Question about Taking Pictures at Waterparks

[MomToPirate&Princess]

We are leaving in a couple weeks and are planning on hitting the water parks for the 1st time. Just wondering what yall use for taking pictures at the water parks. Here are 3 options I have seen in the last couple days that I am considering.

- Disposable waterproof cameras ($8-$10), but they only take 27 shots each. This seems the most convenient option, but I take a LOT of pictures and would have to buy several and then keep up with them.

- Waterproof bag ($12-$15) that you can keep stuff in and supposedly take pictures through. This is the cheapest route, but I'm afraid I would not be able trust the bag not to leak and ruin my regular camera.

- Inexpensive waterproof camera - I saw a Kodak Easyshare c123 at Walmart for $69. More costly, but maybe worth it over time for pool/beach pictures. Not sure what the quality might be though for such a low price.

What do you think about either of these options or add on your better solution?

Thanks so much.

 

[wolf29]

I purchased a waterproof case for my digital camera on eBay. It was less than $20 and worked great. Seals with a velcro, ziptop combination. I used it when we went swimming with the manatees and wound up getting some decent underwater shots. I never remembered to bring it with us to the water Parks, but I'm sure it would be great there.

 

[PrincessKate's Mom]

I got a waterproof disposable for the underwater shots and brought my old point and shoot digital for everything on land. I didn't rent a locker, and wouldn't have wanted to run to it anyway every time I wanted to take a picture, so I also brought a ziploc baggie to put my memory card in when we were all away from the chairs. I left the camera in a bag at the chairs, but kept the card with me. Noone bothered any of our stuff, but I felt better keeping the memory card with me.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

i got the kodak playsport which takes video and still shots.

i think the price has come down on it.... but it is so worth it in the long run! especially when you can video them down the water slides, or getting tackled by the waves at typhoon lagoon!

i also like to take it to the parks if it rains, or if we ride kali/splash, etc.

 

[chartle]

1. - Disposable waterproof cameras ($8-$10), but they only take 27 shots each. This seems the most convenient option, but I take a LOT of pictures and would have to buy several and then keep up with them.

2. - Waterproof bag ($12-$15) that you can keep stuff in and supposedly take pictures through. This is the cheapest route, but I'm afraid I would not be able trust the bag not to leak and ruin my regular camera.

3. - Inexpensive waterproof camera - I saw a Kodak Easyshare c123 at Walmart for $69. More costly, but maybe worth it over time for pool/beach pictures. Not sure what the quality might be though for such a low price.

What do you think about either of these options or add on your better solution?

Thanks so much.

1. I would call this the most inconvenient option because you still have to develop the pictures. Do they still develop? film

2. How good is your regular camera, could you maybe get a cheaper better camera ($80) that you could put in the water proof bag.

3. I checked and there is no optical zoom and I think its fixed focus.

 

[thomas998]

We have an underwater case for one of our older digital cameras... it doesn't have the same quality as the newer ones but we use it because water and digital don't mix.

You might check and see if they make an underwater case for the camera you already own... if you are lucky you might find a case used on ebay for a 100-150.... might sound high but the cases also work when you want to protect your camera from dirt and dust.

 

[bopper]

If you want to take pictures of the rides and attractions, you could go around and do that with your normal camera. To take pictures actually on the rides I would go with the disposable waterproof camera. Our local Costco still develops film and also gives you a CD with the photos on it.

 

[Mrs K]

We always buy a couple of waterproof disposables. I just put the elastic around my wrist and go down the slides with it. They are pretty fool/break proof.

 

[mareed]

We used to get the waterproof disposable cameras, but the photo quality is really poor. And there's no flash, so they really only work in full sun which isn't always the case even at the waterpark. We bought the Kodak EasyShare Sport earlier this year for about $70, and I assume that's what you saw at Wal-Mart. We took it to both Disney water parks this summer and also to Schlitterbahn and it was great! The picture quality is surprising good, I thought. There's no optical zoom, but with 12mp photo size I had no problem zooming in to what I wanted to capture in the picture (i.e. digital zoom or just zooming in on photo with software later).

I also recommend getting a Chums camera float strap like this: http://www.amazon.com/Chums-30046-W...10DG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315949765&sr=8-1. It works great!

 

[kldmom2000]

I bought the Kodak C123 Waterproof digital camera specifically for our Typhoon Lagoon/pool days and the pics came out great! Of course, the quality is not that of a DSLR camera, but to get pics in shark reef and the different waterslides, it was great! Definitely worth the $69!

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

A little pricier at $290, a Canon Powershot D10, is a pretty decent non DSLR camera that does real well underwater. Has a 3x optical image stabilized zoom and a 2.5 inch LCD.

 

[TriMom]

How about a "disposable" digital camera. You won't get amazing pictures, but in the end it will cost less than the disposable film cameras, and will probably get better pictures

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/626487-REG/Intova_SS1000_SS1000_Snap_Sights_Sport.html

 

[mjp12831]

I don't like the photo quality of disposables

We have a low end compact digital camera that's pretty small and isn't our main camera. We bring that so that we can take some pics in the wave pool and around the park of the kids coming down the slides and stuff, but just leave it with our towels and stuff by a chair - if someone swipes it then it wouldn't be awful, but we've been lucky and the pic quality is good.

 

[innoculation]

In the past, we have taken a disposable. However, this year, I bought a Canon D10 rugged waterproof digital camera.

We leave in less than a week. I can't wait to use it!!

 

[trekker93]

It's my wife's camera and it took great pictures at TL last year - I think it is an Olympus. It was funny because she had it when we were in the wave pool and the wave hit us and when we looked at the picture later, all she got was her feet going up!!!!

 

[lookame]

I have a sony camera which was made for underwater. I love it though if the water isn;t very clear you'll get some merky shots (which is likewise with any underwater type cameras. It also takes awesome out of water pictures. I got it for 75% off since the sony store near me was going out of buisness so I paid roughly 100 bucks. IMO I would splurge a little for a good camera which you can use in and out of the water affectively

 

[Chim Chiminy]

I bought the kodak playsport before our trip, you can find them pretty cheap on ebay or they are reasonable on amazon if you don't want to mess with auctions.

I love it, used it for videos and pics at the waterparks and on kali and splash mountain.

I have a couple youtube videos up that were made using the playsport. Not sure if I can link to them though.

 

[northeast_minnie]

last time we visited the water parks we put our cameras in the lockers - then after lunchtime one of us got the camera out and started taking pictures. This year we plan on doing the same but this time we have also bought two disposable waterproof cameras to take with us - for when we are swimming in shark lagoon.

 

[wookiebeck]

last time we visited the water parks we put our cameras in the lockers - then after lunchtime one of us got the camera out and started taking pictures.

Same here. After riding everything, I dry off, go get the cam from the locker and walk around for an hour. Got a few hundred pics of the scenery and the kids playing without getting me or the camera wet.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

We have always bought the disposable waterproof cameras, but recently realized that with what we've spent on them (plus "developing" to CD) over the past few years, we could have easily bought an inexpensive waterproof digital. My friend has one that also shoots video, and is decent quality (much better than the disposables) that she paid $100 for. I have to ask her what brand/model it is again, but I think that's the better option.