Best Cameras for Scouting

[AK-Eagle]

For backpacking and general camping I have a Olympus Stylus 8010 with a extra battery pack. I've used the camera on summer and winter camps. In temps below +20f keep the camera in a warm pocket when not being used and it should keep going.

If you want to see some of those photos please send me a private message.

 

For Courts of Honor I use a Fujifilm S9100.

 

AK-Eagle

[J-Stroke]

I have and love the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 which has since been replaced with and improved upon by the DMC-TS2. It is waterproof, shockproof, dustproof and freezeproof. It also does HD movies in AVHD Lite. I understand the TS2 has added a stabilizer for movies which is the only complaint I have with my TS1.

 

Last spring it went surfing and snorkling in Maui. This summer it did an 8 day Boundary Waters canoe trek. It's survived 3 summer camps and 4 weekend canoe training courses. I even use it to do underwater movies for our high school swim team for training purposes.

 

For Boundary Waters I spent $20 for an extra battery and I bought a spare 8GB sd card. I shot 4 hours of movies and innumerable 12mb photos and still had power and memory left at the end of the trip.

[afscout]

I bought a Kodak Playsport to take HD video/pictures while I run races (half/full marathons). I'm slow enough that I can take in the sights during the race and not have to be bothered about coming in the top 500 or so.

 

Anyway, it's great for outdoor day shots, waterproof to 10 ft, 5MP HD stills, up to 1080p HD video, image stabilization, shock resistant. I heard it doesn't do well in low light situations (no flash), but since I've only used it out when outdoors, I couldn't confirm/deny those reports. I would highly recommend getting a screen protector film since the screen scratches easily. The other thing is that is looks more like a cell phone than traditional camera or point and shoot, takes a little getting used to (for old folks like me), but I can easily slip it into a pocket (I guess I actually have a use for than media pocket on the scout shirt).

[Kudu]

scoutfreakdad writes:

 

wow those cannon photos are sooo vivid, i'm interested in the cannon box.

 

Amazon has some detailed reviews of the Canon Underwater Housing for the PowerShot S90 at:

 

http://tinyurl.com/4qbn259

 

I shot a short video yesterday at King's Spring (Crystal River, FL) so that you can see the S90 in action underwater (in the Ikelite case). Note how big and bright the screen is:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvGvEACwC5s

 

To view the photographs I was taking, click on "King's Spring" at:

 

http://inquiry.net/scuba_diving_merit_badge/index.htm

 

I shot the YouTube video using a Liquid Image Scuba Series Wide Angle HD322 Camera/Video Mask.

 

This new Wide Angle model is much better than the previous version:

 

http://www.liquidimageco.com/products/water/scuba-series-hd-wide.php

 

Note that the visibility was poor yesterday due to the high algae content of the water, so the lack of clarity in the photographs and video does NOT do justice to either the Canon or Liquid Image cameras.

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

http://kudu.net

 

[The Blancmange]

I just came across this strip. It seems appropriate to some of this discussion.

 

http://blog.photoshelter.com/2010/07/26/what-the-duck.gif

 

 

[scoutfreakdad]

AK-Eagle

Olympus Stylus 8010 Is that the Olympus tough series? how is the pause between pushing button and taking the picture, or taking a second picture? I would like to see the picture quality, I can get an Ikelite case for diving and if it leaks the camera won't fry. How are the low light picks?

Here is a link to some tough cameras that I think would do well in a dive case or on a rafting trip, I am leaning toward the Olympus TG cameras. Panasonic and cannon users seam so happy with their product, but the waterproof cannon doesnt really fit in a standard pocket, and Panasonic pissed me off years ago with bad product support in a different division, and Im not sure I want to give up my boycott yet. The Panasonic Lumix could break my boycot.

http://www.waterproof-camera.org/a-summary-of-new-2011-waterproof-cameras-price-and-release-date/

To dive deeper than 33 feet I still need a case and only cannon , Panasonic and Olympus had cases I could find on the ikelite site.

 

[Buffalo Skipper]

Look into the Fuji XP10. I finally settled on this due to price. It is now on sale online for $100. This is waterproof to 10' (I don't scuba, so I will never be below this depth), shockproof, dustproof and freezeproof (14*F).

 

I have used this since September and it does great. It is compact (fits easily in a pocket or backpack waist pouch) and light (5.8 oz without battery) It has HD video, 12mp and a 5x optical periscope zoom contained entirely internal.

 

Picture quality is reasonable. You have to learn to use the settings, but once you get that down, it is great. It is my adventure camera for scouts and I love it. I paid $150 back in Sept and it is now 2/3 that price.

[scoutfreakdad]

I called Ikelite and they recommended the Olympus tough or the JVC pisco, they dont make a box for the tough Fuji. They have a combination package with the camera and the diving case JVC Picsio GC-WP10A Compact Video Package Housing & Camera Package $460 http://www.ikelite.com/web_two/jvc_wp10.html Camera housing alone is $260. This is a video camera that takes photos, as opposed to a camera that takes video, it is only 5 megapixels for still photos, but my last camera was 1.5 megapixels and I liked its photos. http://camcorder.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL028752&pathId=58&page=10 the pisco is a serious consideration.

[Kudu]

You will be disappointed with the still photographs from a video camera, especially in low light underwater conditions!

 

The advantage of mucho megapixels is that you can crop severely after shooting with the wide angle lens you need underwater.

 

I took photographs of two Troops earning Scuba Diving Merit Badge this week. Click on "Georgia Scout Troops: 994 Woodstock, 75 Atlanta" at:

 

http://inquiry.net/scuba_diving_merit_badge/index.htm

 

Cropped photos are indicated by a "-" after the file number.

 

For these photos I used a Canon S90 in an Ikelite case. Canon has replaced the S90 with the S95 model which includes HQ video.

 

Both Canon models have an "aquarium" setting that bumps up the red to counteract the blue shift underwater (see above photographs to judge the effect). For more exact skin tones they can also shoot in RAW. Try that with a video camera

 

I've never had a problem with the case leaking, so I would not limit my choice of cameras for that reason. I do use "Moisture Munchers" that signal by turning from dark blue to white if the humidity inside the case should ever rise.

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

http://kudu.net

 

[AK-Eagle]

Scoutfreakdad, did you get my response to your private message?

 

AK-Eagle

[HobcawChaos]

Someone else's so I don't have to keep up with one!