Best camera for an a beginning enthusiast?

[expat]

My PITA moment is usually "No memory card found" Especially when diving.

It's happened before and it'll happen again. Most frustrating as it's often at a site you're you're not likely to visit again.

See, that's the instant feedback nature of digital. Whereas when you fail to engage the 35mm film in the take-up spool and then start shooting the Latin American mountains at dawn, you don't know anything's up until you reach 37-38 (?)-39 (WTF)-40 (oh tulip)-41-42-43-44 etc...

[JOE]

Nikon D40

I am using Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera for almost an year now. I think it is an excellent purchase. Available for £245 at amazon.

[bogeyman]

See, that's the instant feedback nature of digital. Whereas when you fail to engage the 35mm film in the take-up spool and then start shooting the Latin American mountains at dawn, you don't know anything's up until you reach 37-38 (?)-39 (WTF)-40 (oh tulip)-41-42-43-44 etc...

Beginners' mistake.

My old mentor on the Indie told me:

"always raise the little crank on the spool wheel and watch it when you load a new real - especially when you're use a motordrive and can't feel the friction on the wind-on lever"

He, himself had lost countless, front-page shots by not observing this rule.

Early Nikon F3 were a bugger for this. I always remember crowds of press photogs fumbling around trying to get the spool to take up.

[expat]

Beginners' mistake.

My old mentor on the Indie told me:

"always raise the little crank on the spool wheel and watch it when you load a new real - especially when you're use a motordrive and can't feel the friction on the wind-on lever"

He, himself had lost countless, front-page shots by not observing this rule.

Early Nikon F3 were a bugger for this. I always remember crowds of press photogs fumbling around trying to get the spool to take up.

Absolutely. A mistake that loads of people made once, and few made twice. After mine, I always checked the rewind knob for turning, then tensioned it to make sure.

[Pondlife]

Ah! A specialist.

What do you use?

Never done any underwater stuff although I've often wondered about it.

The cost of decent underwater housings for my Nikon gear seems awfully high, but the Canon PowerShot D10 looks pretty good:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0902/09021805canond10.asp

Hardly a specialist.

I have a Panasonic Lumix TZ3 which I have no complaints about. It is true that the underwater case costs as much if not more than the camera. You can get the cases (camera specific) for most of the makes these days.

Best pics underwater (in my case) are from above 20m as you start to lose the colour depth below that. The other issue is that as you hold your breath to keep the camera steady your bouyancy changes and you start to rise.

[bogeyman]

Hardly a specialist.

I have a Panasonic Lumix TZ3 which I have no complaints about. It is true that the underwater case costs as much if not more than the camera. You can get the cases (camera specific) for most of the makes these days.

Best pics underwater (in my case) are from above 20m as you start to lose the colour depth below that. The other issue is that as you hold your breath to keep the camera steady your bouyancy changes and you start to rise.

Sounds like a bit of an art. I might give it a go when I finally manage to get a holiday somewhere divable.

[Moscow Mule]

Best pics underwater (in my case) are from above 20m as you start to lose the colour depth below that.

The solution to that is a bloody great big strobe. Or two.

[bogeyman]

The solution to that is a bloody great big strobe. Or two.

Underwater strobes == serious cash

[Moscow Mule]

Underwater strobes == serious cash

For the monster ones, yes.

But, if you're just using a compact, a smaller strobe can make the world of difference for about the same price as your housing...

[bogeyman]

For the monster ones, yes.

But, if you're just using a compact, a smaller strobe can make the world of difference for about the same price as your housing...

Any recommendations?

I'm getting quite excited about this.

Also, where? I'm not a very experienced diver but can tackle most situations above 20m.