I have always been hesitant to bring my digital camera along on a stream trip because I seem to get wetter than I intend to and don't want to ruin an expensive camera. Thus I have missed lots of photo ops. I recently purchased a Simms Dry Creek Camera Bag from the Anil from the WFF classifieds. This is a great price on a piece of insurance IMO. Made a phone call and it was in my mailbox 2 days later. Now if I could just catch a fish to take a picture of:hmmm: Kent
My camera "dry bag" is a zip lock plastic sandwich bag. However, I find that if that camera bag is deep in my day pack, I don't take many photos. What I did was replace the short hand lanyard that came with the camera with a longer neck lanyard. So I put that around my neck and the camera in my shirt pocket and wear a rain jacket in wet weather. The camera stays dry enough. It's at risk if I fall in, but that happens so seldom it seems like a very reasonable calculated risk to me. Plus, it's not a super expensive camera - $265 at Costco in 2004.
You won't, your fishing partner will. Actually CARRYING a camera is like having a banana in you lunch.... you're toast.
Hey Fred,I like bananas. They help with the cramps in the hands. And at my age I need all the help I can get. :beathead: Jim
Have you checked out any of the waterproof digitals like the optio w20? I have no experience with this camera but have heard good things about it.
My camera is the water resistant Olympus. I keep it in a zip lock in case I get dunked. I have had it pretty wet before...no problems so far.
I combine SalmoG's and Diehard's model. A neck lanyard and a ziplock bag around the camera, which I carry in a breast pocket. The lanyard requires a small opening through the ziplock, but I'd have to be underwater a long time for enough water to seep in. Dick
I'm notorious for wading into questionable situations and staying out until near total exhaustion (= dunking). That's how I like to fish and I can't see myself stopping that style anytime soon. In response, I decided to go right to the underwater housing for my Canon digital camera. It is a little bulky, but I like the pictures that it takes and I never have to worry about it. I've even done some snorkeling in streams with it and taken some cool pics of fish and bugs underwater. Steve
I used to carry my camera in a ziplock bag till I thought about it. Protecting a multi hundred dollar camera with a multi penny plastic bag... how smart is that? Camera bags are too bulky and hard to operate a camera through. Went to a Pentax Optio waterproof. Nice for a high megapixel waterproof (to a point) point and shoot.
Obviously not a fail proof system, but it is better than nothing! Unless the bag you are using has a bunch of big holes in it, you can dunk the camera in the water for a few seconds and it will still be dry. That's all you need it for. I don't think you would let your camera hang out in the water completely submerged for much longer than that...a plastic bag definitely wouldn't be the best under water case!
So I second or third the opinion of the waterproof digital camera. It's not what I have but I will step up one day and get one. I think most digitals will soon have this feature as it's another avenue for making $$$ for the manufacturers. Wayne Jordan has a nice digital but I think it's about 500.00 bucks. I did just go to Costco yesterday and saw that hey had waterproof cameras for 379.00. It's good to 16' which means you won't be worried about the camera if your down farther than that. I carry a disposable waterproof camera that if it gets ruined, so what I'm out 11.00 bucks. The only bummer is that I have to use the who things (if I want my $$'s worth) before developing the film. When the digitals get to within 200-ish I'll step up. Till then I'm sticking it to the man! Frank.
My wife gave me the Pentax Optio W20 this past Christmas. I really like the little camera and I've even taken photos and video underwater with it. It's waterproof to 5ft and it's small enough to slip into a shirt pocket.
I've seen the Optio W20 as low as $240 lately. I would get myself one if it weren't for the fact I have been spending so much gearing up for this new fly fishing hobby.
I will say a few words about the extended warrenties on Pentex cameras. Not worth the paying the extra money for. My granddaughters Optio quit working so we sent it in to get repaired. Cost of the repair is in the $160.00 range. So what good is the extended warrenty. I ended up buying her another camera that cost less and does the same that the more costing one did. Not sold on extended Warrenties. Jim
