Shooting underwater with Dicapac

I’m taking a break from finishing the last installment of my Coron travelogue to show off my awesome underwater photos. Actually, I ran smack into a huge wall of writer’s blogger’s block. Plus, after weeks of not getting any event invites, it started coming in all at once, so I’m left with hardly any time to sleep and do personal stuff. And let’s not even get started on Plurk… evil, evil Plurk!

Coron, Palawan - Kayangan Lake Underwater
All this needs is a Java applet…

 
Gratuitous Plurk plugging aside, the one thing that I’ve been itching to blog about Coron are my experience with the Dicapac. Since I’ve been remiss at buying or borrowing ANY underwater camera for my February Butanding (Whale Shark) interaction trip, I made sure that I have at least ONE underwater camera for my Coron trip. Afterall, Coron is one of the best snorkeling and dive sites in the Philippines. I must have an underwater camera with me!

Coron, Palawan - Kayangan Lake Underwater Photos
Fish in the Kayangan Lake and their pointy things

 
The DiCaPac (Digital Camera Pack) is a great and cheaper alternative to the expensive point and shoot camera cases. I was aghast when I first learned that a Canon underwater case for the A70 (my first digital camera) cost almost as much as the camera itself. When I found out that there’s a more affordable option in the form of the Dicapac, I was elated. Underwater photography, here I come!

Like most first time Dicapac user, I was skeptical about the performance of this product. Yet, I still bought it. When I opened the Dicapac package when I got home, I quickly tested the product to see if it really worked. I submerged the pack in a basin full of water, shook it vigorously, and put it under running water. After all that, I gingerly opened the pack, pointing the opening downwards, as instructed. Surprise, surprise! The paper inside the Dicapac was still dry! I was convinced, and set off for Coron with my Dicapac and Ixus 75, certain that I will get the underwater photos I wanted.

Coron, Palawan - Siete Pecados Underwater Photos
Coral reef at Siete Pecados. Photo taken by Ferdz

 
Okay, I may not have jaw dropping photos of corals, fishes and wrecks, but I have to say I’m very happy with the underwater photos that I was able to take in Coron. Then again, I have a model who was all too happy to pose.

(I just realized that I could’ve gone out and took photos of my neighborhood as Typhoon Frank ravages Metro Manila, with my camera inside my Dicapac, but rain almost always guarantee me staying indoors. So boo.)

More underwater shots taken with the Canon Ixus 75 and Dicapac WP-410:

Coron, Palawan - Siete Pecados Underwater photos
Ferdz taking underwater photos with his Canon (gasp!) underwater camera.

 

Coron, Palawan - Kayangan lake underwater pictures
Marc diving deeper at Kayangan Lake

 

Coron, Palawan - underwater pictures
Going after the prey

 

Coron, Palawan - underwater pictures
Don’t forget to pose!

 

Coron, Palawan - underwater pictures
Wildlife photography, yes?

 

Coron, Palawan - underwater pictures
The weird thing about this picture is that the horizon is diagonal, yet Eric is shooting straight up…

 

Coron, Palawan - underwater pictures
I have no words.

 

DiCaPac is locally available through JT Photoworld. The underwater case I used with my Canon Ixus 75, the WP-410 model, costs Php 1,950.

JT Photoworld
Address: 1082 Chino Roces St. (formerly Pasong Tamo), Makati City, Philippines
Phone: 897-2561, 899-5018
Email: dp.onlineseller@gmail.com
Website: www.dponline.com.ph, digitalprinting.multiply.com

Comments

30 responses to “Shooting underwater with Dicapac”

  1. Ferdz Avatar

    It was fun using that underwater casing. A very good value na rin aside from buying an actual manufacturer UW case.

    As for the latter photos… ermm.. I have no words din πŸ˜€

  2. kaoko Avatar

    I’ve been wanting one of those and wanted to rush to the shop and get one for Natsume…til I realized…I have no plans of going swimming anytime soon πŸ˜›

  3. eric Avatar

    oi! wag okrayin photos ko! ahahaha

    tara balik tayo sa Coron!!!!

  4. eric Avatar

    oi! wag okrayin photos ko! ahahaha

    tara balik tayo sa Coron!!!!!

  5. Geoff Avatar

    I’ve never heard of the Dicapac before – I was about to bite the bullet and buy the hugely expensive proper case for my Canon camera, but if this works just as well that’s brilliant – great photos by the way.

  6. Marcvill Avatar

    Haha, these are really nice photos Nina coming from a point-and-shoot camera inside a…. what’s it called again…. DiCaPac!!! πŸ™‚

    About the last few photos, isa lang ang masasabi ko… baktong!! (Joke lang Eric, hehehe)

  7. tutubi Avatar

    heard ofthat dicapac na rin. either i buy the olympus P&S before I return to Donsol

  8. nina Avatar

    Ferdz: Pero loyal ka naman sa Olympus eh πŸ˜‰

    Kaoko: Erm, gamitin mo habang lumulusong ka sa baha? πŸ˜€

    Eric: Ha? Wala naman kaming sinabi ah.. We have no words nga eh XD

    Geoff: It’s a great and cheap alternative to the expensive Canon underwater case. It can be a bit hard to fiddle with the controls with the Dicapac on, but hey, at least the pictures still come out great and the camera stays dry!

    Marc: Thanks! Parang commercial ba? Haha, oi! Di paid endorsement to ha!

    Tutubi: Must have talaga ang underwater cam sa Donsol! I’m making sure I have my Dicapac with me when I go back.

  9. freeze Avatar

    love the last pic! kuhang2x ang water movement πŸ˜€

  10. Philippine Travel Blog Avatar

    tumodo na ang pangiinggit nyo nila eric…. dapat bumalit tayo dun … para masaya… punta kayo buyay coke … pagusapan natin

  11. erikko Avatar

    i love your shot with the corals its just so wonderful and the water is crystal clear

  12. grace Avatar
    grace

    Wonderful pictures! Where in the Philippines is Coron? Ang ganda ng tubig!

  13. nina Avatar

    Freeze: Aliw no? I think this was the first photo in the series. Happy!

    Melo: Mwahahahaahaha! Ikaw kasi eh, di ka sumasama πŸ˜‰ Sure ka na bang sisipot this time? Lagi ka naman nagsasabing pupunta ka, pero di ka namang nagpapakita!

    Erikko: Thanks! The visibility in Coron is really spectacular.

    Grace: Coron is in Northern Palawan. It’s about 8 hours away by boat, and 35 minutes to 1 hour via plane πŸ™‚

  14. dyanie Avatar

    love your pics nina! πŸ™‚ katakot ba sya gamitin? bka kasi anytime eh pumasok yung tubig bigla.. ;P

  15. […] will probably go back there to have Pork Barbeque with peanut sauce… My favorite that night, Nina Fuentesof Justwandering.org will agreeΒ on […]

  16. nina Avatar

    Thanks Dyanie! Actually, you just have to make sure na sealed talaga siya when you put your camera insde. There’s a seal, much like that of a ziplock bag (but sturdier), then you fold it twice and fasten it with velcro. πŸ™‚

  17. karla Avatar

    I wanna buy Dicapac!!!

    for my point-and-shoot!!! πŸ˜€

  18. caryn Avatar

    lovelove the photography and your having captured the loal wildlife! hilarious! great shots! they were hard to take i’m sure. i tried and failed! hahahha!

  19. The Islander Avatar

    what a nice underwater experience!!!
    how much is this dicapac po?

  20. The Islander Avatar

    oh sorry, info at the bottom pala… tsk tsk.

  21. nina Avatar

    Karla: Sulit siya, kaya buy na! πŸ˜€

    caryn: Thanks! Medyo naka ilang take nga kami dyan, except for the dugong shot XD

    The Islander: Yup, nasa last paragraph nga ang price πŸ˜‰ If you’re going to their store, it’s inside a building that looks abandoned lol. They have a tarp outside with the logos of camera and camera equipment brands πŸ™‚

  22. hiro Avatar
    hiro

    funny oics…:)

  23. Kim Avatar

    Can I join you in your next trip? πŸ™‚ That looked fun. :p

  24. Vicky Avatar
    Vicky

    Hey! I am interested in buying one of these cases! Are they watertight? Would you recommend it?

  25. Vicky Avatar
    Vicky

    Hey! I am interested in buying one of these cases! Are they watertight? Would you recommend it?

  26. Monique Avatar

    Hahahah, grabe! Ang gaganda ng mga shots ni Eric!!! ALa ako masabi!!! heheheh…

  27. chyng Avatar

    wow, thanks for sharing that DiCaPac! interesado ako!

  28. the photoblogger Avatar

    Hahahah, Nina the dicapac is awesome! thanks for sharing this, been considering a purchase for quite too long now πŸ˜€

  29. nina Avatar

    Go Vanjohnn! Just be sure to do the water test before taking your camera underwater!

  30. […] put in the Philippines this 2008, Viktor supported my decision, joining me in exploring Donsol, Coron, Cebu and Davao. He will join me again in my upcoming trips before the year ends. […]

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