Fast Frame Rate Movie Mode allows you to record extremely smooth, full-motion movie clips for up to one minute in QVGA at 60 frames per second (fps) (320 x 240 pixels). With a highly flexible movie mode, you can create the movie that’s perfect for any application. Select from VGA (640 x 480 pixels) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) with frame rates of 30 fps and 15 fps for recording up to one hour or 1 GB. Plus, Compact Movie Mode (QQVGA; 160 x 120 pixels) records at 15 fps for up to 3 minutes.

There is an Underwater Shooting Mode
# Underwater: Capture underwater images with reduced backscatter effect.

The Canon WP-DC 5 Underwater Housing is used for the Canon Powershot SD700 IS. It can be taken down to 130 feet or 40 metres when Scuba Diving.

Read Reviews of the Canon Powershot SD700 IS

Buy the Canon EOS 20D Digital Camera

The Canon EOS-20D digital camera is quite popular. Someone in one of the Yahoo groups I belong to, asked about it and received many favourable responses. Although this camera has been superceded by another model (the 30D), this one should be around for a lot longer. Besides, at the time of writing, the Canon EOS-30D had no underwater housing made of it.

For the EOS-20D, these are the Housings available:

• BS Kinetics Dahna Digital
• SUBAL C20
• UK-Germany UK-D-20D
• Ikelite #6871.20
• Canon EOS20D with eTTL
• ewa-marine U-AXP
• Sealux CC 20
• Aquatica A20

Read some favourable Underwater testimonials about the Canon EOS 20D Camera

The 7.1 Megapixel Digital IXUS 700 is very popular as an above water camera, and sounds like it would make a great camera for Underwater photos also. I found one favorable review by a Scuba Diver. The Canon IXUS 700 features a Perpetual Curve Design, a 3x optical zoom, 2.0″ Quick-bright/Night Display LCD, VGA 30 fps movies, * DIGIC II/iSAPS/9-point AiAF/USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, 14 shooting modes (including underwater), My Colors editing, PictBridge compatible, Print/Share button and CANON iMAGE GATEWAY. This camera has different names in different countries: US name: Canon PowerShot SD500 European name: Canon IXUS 700 Japanese name: Canon IXY Digital 600 Buy Canon Powershot SD500 7.1MP Digital Camera . Canon Digital Ixus 700 W/P Case WP-DC70 can be used to a depth of 40 metres, is simple to handle, has full camera function control, Flash can be used underwater, has a Removable flash diffusion plate and Standard tripod socket. Buy Canon WP-DC70 Waterproof Case.

Read the reviews on the Canon Powershot SD500

Divernet Diver Magazine tried out, then reviewed and compared 8 different Scuba Diving Cameras

• NIKON COOLPIX 4600,
• OLYMPUS mju500,
• FUJI FINEPIX F10,
• SONY CYBERSHOT DCS T33,
• SONY CYBERSHOT DSC W7
• NIKON COOLPIX 7900,
• CANON IXUS 700,
• SANYO XACTI C4

The author also discussed the different things to look at when purchasing a digital camera for Underwater Photography. Over the next few days, I’ll do a more detailed review of some of those cameras.

SeaLife have announced a Universal Underwater Flash for Scuba Diving Digital Cameras:

Buy the Reefmaster SL-960D

SeaLife External Flash for Digital Cameras “Finally a universal flash for all digital cameras*. Scuba divers know that a strobe is the most important accessory for sharp, colorful pictures. Water absorbs the red and yellow light spectrum resulting in blue pictures. The powerful SeaLife® Digital Flash causes the intense colors of coral and fish to “explode” . Even two flashes can be easily mounted to all cameras. * Works with Canon, Olympus, Sony, Nikon, Fuji, Minolta, Casio, Pentax and other brands of digital cameras with up to 4 pre-flashes.”

Read the rest of this entry »

The Canon_EOS_300D Digital Rebel has been around for awhile now – since August 2003. It’s a Digital SLR with 6.3 megapixels and has a number of different Housings that can be used for ScubaDiving |

• BS Kinetics Dahna Digital
• Hugyfot HFC-300D
• Ikelite #6871.1 Canon 300D [eTTL]
• 10bar Canon 300D
• Jonah Housing C300D
• Sea & Sea DX-300
• SUBAL C30
• Aquatica A300

Read more about the Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel

Purchase the Canon SD550 at Amazon new for $409.94 Purchase the Canon WP-DC80 Underwater Housing at Amazon new for $199.99

The Canon Powershot SD550 Digital Camera is the top of the range in the Digital ELPH line. This camera was released in August 2005. With the Canon WP-DC80 Housing it can be taken Scuba Diving upto 130 feet (39 metres). The SD550 goes by the names of Digital Ixus 750 in Europe and IXY DIGITAL 700 in Japan. The SD550 is a fairly minor upgrade to the SD500 (Ixus 700). It has a larger screen – 2.5 inch instead of 2.0 inch) and a slight redesign of the body and controls. The majority of the changes are tweaking of the user interface. DPReview gives the Key specifications of the Canon Digital Powershot SD550

Chris Pirillo is really excited about his Canon Powershot SD550……

The SD550 is a different kind of digital camera. For one, the SD550 is the smallest digicam I’ve ever owned. There are times when I want a picture perfect image, and I have all the time in the world to set up the shot. Then, there are times I just want to point and shoot – no questions asked. I needed a pocket camera, and was a few days away from getting the SD500 (which is the SD550’s predecessor). I learned that Canon was going to release the new revision soon, with a much bigger LCD and updated feature set.

I’m not insane – the Canon PowerShot SD550 was worth waiting for! They’ve gone as far as to call it The Ultimate Digital ELPH. With 7.1 megapixels, what’s not to like? It does just about everything I want a digital camera to do, and it fits perfectly into my pocket (which is the true reason I was drawn to the SD550). In many ways, the SD550 reminds me a lot of my S2 IS; both cameras are at the top of their class. I’m taking the SD550 with me wherever I go. Move over, cell phone!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any reviews from a Scuba Diver. I’ll look out for some and post them here when I have them.

Canon Powershot S80 with Canon WP-DC1 or Ikelite #6140.08 Underwater Housing.

Buy the Canon Powershot S80 8MP Digital Camera Buy the Canon WP-DC1 Waterproof Case

The Canon Powershot S80 came out just over a year after the Canon Powershot S70. The S80 has an extra million pixels and a few new features including the latest DIGIC II processor. It is smaller and lighter than the S70, although it has much larger (2..5″) wide viewing angle LCD monitor, a control wheel/4-way controller, XGA video capture (15 fps), USB 2.0 High-speed and SD/MMC storage. The RAW capture has been dropped in the S80. There is an Underwater Housing for up to 40 metres (132 feet) – the WP-DC1 or the Ikelite #6140.08.

Read more about the Canon Powershot S80

William Heaton, the Wetpixel.com moderator has posted a comprehensive review of the Ikelite eTTL 2 housing with Canon EOS-5D digital SLR William says that the Canon EOS 5D truly is a revolutionary camera. The EOS 5D cuts the price of full frame digital SLR camera by more than half. This will enable many more people to use it, whereas this kind of camera was previously limited to working pros and extremely wealthy hobbyists. The only other full frame digital camera is the Canon 1DS Mark II which sells for $8000.

Heaton has thoroughly reviewed the Ikelite eTTL 2 Housing for use of the Canon EOS-5D as a Scuba Diving Camera. Ikelite is already addressing the negative points Heaton brought up in his review. Here’s an excerpt of what William Heaton says about the Ikelite eTTL 2 housing with Canon EOS-5D digital SLR:

After diving with the camera/housing I can say with confidence that I am going to love this camera and housing. Although I could not use my fisheye, I was able to use my 28mm f/2.8.  While this lens would not be very wide on a crop factor camera.  On the 5D it was sufficiently wide to have some fun.

I have never taken any "great" shots on the first day with a new piece of equipment.  Well today everything – the camera, housing, lens, strobes, and strobe arms was new.  Diving with a new kit is just too much fun to take good res.  That said, I am happy with what I got.  I can see the potential. 

Read more about the Canon EOS-5D and Ikelite Housing