cheap waterproof full HD 24+ fps point and shoot camera?

Randall_Oelerich

Randall_Oelerich

Veteran
Anybody know of a waterproof point and shoot consumer camera that records full HD at least 24fps? Yes I know the footage will be nowhere near that of prosumer cameras (I already have a T2i), I am just looking for something on the cheap to capture some footage for a short film (8 page script) from in the middle of a stream (1-2 feet deep, fly fishing stream); no way am I getting my T2i system near the water. I just want to bring a waterproof point-and-shoot out in the stream on a cheap tripod and get some footage of the actors, probably combined with ADR. Most of my shots will be with my T2i kept on dry land.
 
Randall_Oelerich said:
Anybody know of a waterproof point and shoot consumer camera that records full HD at least 24fps? Yes I know the footage will be nowhere near that of prosumer cameras (I already have a T2i), I am just looking for something on the cheap to capture some footage for a short film (8 page script) from in the middle of a stream (1-2 feet deep, fly fishing stream); no way am I getting my T2i system near the water. I just want to bring a waterproof point-and-shoot out in the stream on a cheap tripod and get some footage of the actors, probably combined with ADR. Most of my shots will be with my T2i kept on dry land.
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Weennie... go for it...

But there are bags that can work up to 10 feet or so underwater, and may be 'cheaper' than a useful 'point and shoot'.

There was a housing for the Fuji Fine Pix F series that I bought a few years ago. But I don't know about HD and 24 fps. A quick check suggest that things are going HD, but 30 fps....
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
Weennie... go for it...

But there are bags that can work up to 10 feet or so underwater, and may be 'cheaper' than a useful 'point and shoot'.

There was a housing for the Fuji Fine Pix F series that I bought a few years ago. But I don't know about HD and 24 fps. A quick check suggest that things are going HD, but 30 fps....
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I guess I would consider a bag, since I do not plan on going underwater. But I also do not want to risk my T2i striking a rock and shattering. Lots of rocks in the stream and along the bank, dangerous footing and lots of hard rock that can kill a camera.

Just overwhelming looking at a list of 1000 point and shoot cameras on Amazon, then all HD is not created equal-- I want 1080 no 720 so i do not have to mix resolutions (T2i will be recording 1080p 24fps).

I do have a Canon VIXIA HF100 so a bag for that is an option, but I wonder if that is better or worse (optically) than shooing with a point-and-shoot? The bag method introduces another optical element.
 
Fahad said:
yeah i couldn't really find: cheap + HD + waterproof + 24p but i found this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/547694-REG/DiCAPac_WPS10.html
$120 for an underwater bag that you could stick your t2i into. read the reviews and make an informed decision. i'd get it, personally.
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Nice! Me like! Thank you Fahad! Looks like it could be the solution for using my T2i standing out in the middle of the stream. I can have the settings for the camera good to go before putting it in the bag, then just press the movie record button on the back once I wade my sorry arse out into the water (hopefully without falling into the water).
:) randall
 
24p will be your hangup.

I purchased a Panna TS-2 for my wife to have a point and shoot. It is a "rugged" point and shoot with waterproofishness features. It shoots 720p30 in AVCHD Lite which is the same as the HA 17Mbps mode on a HMC150.

You do have to give up most manual control, so sometimes the results are a crap shoot if the cam gets confused. Don't kid yourself, you wouldn't shoot a movie with this, but for short clips, it can be surprisingly good.

Grant
 
Randall_Oelerich said:
Nice! Me like! Thank you Fahad! Looks like it could be the solution for using my T2i standing out in the middle of the stream. I can have the settings for the camera good to go before putting it in the bag, then just press the movie record button on the back once I wade my sorry arse out into the water (hopefully without falling into the water).
:) randall
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just make sure you're very very careful before you do it.

i think canon makes (or will make) a proper underwater casing for the t2i (which will be around $1000). but, i heard of a guy who had a t1i, and put it in the case... and i'm not sure if it was user error, but it leaked.

also... make sure to read the instructions that come with very very carefully. i think there's something about soaking it in non-salt water for an hour or so to make sure the seals are sealed or something like that.
 
Fahad said:
just make sure you're very very careful before you do it.

i think canon makes (or will make) a proper underwater casing for the t2i (which will be around $1000). but, i heard of a guy who had a t1i, and put it in the case... and i'm not sure if it was user error, but it leaked.

also... make sure to read the instructions that come with very very carefully. i think there's something about soaking it in non-salt water for an hour or so to make sure the seals are sealed or something like that.
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Yes. As I read the one star reviews (the worst of the worst) on Amazon for this bag case, it makes me nervous. That said the bag is cheap, and I do not plan to use it underwater, it more of an emergency insurance type of waterproof housing; worst cast I trip in the stream and the bag with camera is in the water for 2 seconds-- and for that short of a time I think the camera would be safe. But wow, if the camera got ruined that would not be good.
 
ggrantly said:
24p will be your hangup.

I purchased a Panna TS-2 for my wife to have a point and shoot. It is a "rugged" point and shoot with waterproofishness features. It shoots 720p30 in AVCHD Lite which is the same as the HA 17Mbps mode on a HMC150.

You do have to give up most manual control, so sometimes the results are a crap shoot if the cam gets confused. Don't kid yourself, you wouldn't shoot a movie with this, but for short clips, it can be surprisingly good.

Grant
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I wonder how shooting 720p would go with mixing that footage in with 1080p from my T2i?
 
Because the danger, albeit small, of ruining my T2i if it goes into the water even inside the bag housing, I am also considering buying a point-and-shoot for 1280x720p footage and then buy Magic Bullet's software for converting 1280x720 to 1920x1080p to match most of my footage I would shoot on the T2i at full HD. Difficult decision. I know I would be a lot less nervous with a waterproof $200 point and shoot (PAS) in the middle of the stream rather than my T2i. Plus I imagine I could put the waterproof PAS on a tripod. I just checked, I can get the Magic Bullet Instant HD software for $49 academic price (normally $99).
 
Well I made a decision, made the leap. Just ordered the bag (thank you Fahad for pointing me to the bag!), $110 on Amazon. Plus a floating strap, and some desiccant capsules. I just think it best I be able to use the same camera, same batteries and lenses and accessories I have for my T2i (if I buy a point and shoot I end up buying all new batteries and memory cards perhaps, would have 720p not 1080p footage, etc).

I don't plan to use the waterproof bag underwater, should only hit the water a second or two if I lose my balance so I feel it is worth the risk of going this method and being to use my T2i.
 
If you want to make sure you can't possibly wreck your camera, put it carefully in the styrofoam packing and slide that into the original box. Wrap the box in black gaffers tape and place it in your closet and then nail the closet door shut with spiral nails. There's absolutely no risk now that your good camera could be used to get the best possible shot now!

Why do you think even rental companies want you to have proper insurance?

We live in a world where life happens. There's a difference between practicing safety on set and being paranoid with fear.
 
Could you possibly buy a 30p camera and just slow the resulting footage down to 24p so it conforms? It'll look a little slow-motion-esque... but then you could get a super cheap camera to do it.

Or maybe this wouldn't work? I guess I'm not sure.
 
Can't say how the 720 - 1080 upconvert would go, but "for short clips", the TS-2 output has mixed with my other 720 footage from HPX and HMC40 sources. It is pretty nice to just dip it and not worry about it. I would say it is pretty hard to get steady footage hand holding it in knee deep water. It would probably work a lot better if you were holding the cam at eye level or swimming.

Grant
 
Have you considered the GoPro? It's a great camera and the footage is quite good. It doesn't shoot 24p but does 1080/30p and 720/60p. You could conform the 30p footage to 24 fairly easily. Here's a little video I shot with it:

 
I bought a Kodak Playsport not too long ago for a short film which had a single, yet awesome underwater shot. But alas, it fell apart. (The short, not the camera :grin: )

I haven't taken it underwater yet. But, I did use it as a part of a jerryrigged snorricam and it worked out pretty well.

30fps 1080p / 60fps 720p And only $125 on amazon
 
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