a case for either
Published January 5, 2009 | 
I just thought I’d share with you a picture of some of the camera cases I have compared to the little waterproof cameras. You can quickly see why we want a small waterproof camera. These cases are a real pain in the butt to use. The problem for kayakers is not that we want to take pictures under water. No, that would be easy. The problem is that we exist in both realms. That of air and water. We are not so much choosing gear that is best designed for our sport as we are choosing with which gear we can simply make do.
Small waterproof cameras are great when they work. Other than occasional water droplets they are easy to manage and easy to use and the image quality is getting better each year. The downside of course is that they seem to have real problems surviving the life of a kayaker.
Cases on the other hand can certainly survive. The problem is that they are so bulky we tend to not use them much. Big cases are often just too hard to manage in anything but flat conditions. Other problems with cases include dealing with water on the lens and possibly internal fogging as well. All manageable but part of the joy of camera cases used above and below the surface.
So what is a new paddler supposed to do? Well, that’s the trick. No one answer is right for everyone. A little Pentax or Olympus is perfect but you need to be aware of the quality and service issues. Talking about it as we do on the web, one can easily understand why you may just choose to get a case instead . They are generally cheaper and may fit a camera you already own. Just keep in mind that it’s quite possible that you’ll take less pictures with a case in a year than you may have with your little Pentax in a month.
Yep, no easy answers here!
Related Posts:
5 Responses to a case for either
So true. I took a camera-in-a-case with me on a 12 day paddle around Manitoulin and took one on-the-water shot. Why? fog issues and the fact the camera had to be turned on while in the case. Several times when a shot presented itself, the batteries had died in the camera which took non standard batteries.
The secret to a good ‘waterproof’ camera seems to be 1) luck and 2) treating it like the baby it is!
Pingback: Cameras for Kayakers « Rjimlad’s Kayaking World
I have a Canon A95 point-and-shoot camera in its case, mounted on a swivel-head on the kayak deck. It looks dorky, but the camera’s always ready to shoot. The problem is that the viewscreen is hard to see in the sunlight, and doubly so when it’s in the case, so you kinda have to guess whether you have it turned on or not. If I know I have a series of shots to take, I take it off the swivel head, drape the strap around my neck, and shoot away. Of course, you have to check that there isn’t a drop(s) of water over the viewport, and if so, you have to wipe it off with a “convenient” fiber cloth. Puts a crimp in the “sponteneity of the moment”. OTOH, the darn thing will still work 100 ft below the surface (and if it’s still attached to my kayak, I’m in BIG trouble), and that model uses standard AA batteries, so I can change them in the field (assuming of course, that the waves aren’t splashing you and rocking you). So my rules are: 1) always make sure the batteries are freshly charged before you leave, 2) you have at least two sets of freshly charged batteries as spares, 3) you have a micro-fiber cloth handy to clean off the spray/droplets from the viewport, and 4) anticipate the action and handle your camera/case accordingly.
Cameras take pictures… right? Speaking of pictures, I came across a galactic oddity. A rip or defect in the fabric of space-time.
Has anyone noticed the resemblance between Derrick and… (shhhhh, quiet) Sybok?
Picture link Here and not smiling Here too.
Sorry, Derrick. If we ever have the pleasure of paddling together, I’ll anticipate you rightfully dumping me over. *Smirky grinz* We have fine micro-breweries out here as well.
MarcP
Well, Sybok is better than Kung Fu Panda! Which another friend of mine came up with one day. Most people say I look like Jack Nicholson which is probably why I paddle alone a lot!