Dust and Waterproof Digital Cameras and Underwater Digital Cameras

Memories are created just about anywhere. And when I say anywhere, I mean that memories are even created underwater – hence the creation of dust and water proof digital cameras, and even accessories to create underwater digital cameras.

Even dustproof and waterproof digital cameras cannot withstand underwater photography, so if you are really serious about underwater photography, then you need to buy a specially designed underwater digital camera. To be waterproof is to resist water, but submerging even a dust and waterproof digital camera to get the perfect shot is like throwing it out the window and expecting a pick-up truck to pass by and run over it without damaging it.

Dustproof and waterproof digital cameras are great for sports enthusiasts of all kinds.  You can take them with you on hiking and camping trips, boating adventures, and the like.  And if you're on a picnic, or at the big game and it starts to rain, you don't have to worry if your camera is water and dust resistant. They are also great for teenagers, who may not be as careful as you would like - an impact-resistant, dust and waterproof digital camera may just be a lifesaver (and a budget saver, if you don't have to replace it all the time!)

Underwater digital cameras traditionially have been hard to come by, as digital cameras are electronic and tend not to withstand water and water pressure well. For years, the closest manufactureres had gotten to producing underwater digital cameras was producing underwater casings for digital cameras, designed to turn a conventional digital camera into an underwater digital camera.   In recent years, however, manufacturers have begun to come out with underwater digital cameras that are good to depths of 10 or more feet, and adequate for the needs of many an amateur underwater photography enthusiast.

An underwater digital camera is not just used to capture memories; professional marine photographers also use underwater digital cameras in their business. Even marine biologists and scientists use underwater digital cameras to capture marine life and thus be able to study the life and properties of the marine life. But I think it is safe to assume that you, my reader, are neither a marine scientist nor a professional photographer. Like me, you are just some photo junkie who wants to capture underwater moments and just cant figure out how without ruining your cameras.

When you are shooting with your underwater digital camera, you need to take note of a few things to help you come up with the best images underwater.

Remember that as you go farther under water, light diffuses. This means that you will produce images darker than those images you took while on land.  Because of the light diffusion, the red spectrum seems darker. To avoid this, use white balance to come up with more natural colors. Also, pictures taken underwater will appear larger than pictures taken on land with the same zoom effect. Be sure to check your underwater digital camera’s viewfinder to ensure the right picture angle and size that you want.

An underwater digital camera with a built-in flash may produce what is called "marine show phenomenon".  This is a phenomenon whereby your pictures come out blurry and with white particles appearing to float above your subject.  To avoid this it is advisable to use an external flash for your underwater digital camera, and side light your subjects.

Before using your underwater digital camera, submerge the camera in the water first for several seconds then check if there are leaks through the case.  Make sure that no grains of sand or piece of hair is stuck in between the seal to make sure that water will not permeate the case and thus wet your camera in the process.  It is also advisable to put one or two silica gel packets inside the case of your underwater digital camera as long as they don’t disturb the camera’s operation. (Silica gel will help keep moisture from forming inside your camera case.)

Most underwater digital cameras come with optional lenses. Don’t be afraid to add these lenses to your underwater digital camera kit. Macro lenses will help you capture small things without getting too close and startling your subject.

Also, remember to always wash off salt when you’ve used a camera in salt water. If the salts are not washed off, in time they will crystallize and act as sands,  causing leaks for your camera case.  When sands seem to have gotten into the case, they are better washed off with streams of water.

In addition to the resources below, you may want to check out the Sony, Nikon and Canon websites for available underwater cases for digital cameras.

Next up learn about top selling digital cameras