Underwater Camera

[fatbobsufc]

Was thinking how cool it would be to be able to take photographs (or even better video) of my fishies from inside the tank ie. underwater.

Has anyone had any experience of any such equipment? It must be expensive!

 

[Tropjunky]

nope but i thin all u need is a normal vidio camera with a remote contol function and some glass of perspects. just make a glass box with ur camera inside and then put some really heavy stuff in it so i sinks and there u go. Thats all underwater cameras are but the case is moldedd to fith the camera so u don't get ghat much air in it.

 

[Opcn]

They make water proof disposable cameras for like 12 USD and I have a camcorder that is water proof to -50 feet but its a bit old. a water resistant camera should work thought if you just pop it in and pull it out. mabey silicone some of the seals first.

 

[Acrus]

As said above, you can buy some Underwater Disposables, pretty affordable for a fun little project.

If you don't want to submerge the entire camera, you can always Cover the front of it with Cellophane (seranwarp?) or some clear bag, then dunk the lense in the water. I had to do this once for my Flim final project. Worked quite nice!

 

[ChriX]

Try this wireless camera, you'd need a video capture card for your PC to make it into an internet camera, but just for the TV it should work, not sure that the signal will work underwater though. IIRC it doesn't, but i've ordered one and will try it.

 

[fatbobsufc]

That wireless camera looks pretty cool!! You'll have to let me know what the picture quality is like. Other thank that, I think the idea of just dipping the camera lense in sounds pretty good.

The disposable waterproof camera sounds good too but I wonder what the picture quality is like?

 

[Aquascaper]

Wrap a standard web cam in a polyethene bag making sure that the polyethene is as tight as possible over the lens area to avoid distortion. Seal where the cable comes out of the bag with heavy duty tape (mastic, duct) and as long as you don't submerge the camera too far it will stay sealed. hey presto.......underwater camera

I have done this before for a similar project and it works fine.........one thing to bear in mind though......be prepared to trash your camera, that way if everything goes belly-up you haven't trashed your expensive equipment.

 

[rvm]

Actual underwater cameras are very expensive. I've used them when I scuba dived in the Maldives (thats a whole different fish story!!!!! OMG!!!) and the disposables are a bit rubbish to be honest, although I did get a few pics of some sharks with them.
Underwater video is even more expensive, but if you are in the uk, (or even us as they may ship) there is a site called www.camerasunderwater.co.uk that sells custom made underwater housings for all types of cameras. they're not that cheap, but will work for up to about 30m and you're using a good camera instead of a disposable.

 

[diVer]

I have some underwater camera housing that I use while snorkeling and scuba diving. I've some film I took of some small mouth bass I was swimming with last week, I'll post the pics once they get developed.

 

[Nidge]

I install cctv for a living and i use very small camera's called bullet camera's which are water proof and small and there is a great picture off them. I might try rig one up and do some recording, Where would i post the video?

 

[Opcn]

You may be able to send it to william and get him to post it if its good.

 

[fatbobsufc]

Onto ebay to buy a cheap webcam then

 

[Angry_Platy]

Interesting Idea....BUT.....how would you actually get underwtaer in the first place to take photos of your fish??? I now have visions of people with long arms, camera in water, hands outside tank....but then how would you know what you are focussing on???

 

[juliethegr8t]

I have some underwater camera housing that I use while snorkeling and scuba diving.

My cousin recently got back from Hawaii, where he took some AMAZING fish photos. I asked him how he did it, and he said you can buy waterproof housing specifically for these purposes. Definitely worked well for him, I'd say look into that.

 

[SirMinion]

Nip down to your local Asda or Tesco's, they do a disposable waterproof for around a fiver including processing.

I used one to take some rather spiffing underwater shots of rays in the touch pool at Yarmouth's Sealife centre once.