amazon.com as it was listed as "In Stock" and "available for PRIME Shipping". I ordered it with Prime Shipping for 2 day delivery. Well 2 days came and went and no camera. I went back to my original order and noticed that the estimated delivery date was a week in the future? How could this be if it was "In stock" and a ordered with 2 day shipping? I cancelled and re-orded with over night shipping. The estimated delivery date was STILL a week away! That is when I saw that the "ships and sold by Amazon.com" descprition I saw when I placed the order changed on the delivery notice to "Sold by MTA..". Talk about bait and switch.