Aquapac SLR Camera Case - anybody tried it?

[jwurst]

I'm looking for a reasonably priced method of carrying a SLR camera into wet canyons such that the camera can easily be accessed during swims. I have a waterproof hard case that keeps the camera safe but it also keeps the camera from taking pictures unless I can find a safe place to open it, dry my hands, etc.

Reviews on this Aquapac case are not very favorable on Amazon.com, but then these people were taking them into the ocean surf. Floating them in still potholes seems like it would be a bit gentler.

Does anyone have experience with this case or have any other suggestions for waterproofing a big camera?

Thanks,
Jeff

[rockgremlin]

Our resident canyoneering photgrapher just barely took off to Alaska...I hope he chimes in on this. I know he used a device VERY similar to the Aquapac, and he hardly ever had a problem with it. He shoots (or at least used to shoot with) a Canon 5D I believe.

[accadacca]

N00000000b. Introduce yourself: http://www.bogley.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2

[Alex]

I've used P&S Aquapac, it was ok, it was tough to hold the camera in place to make sure the lens "saw" through the clear plastic area. The seal on it was good, I dunked the camera a couple of times and it was very dry.

Here are some images from the camera with the Aquapac on it. In one of them the flash went off accidentally:





As you can see it's not very clear picture. I managed to put a couple of minor scratches on the clear plastic, which made the focusing a lot harder for the camera.

I never had an SLR aquapac, I assume it would yield the same results though. I know Dan (bogley photo pro) didn't like Aquapac and he got some other much more expensive case. Do a search on the forums, I think he did a write up on it.

[Sombeech]

Yeah, the case is good, but you'll soon be asking yourself "Is this shot worth it to take the camera out of the case?" And you'll find yourself taking fewer pictures. You'll still shoot a lot, but fewer. Then you'll see your partners rolling their eyes as you have to hold up and take shots.

but then once you get to the car, you're the hero for having all of the pictures.

But anyways, I'm a huge fan of waterproof cameras. I got the Pentax W30 - just for the movie mode, but if I were you I'd look at the Olympus Stylus if you're just looking at still shots. It's quite rugged too, and can take a beating.

[jwurst]

N00000000b. Introduce yourself: http://www.bogley.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2

Oops! Here, how is this: http://www.bogley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11685

[jwurst]

Yeah, the case is good, but you'll soon be asking yourself "Is this shot worth it to take the camera out of the case?"...

..I got the Pentax W30...

That's what I find with the hard case that I have. It works okay in wet canyons where there are rappels or tough climbs because then I have plenty of time to dry my hands and get the camera out. I'm kinda hoping that I could use the Aquapac case and actually be able to keep the camera out while swimming.

I also have a W30 also. I can use that when the SLR is tucked safely away in its case. It could be that the SLR wouldn't have much of a quality advantage if it was inside a case shooting through a window. I bought the W30 for canyoneering and for wet caving, thinking it would be the end-all solution. But then there is this long period between scheduling a canyoneering trip and actually taking it where I can't think about anything else so I start thinking about more and more gear that I want...

[Alex]

We all suffer the same problem... the wait for the next weekend hehe

[tanya]

I used them once ... well not even through the whole canyon. The shots are hard to take in there anyway and it makes them darker and blurry. I have an underwater hard case for my camera too and the couple of canyons I used it for the shots where horrible. I gave them away on a river trip but before that I just used them to keep stuff in like bandages ... so they were good for something.

What I do that works well is to just use 2 dry bags.. one instead the other.. keep a towel in there too for when things get wet.. hands etc... and I clip them on the front of my backpack. That has worked great for me in Zion and doing some wet stuff like in Kolob when the water was high.

[paul4886]

I carry in a Nikon D50 DSLR with a 18-70mm lens and a extra 70-300mm zoom lens plus a SB600 Flash for those moments to balance the light and flesh out dark areas in my shots. After trying several methods to keep gear dry I have settled for the Aquapac. I can trust the top seal, visualy see my equipment inside, have easy access to my camera and gear, use the strap to dangle off my neck when swimming which gives a better trust in knowing it is not down in my pack begin squeeze while underwater. I have tried taking a pelican case, sized to hold the mininmal amount of equipment but it is just too bulky and a pain to open and close with cold fingers. Shooting through clear plastic never produces a good shot sicne it interferes with the camera's brain for making the right white balance and auto foucsing calculations. So far the Aquapac has done well for me. Here is a link but fuinny they don't show the larger size I use that I bought at RIE.
http://www.aquapac.net/usstore/erol.html#588X1098

[Scott Card]

Where's Mr. Ransom? He has a great dry bag that he wears across his chest. Kinda like putting on a backpack backwards. The camera was easily accessed even when he was swimming on his back. I know I watched him as he was floating and taking pictures and putting away the camera in a little narrow slot in Zion. That looked like the ticket.

[jwurst]

Thanks Paul, that is very helpful information--a little first hand knowledge of these cases.

Thanks Scott. I don't know Dan Ransom but I've gathered that I can be pretty darn sure that he's done this enough to have really figured out the best way. I only know of two soft waterproof cases, the Aquapac, and the Ewa-marine cases. I guess I'll have to wait until he returns from AK to find out what he is using.