Snorkelling and Underwater Cameras

[DakotaDisney]

Couple questions:

1. Are there any policies about taking pictures underwater while snorkeling at Castaway Cay?

2. Any recomendations for underwater cameras? Anyone ever tried those disposable underwater cameras or are there any other types of underwater cameras, especially digital, that are good, but don't cost a lot?

I think it would be fun to try taking a few pictures, but I have never done it before. I imagine you have to have a really expensive camera to get really good pictures.

Just curious, thanks.

[Ed]

Absolutely! In fact, there are many "artifacts" underwater in the snorkeling area that make for interesting pictures, such as plaques, statues, and even an old 20K Leagues submarine. And the water is incredibly clear almost all the time.

I've seen some pix taken with the disposable underwater cameras, and they come out pretty good. Haven't used one myself, though.

You can buy special underwater digital cameras (think Big $$$) or waterproof casings or transparent waterproof bags into which you put your own camera. But again, I haven't tried them personally.

The disposables are available on the island at She Sells Sea Shells (whew, that's a mouthful!)

:diver:

[ElenitaB]

Target and BestBuy also have the disposable cameras (and the pre-planning can save you quite a bit). We had two with us on our last trip, but we ended up not going in the water so I passed them on to another family (rather than see them go to waste).

[JerseyDad]

...Castaway Cay is a great place for underwater photography...the fish are incredible...as are the underwater artifacts as was mentioned earlier.

A good underwater camera that's not "overboard" on price is the Vivitar 6.0MP underwater camera. I think it's about $125 dollars (list) and is much better than the disposable underwater cameras. A friend told me that she got hers through Amazon. I just checked it out, and it looks like a nice camera that also takes video, which, at Castaway Cay...will be great since the water is clear when you're out in the deeper parts....and again....the fish...ARE INCREDIBLE!!

[pilk]

A dive shop I deal with in my local area sells several different styles of cameras. Both the more expensive and the "disposable" style. I would recommend looking for a dive store in your area. They should have the "disposable" style at a relatively low price. Generally, I have found they are a better quality then the disposable ones you can buy at Wal-mart or such places.

[TinksDH]

We just got back from a DCL cruise and I used a disposable underwater camera at CC. The pic quality is so-so, as the film speed is ISO 800 (think grainy shots), it's a "fixed focal length" lens (think poor focusing) and it has no flash(think somewhat dark and low contrasty shots). It was OK in a pinch.

I have seen shots from the Vivitar that was mentioned earlier in this thread and they are better. It too is a fixed focal length camera, but the shots are better than that of a disposable. Having the video capability is a great plus, and at $125 or so, will pay for itself pretty quick as I believe the disposable cameras are $15 or so plus $7 a camera to have developed.

The next step up is either an underwater housing (Canon makes a bunch for their P&S cameras for $150 - $175) OR a true variable focal water-proof camera. Olympus makes a line starting at ~$200 that are just fine for snorkeling. I'm looking at getting one of those.