Anyone who takes underwater photos knows how challenging it is to navigate in the water while holding a camera. Another obstacle can be trying to see through the camera’s viewfinder or LCD screen while wearing an underwater mask.
A company called Liquid Image has eliminated this problem with its Digital Underwater Camera Mask. The mask looks like any other except it has a built-in waterproof digital camera embedded to capture both still images and video, thus eliminating the headache of holding a camera.
I’ve tested many underwater digital cameras and I’ll be honest, I was kind of skeptical about how this would perform. The company always displayed really nice underwater photos on both its Web site and booths at recent trade shows, showing images taken in swimming pools as well as the ocean.
I took the 5-megapixel-cameramask (Model 302 – Explorer Series Camera Mask- $99) out on a recent snorkeling trip in Mexico. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the mask worked in a very simple manner.
Like any other digital camera, you must make sure the battery is charged, the lens is clean and you have a decent size memory card with free space. This camera takes 2 AAA alkaline batteries, uses Micro SD cards (up to 2 GB) and the front of the mask acts as the lens.
Although there is 16 MB of internal memory, this will only give you a handful of photos so I wouldn’t adventure into the ocean without a memory card.
The camera will work in depths up to 15 feet and has a 120-second auto off system to preserve battery power.
Once you are in the environment where you want to take photos, line the photo up with crosshair marks on the mask and press the capture button. A small LED light indicates which mode the camera is in (red for still and blue for video).
Other digital cameras I’ve tested underwater can take better photos but none were easier to use. While snorkeling I did get a little frustrated by not having a lens, which would zoom closer to my subject, but the simplicity of the unit overshadowed that.
Earlier this year Liquid Image announced some newer high-end models, which have much improved quality. They include the following.
- Scuba Series HD320 ($250) captures HD video at a 720p (1280 by 720) resolution at a rate up to 30 frames per second (fps) along with audio and 5-megapixel still images. Users can take it down to depths of 115-feet (35 meters). Expected to be available later this summer.
- Image PRO HD350 Camera/Video Mask is for professional scuba divers who want to go to depths up to 330 feet (100 meters). The video and still resolutions are the same as the HD320. The price and release date has not been announced yet.
- VideoMask 310 ($159) takes video (720 by 480) at a rate of up to 30 frames per second along with 5-megapixel still images. It has a depth rating of 33 feet (10 meters).
With any of these cameras, the images can be downloaded by either connecting a USB cable directly to the camera or by removing the memory card for downloading with a memory card reader.miamiherald
