underwater p/s

[rayq]

Does anyone have any experience with the underwater p/s cameras? I'm booked for a trip to Uruguay and I think that it would be handy to have a camera capable of underwater as well as normal shots. I think that the Olympus 1030SW is my best bet for "all around", please give me your impressions/suggestions.

Thanks in advance

Ray

[maddog10]

Did you check to see if you can get an underwater housing for your current camera?

[rayq]

I have thought about that, but, it is an old Canon PowerShot A75 on it's last leg, I thought that it would be a good opportunity to upgrade the P/S camera for my wife and kids with something "durable".

Thanks

Ray

[Chaitika]

Ray, your current camera is an olympus, isn't it?

[rayq]

Yes, I do have an Oly E-500 - but I don't think that there are any underwater housings that would remain in my price range :)

I am thinking p/s as well as the DSLR for the fact that I could get some video underwater as well.

Ray

[rayq]

I guess that I'll have to be the first to try one!

Ray :)

[greerh]

I can't comment of that camera but I can say the Optio made by Pentex was a huge disappointment. It was too slow in focusing on moving fish so usually resulted in blurry pictures. Worst of all was that the o-ring around the battery compartment failed causing water to leak in and frying the camera. I had it less than a month and when I sent it back to the company they said it was user error and refused to replace it.

Its a measure of how bad the camera was that I was glad to be rid of it.

[rayq]

Thanks very much for the input - I really appreciate that. I have found someone who has an Oly 770SW - the little brother to the one I'm looking at, she told me that I could try it out :)

I will take some shots and post for more feedback.

Ray