When I found out my wife and I were taking an extended family trip to St. Thomas, I really wanted to be able to take underwater photos; but not with those cheap water-proof disposable cameras. I wanted to use my Canon Digital Rebel XT. However, I didn’t have the money to fork out for a case or a new camera, so I got creative and built myself a little water-proof bag: a circular piece of wood with a whole cut out of the center, a skylight filter, clamp, large Ziploc bag, and come caulk. Here is the end result:
My camera fit into it nicely. I had done a test with the bag inflated and put int he bathtub and there was no air leaking. But when it came down to it, I was worried my contraption would fail and I would end up with a soggy camera.
But I did try to take a few shots, simply placing the bag on the surface and looking down into the water. The viewfinder was pointless, so it was a snap and hope for the best. But, I did like the final outcome of these sea urchins (I am not sure why that one is glowing red, but I found it a rather neat visual effect).
With the advances of technology and digital photography, I have been eyeing the GoPro HD Hero2, Surf Edition. My wife and I are planning a trip to Hawaii later (and no, I do not surf, but willing to try) this year and I want to once again have the opportunity to take shots of us snorkeling, as well as any marine life we see during our trip.
My question: Should I attempt to use that jimmy-rigged bag, or invest in the $299 (+tax) HD Hero2 camera for my trip? Help me decide.
~signed, Carltonaut
Carltonaut 