Heard of DiCAPac waterproof case??

[AhXiong]

Hi all,

sorry for asking something a bit out of the blue, but I was wondering if anyone here can give a review of DiCAPac WP300 Underwater Digital Camera Waterproof Case??? I saw it being offered on Yahoo Auction...

Features of DiCAPac
*Guaranteed underwater performance for up to 16 ft (5m) depth.
*UV coated polycarbonate lens allow consumers to take clear pictures.
*Transparent and flexible case for convenient camera control.
*Reliable closing system with waterproof zipper and Roll & Velcro.
*JIS (Japan Industrial Standards) waterproof test 8 grades.
*Individual Quality check up.

although they tested it at 18m depth, but the guarantee is only for 5m... so not really meant for scuba diving, right?? also they dun allow local pick-up or meet-up... so if got problem, who can we seek for???

maybe someone with more experience buying online can help me out???

[SQ123]

If I'm not wrong, I think I saw the MS colour shop at AMK hub selling it while I was browsing 2 days ago. But not cheap leh... Think I saw the price tag $68++, although I didn't ask for the actual best price they can give.

[Wolfgang]

I bought the DicaPac WP500 for my Canon A95 when i went snorkelling.

It performed pretty alright but it will only last abt 1 hours plus before it starts to get a lil wet inside due to condensation... I think a nice big handful of silica gel in an small sachet would help.

Here is a link to some of the photos taken using the DicaPac;

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthrea...ghlight=redang

I do hope this helps.

[AhXiong]

i'm more worried about waterleaking in at 18m when i go for scuba diving...

then again... i dun wan to spend $200+ on getting a casing when i use once or twice a year....

[Wolfgang]

Originally Posted by AhXiong i'm more worried about waterleaking in at 18m when i go for scuba diving... then again... i dun wan to spend $200+ on getting a casing when i use once or twice a year....

18m is abit too deep. it's rated about 10m if i remember correctly...

[whoswho]

Originally Posted by AhXiong i'm more worried about waterleaking in at 18m when i go for scuba diving... then again... i dun wan to spend $200+ on getting a casing when i use once or twice a year....

With pouches, leaking is not the main issue. Imploding is. 18m, the camera's buttons are compressed by the pressure, so, you don't have control over it.

To avoid it, include more air into the pouch, which will definitely affect your buoyancyI' and especially your safety stop.

I've tested EWA-Marine to 22m for a couple of dives.

[AhXiong]

where did you get EWA-Marine??? how much is it??? did you have much prob with the imploding with this??

if i remember correctly, the original underwater casing do have a weight to control its bouyancy...

[cityofangels]

Originally Posted by AhXiong i'm more worried about waterleaking in at 18m when i go for scuba diving... then again... i dun wan to spend $200+ on getting a casing when i use once or twice a year....

From how I see it, you have 2 options:

Option 1
Buy the cheaper DiCAPac casing for $50 and bring the camera to 18m. Next item on your shopping list would be a brand-new camera, which will probably cost you $400-500.

Total damage: $450-550 (casing + new camera)

Option 2
Spend $200+ on a proper underwater casing, which is submersible to a depth of 30-40m. And you don't have to worry about buying a new camera (providing you actually use the housing correctly).

Total damage: $200+


Well, there is also another option.. Check with the dive centre/operator to see if they have cameras and underwater housings for rent. Since you only plan to use the underwater housing once ot twice a year, this may actually by the cheapest alternative. But the disadvantage of this is that the dive centres usually do not have a wide range of cameras or underwater housings for rental, so you might not be able to find the housing for your brand & model of camera. I don't think it would be an enjoyable dive if you are not comfortable with the functions of a rental camera.

[whoswho]

Originally Posted by AhXiong where did you get EWA-Marine??? how much is it??? did you have much prob with the imploding with this?? if i remember correctly, the original underwater casing do have a weight to control its bouyancy...

If you do a search in the forum with keyword "ewamarine", you'll see that there has been some discussions on it.

price: too expensive to rational

Imploding is the opposite of exploding. So, no, I've not encountered any imploding because by the time you are trying to operate the camera, you can feel that the pressure is already on the camera.

They don't come with weights, and yes, it's there to control the buoyancy. More air = deeper you can go = more weights.

Why are you looking at underwater pouches?

If you intend to use it for scuba diving, one piece of advise from me. I've used those before, we had good laugh abt it, and I've moved on for a hardcasing.

[whoswho]

What camera are you using by the way?

[jelimon]

if you're going to spend the money on the dive trip as well as a camera and accessories, why not fork out a bit more for the housing, as an investment, to protect the more precious camera and not ruin the even more expensive trip? If correctly maintained and taken care of, the proper housing should last you quite awhile and eliminate any fear of implosion or buoyancy issues.

[lovells19]

there's someone selling a fuji f31fd with casing $450 only.. real steal

[AhXiong]

Originally Posted by whoswho What camera are you using by the way?

Fujifilm F11.... i contacted a few camera shops and even Fujifilm Singapore, all tell me they no longer have stock of it... i may have to pay more to order it from overseas...

[lovells19]

Originally Posted by AhXiong Fujifilm F11.... i contacted a few camera shops and even Fujifilm Singapore, all tell me they no longer have stock of it... i may have to pay more to order it from overseas...

hmm try oceanicfocus

[Dylan]

Originally Posted by lovells19 hmm try oceanicfocus

The friendly neighbourhood store!