Robust Digital Cameras for Caving

[paulselhi]

As my son is now "up for it" i am considering, in my old age, to get back into caving

Can anyone give some suggestions for robust waterproof ( only needed to a few feet) digital cameras

It has to be compact and able ..well obviuously ..to work well under low light conditions

[CyberDyneSystems]

Olympous and... (...er what's the other one? ) are making models that are extremely weather resistant. I don't know if any of them are submersible though.

Canon does not at this time have a unit that meets your requirements.

[Jon]

Pentax, I think (Optio 430WR 4 MP, immersable to 3'/30 min.). There's also Sea and Sea, for a true waterproof/submersible, or you might put a Canon in one of their underwater housings.

[Mitchkitter]

Olympus 7XX <i.e. 740> seriers have a waterproof case for around $200

that allows you to take pictures underwater up to 50 ft..

the regular olypmus styleses are "weather resistant", i.e. drop in a puddle, not a pond.

[neil_r]

Canon do a series of waterproof cases for many of their smaller cameras (40 Meters) I have a PowerShot S70 and the waterproof housing, robust, rugged and not the size of a house.


N

[paulselhi]

Thanks for the advice i am sorry i did not get back as i did not recieve e-mails about your posts. I will fix that.

Some time ago (20+ years) i remeber a fellow caver having a camera that did exactly what i want, it was water resistant to a few feet and had a tough yellow case. But finding it now would be tricky as it would be considered stone age technology !!

[iwatkins]

I belive I've seen a submersible case for the Canon IXUS range digital cameras. If that is the case then a camera and case would only come out the same size as some of the bigger digital cameras.

However, I'm not sure how tough these submersible cases are to the knocks it would get in the caving situation, not how the seals would stand up to sediment exposure.

Where are you going to go caving ? My old stomping ground was around Ingelton in my caving days, got to love that limestone. I could often be found down the Kingsdale system trying to make life difficult for myself :)

Cheers

Ian

[paulselhi]

Well i used to cave with my university college ( qmc queen mary college) we went most places but i was not always on the trips..man

The obviuous spots were ingleton, derbyshire ( i remeber giants hole) the mendips ( wookey hole) south wales OFD to Cwm Daw ( whoops spelling) a real epic

We will probabaly delay now till next summer or spring and most likely over in the mendips

[ssim]

I have the underwater housing for my Canon S50. Works really quite well but it is a little cumbersome at times.

Sample
http://www.pbase.com/ssim/image/26360040