Digital cameras 101

[fbarajas]

Hi!  Has anybody here tried the "Pixtreme" underwater/sports camera?  Any reviews?

Searching in google I got the following link:

http://www.underseas.com/news/pixtreme.htm

But I can't find any costumer review.

What do you think about this digicam?

Thanks!

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi fbarajas,

Welcome to the Q&A Board!

No, I've never heard of the Pixtreme underwater/sports camera and, as you said, there seems to be no review about it online.

What you should do is determine how often you will use the camera and how serious you are about underwater photography. Besides there not being much information about it, I'd be concerned that the camera only has a digital zoom, not an optical one. Digital zooms do not produce good quality images so you may be unhappy with the results if you expect to use the zoom a lot.

If your budget allows, consider spending more money and get a camera with an optical zoom and a bigger LCD from a reputable company. Some manufacturers make underwater housing such as Canon.

For example (and I mention this one only because I own it and am familar with the camera), the Canon A510 is an exellent little camera with a 4X OPTICAL zoom and a 1.8 inch LCD. It's small, compact and uses only 2 AA batteries. You can buy an underwater housing for it and the camera has an underwater mode. There is a picture of the camera and the housing at my blog:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/canon-a-510/index.htm

I know the combined price of the camera and separate housing is almost double what you'd be paying for Pixtreme, but my guess is that you'll get much better photos from this type of set up. I haven't checked but I'm pretty sure there are other brands available where you can buy separate underwater housing.

Hope this helps.


Related reading:
Optical and Digital zoom lenses

http://www.digicamhelp.com/digital-camera-features/digital-camera-lenses.htm

[ShutterbugGail]

I did find out that the camera is made by snapsights, a company which makes inexpensive cameras:

http://www.snapsights.com/index.html

There is some more information about the camera here:

http://digideep.com/english/digital/photo/camera/Pixtreme/Px-01/197/2065

They have a more detailed listing of the camera specifications. It has no manual controls, not even white balance. It says that it has no underwater white balance.

They have a forum so you may wish to inquire about the camera there.

[fbarajas]

Hi fbarajas,
[...]
What you should do is determine how often you will use the camera and how serious you are about underwater photography.

I'm not interested THAT much on underwater photography (although I was certified long ago as a SCUBA diver).  My main interest is watersports and mountain-sports.  My main concern is finding a rugged (almost unbreakable) weather-proof and splash-proof camera that sometimes I can take underwater to take pics of my kid swimming on the pool, use it while water-skiing, and take it on the road when mountain-biking under the rain.

I want it to replace my Canon Sureshot A1 (later named Prima AS-1) that was NOT as rugged as I would like, hehehe.

Besides there not being much information about it, I'd be concerned that the camera only has a digital zoom, not an optical one. Digital zooms do not produce good quality images so you may be unhappy with the results if you expect to use the zoom a lot.

Yes, I clearly know the difference between a digital and an optical zoom.  I'm not that interested in a powerful zoom.  Personally, I prefer wide-angle shots.  When I'm shopping for a camera, I'm not interested in how much power the zoom has, but how much the zoom "opens" in wide-angle position.

[...]
photos from this type of set up. I haven't checked but I'm pretty sure there are other brands available where you can buy separate underwater housing.

Here in Mexico I haven't find housings nor underwater cameras except the Pixtreme.  I'll ask the salesman to show it and let me read the manual so I can really know what this camera can and can't do.

[fbarajas]

[...]
They have a more detailed listing of the camera specifications. It has no manual controls, not even white balance. It says that it has no underwater white balance.
[...]
 

I'll check with the salesman here in Mexico.  It seems that in that webpage they use n/a as a way of saying "I don't know", hehe.

Thanks again!

[ShutterbugGail]

The camera may be perfect for your needs, particularly if you don't intend to use the telephoto lens a lot. And you can always adjust color in photo editing software.

Whatever camera you decide to buy, enjoy!

[Gary Ramey]

If you're not stuck on digital you might look into a used sea life camera with housing. I've never seen a more durable housing. I own 2. They're waterproof up too 200ft and the housing is almost bulletproof.

[cowboy]

WARNING!  I recommend you DO NOT purchase any Pixtreme products or products sold by Snapsights.  My daughter was given a defective Pixtreme camera for her birthday.  Because we can’t prove the camera was sold by an “authorized” dealer snapsights will not honor the warranty or even provide an address to send in the camera for inspection and repair, claiming a shipment of unauthorized gray ware cameras exists.  Nor do they publish or provide a list of “authorized” dealers.  WARNING!

Lynn Helms

^{Moderator note: Name, address and phone # deleted. If you wish to contact Ms. Helms, please do so by the Q&A Board Instant Message system.}

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi cowboy and welcome to the Q&A Board.

Thank you for your input and I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately, you're not the first one to have it. The best best is to always buy from autorized dealers.

Here is related information on Gray Market Warranties.

http://www.digicamhelp.com/gray-market-digital-cameras/index.htm

[gpguy]

I realize this is an old thread but i just bought the 3.1 M  pixtreme underwater sports camera.   Ive only had it for a day and only taken a few pictures and still have yet to take it on a kayak trip.   Inside the casing the camera look quite neat.  The casing itself looks sturdy I think it will work well.   When I took the camera out if the casing, the camer doesn't look like much.

    The site where I bought it from said it took AA bateries, it doesn't, it  takes AAA bateries only.   The two batteries that it came with were dead.     Ive read reviews where ppl said that the lid that held the batteries kept popping off, there is a little bit of a trick to opening it and I think they actually broke the lid.   The pictures that it takes are going to be fine for my needs, the colours don't seem to be as vibrant as you would see on more expensive camera's.     I took a picture of a moving target, a car,  and it wasn't blurry, but there is a noticable delay that the camera needs to process the picture.     Initially I would say I'm happy with what I bought.

Hope this helps.    I will post another threat a few weeks from now to let you knw how I made out with the camera.  

P.S.  I got the camera from computergeeks, all total including shipping and handling was $120 Canadian ($89 + $14 US S&H)  it took less than two weeks to get to northern Alberta.

[Deb]

Hi there gpguy! Thank you for sharing your experience so far with the Pixtreme camera. We'll look forward to hearing more from you.  

[gpguy]

      I took the pixtreme on a kayak trip and I love it.   Pictures turned out great, some were a little over exposed but photoshop took care of that.     I do think that the flash is useless on the cam, and with no zoom battery life is extended considerably.   The led was extemely difficult to see in the sunlight, but I did have the view finder.    Water got splashed on the cam I even dropped it in the water once.......... no worries.

In conclusion, if your looking to do underwater photography, or take pics in bad light, need the flash, I think you're going to be dissapointed.

If you're looking to take an inexpensive waterproof camera on your holidays where it could get splashed etc...   take decent pics during the day I think you're going to be very happy with the pixtreme.

[Deb]

Hi gpguy, thanks for the great summary!

I'm curious, did you take any shot underwater by any chance? If so, how did those turn out?

[josejgh]

Barajas buenas noches, compre una pixtreme px 01 y perdi el disco con los drivers, me podrías ayudar por favor, puedes compartir estos drivers

saludos

[ShutterbugGail]

Welcome,

Sorry, but unfortunately none of us understand Spanish. Is it possible to ask your question in English? thank you.

Update:

I was able to get in touch my neice, who moved to Mexico recently, and she translated your post. Why I don't know where to get the driver, you may want to ask at this diving forum:

http://www.digideep.com/go/forums/