Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The forum is moving slow, so I was hoping you all could provide me with your opinions.

Last year I bought a Sony F828 and I do almost exclusively herp photography. Resultantly, I am almost always around water. An obvious concern of mine is dunking an $800 camera in the water and it becoming useless! Despite not having a lot of money, I consider it a worthwhile investment to look into protective casings. I currently cannot decide between getting a "rain cape" or going with underwater housing.

First of all, if any of you have any experiences with these products, let me know what you think.

The underwater housing positively has its advantages. Total peace of mind if you drop your camera in the water, with the added bonus of being able to actually go underwater with your camera (30 m). I don't particularly have a need to go underwater, but I could see the advantages of being able to catch some salamanders breeding underwater, or even snagging a few turtles swimming by. The only problem is that the product made for my camera would cost $240 (does not have space for a hot shoe flash).

On the other hand, rain capes provide the basic function I would require, protection from the rain and from a quick dunking. The rain cape only comes with a zipper to seal it up and is certainly not waterproof, but I would fully expect to be able to drop my camera in the water and get it out within five seconds and not have enough water in the bag to ruin the camera. The big advantage is that this would cost only $150 (does have space for a hot shoe flash).

So the question is, should I go with the product that serves my basic functions, or spend another hundred dollars and get one did I know will positively protect my camera? The positive thing about to getting the rain cape, is that I would apply the money I would be saving towards an external flash that I desperately need!

Underwater housing
http://www.ewa-marine.com/english/cameras/e-da.htm

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=271443&is=REG&addedTroughType

Rain cape
http://www.ewa-marine.com/english/raincapes/e-cafx.htm

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=186339&is=REG&addedTroughType

Sony F828
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscf828/
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Virginia Herping
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VaHS
Virginia Herpetological Society
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS

If there is a just God, how humanity would writhe in its attempt to justify its treatment of animals. - Isaac Asimov

Is peace of mind worth $100?

For that extra $100 you can completely protect an $800 investment AND increase your photographic possibilities.

Save $100 and run the possiblity of taking more than 5 seconds to fish your camera out and ruining it. And never having the option of going underwater for the cool salamander shots.

You've already laid out some serious cash. What's a little more bonecrushing debt :->

That was an excellent reply! Thanks for spelling it out to me, the extra $100 will be worth it. The only problem with your advice is that I already use the line of reasoning, that I am already in debt, way too often when it comes to herping supplies!
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Virginia Herping
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VaHS
Virginia Herpetological Society
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS

... nature has ceased to be what it always had been - what people needed protection from. Now nature - tamed, endangered, mortal - needs to be protected from people. When we are afraid, we shoot. But when we are nostalgic, we take pictures.
Susan Sontag