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Camera in Removable Housing with 4X Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD screen (Black)" />
Product Description
Sealife DC 800 8-megapixel Camera includes 3 new dive-specific color correction modes. 4X Optical zoom in rubber housing makes it easier than ever to take sharp, colorful underwater photos. Easy to view 2.7-Inch LCD screen. Camera can be removed from 200 Feet depth tested housing for use on land. Wide angle lens is 28mm to 112mm film equivalent. 22 land modes can automatically set camera for a variety of photos with included face detection, anti-shake, aperture/shutter priority and Spy Mode.
Buy Sealife DC 800 8.0 Megapixel Underwater/Land Camera in Removable Housing with 4X Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD screen at Amazon
Buy Sealife DC 800 8.0 Megapixel Underwater/Land Camera in Removable Housing with 4X Optical Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD screen at Amazon
I recently bought this camera at a local dive shop and was able to use it on a dive and a couple snorkel trips in Hawaii.
Previously, I was using an underwater camera bag (~$30) with a Sony DSC-V1 (5MP pro-sumer) to take snorkeling photos. I was able to get some great photos in the process. Unfortunately, that solution made it difficult to operate the camera, sometimes the bag plastic would warp/defocus the shot, and was a bit risky. I would also not be willing to take it on Scuba dives. The Sealife was an upgrade to improve on some of these shortcomings.
Using the camera underwater is very easy. The camera case feels good in your hands and very sturdily built. It is simple to operate and you can cycle quickly between photo mode/movie mode/review last shot with a single button, which is nice. The focus and shutter is reasonably quick for a small digicam, but of course it will require more time take shots than a DSLR. I am relatively new to diving (<15 dives), so the small size is perfect and won’t encumber you like a larger setup might. Great for amateurs.
Underwater image quality was good and even though the Sealife uses a compact digicam-sized lens, it does pretty well. Lens speed is a key issue if you’re just getting into underwater photography–available light disappears quickly as you decent only a few meters and most often you’ll only be able to go as fast as a 1/30 sec or 1/60 sec shutter with this camera. Since you won’t be using a tripod down there, expect many shots to come out blurry and forget about getting good photos of frightened fish. This is not something specific to the Sealife. My Sony V1 was similar even with a larger, lightly faster lens. Still, with a little patience and a steady hand, you’ll get a few nice shots.
The wide-angle of this lens is great for getting some more interesting macros or better composed shots. I appreciated it when a sea turtle surprised me over my shoulder and I still was able to fit him in the frame only 18 inches away! The 4x optical zoom looks good, though you’ll really need to hold steady. Movie quality is adequate and a nice bonus to have for fun.
The camera’s underwater mode uses a preset white-balance (like a red filter), which can be manually readjusted if needed. It performs well in 5ft or deeper water, but will overcompensate close to the surface. This is mainly something to be aware of while snorkeling. The preset white-balance will be nice if you’re not familiar with doing color corrections in photo-editing software (like photoshop).
The battery life was awesome. I was able to use the camera continuously for 3 separate snorkel trips without even thinking about the battery. I didn’t even need to bother bringing the wall charger on the trip (though I did).
Above water, the Sealife is an “OK” compact camera but I found image and color quality to be slightly worse than my 3MP Canon Digital Elf. The Sealife’s resoultion at 8MP is higher, but does not make a big difference. I also found that the Sealife had a difficult time focusing in many low-light or indoor conditions. If you have a decent alternative available, you’ll want to bring that along for your nightlife or trips around town.
In summary, I’d recommend the Sealife DC800 to beginning to intermediate divers/photographers. If you are just starting out with underwater photography, a camera bag (like a DiCAPac) can be a cheap way to test your skills and interest on a snorkel trip. When you’re ready to make another investment, the Sealife is a good next step before more expensive equipment. Even more seasoned underwater photographers may like having the Sealife around after you’ve moved on–it’s small enough that you can take it on any dive if you don’t want to lug around larger equipment.
Got the camera for a wedding shower and love it! Didn’t figure out how to toggle between video and still until about my 6th dive and never did find that in the instruction manual (skimmed it briefly). To switch, just keep hitting the DISP button repeatedly. It cycles through different modes.
I only used 2 moist muchies over 14 dives in Cozumel. Definately lose color after about 40 feet, but still had good quality. A little photoshop helped with that. I found setting it on Landscape helped the speed (recommended in the instruction manual). Still got great pics and video. Not too many blurry.
Also, very helpful to checkout the Sealife website. They have sample video/pics for each camera there. They also have documentation I found helpful. Found a number of other divers on our honeymoon who had sealife cameras. Great reviews from those who had the DC800 and DC1000. One diver had the mini and did not have good luck. Her batteries and SD card kept slipping out of place. When she would go back to the hotel to review the pics, it would be blank. Her batteries went dead quickly too. I ended up taking pics for her and emailing them.
Overall, love it. Really want to get the external flash now!!!!
Both the camera and video worked great under water, but if you are looking for a regular camera for other uses this camera leaves a little bit to desire. Since I bought it with the idea of being an exclusive underwarter camera it worked really well for me.