DIGITAL UNDERWATER CAMERAS

So you're thinking of renting an Underwater Digital Camera for your trip to the reef? All the information you need to make the right choice on a Cairns underwater camera hire is here on this page. Unbeatable prices and top quality digital cameras, coupled with genuine Canon underwater housings. The best way to capture your memories of the Great Barrier Reef!
Don't waste money on a disposable camera and be limited to just a few photos. Hire a Cairns underwater digital camera, and take as many photos as you want!

ALL OUR RENTAL CAMERAS COME WITH A USER'S MANUAL, AND FULLY CHARGED RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES. FOR LONGER HIRE PERIODS, WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A SECOND SET OF BATTERIES AND BATTERY CHARGER AT NO EXTRA COST.

WHICH DIGITAL UNDERWATER CAMERA FOR YOU?

Until quite recently, we at Cairns Unlimited only used the 4 Megapixel Canon Powershot A85, a model that most serious photographers would consider outdated. But even then, we didn't take our photographs on the maximum size. Since all our pics are used for the internet, we reduced the size to 1024 x 768. For viewing on an average computer screen, anything larger is pointless, and the quality of the photos taken on a four or five Megapxiel camera is more than adequate.

People commonly mistake Megapixels as a measure of photo quality, but a camera's Megapixel count simply represents the maximum size photographs that camera can take.

The reason we have recently upgraded is more to do with the various other improvements that Canon have made to their newer range, rather than in any way Megapixel related. We make great use of the increased zoom on the newer models, and the Image Stabilization helps to avoid the effects of camera shake the morning after a big night. And of course, if you're hoping to print some of your photos at high resolution, you may find a few extra Megapixels come in handy. See table at bottom of page.

8.0 MEGAPIXEL CANON POWERSHOT A720IS WITH UNDERWATER HOUSING

The Canon PowerShot A720IS is one of Canon latest releases, a popular line that matches high-end image quality with fun; easy-to-use features deliver excellent performance. Some of the specifications include 8.0 megapixel resolution and a long 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer Technology, which will be very helpful for sharp underwater images.

Like the Powershot A570 IS, the Canon A720 IS has fantastic color accuracy and excellent white balance accuracy.

A camera with all the latest technology but simple to use. Available with a top quality genuine Canon WATERPROOF HOUSING for snorkelling and scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.


Please click on one of the buttons above to place your order for a Canon Powershot A720is with underwater case. Delivery and pickup are included, as is a free CD/DVD of your photos and video. Please be sure to include your full name, and the local address where you would like the camera delivered. You may submit your credit card details by email, or provide us with your telephone number, and we will call you for payment. We accept Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

We partner with many of the hotels and backpackers hostels in Cairns. If you are staying in any of the properties featured in this list (click here), you will get a discount when you rent one of our digital underwater cameras. If your accommodation is not listed here, send us an email or give us a call. We're partnering with new properties every day.

HOW MUCH MEMORY IS ENOUGH?

All of our Cairns digital underwater rental cameras come equipped with at least a TWO GIGABYTE memory card, just to make sure you never run out of memory. This is included in the cost of the hire. A USB cable is included to give you the opportunity to load your photos onto your own computer, but if you leave the photographs on the camera, we will burn a disc for you free of charge.

How many photos can you store on a 2GB card, you ask? Well, there are a number of determining factors, and it's impossible to answer that question with any accuracy. If you take a picture composed of mostly blue sky (just for example), the memory used will be considerably lower than for a picture with huge amounts of detail. Also, you can choose what size to take your photos, and at what resolution. All of these factors affect the file size of each photograph, and therefore the number of images you can store one a card.

But to give you an idea, an image taken on the 7.1 Megapixel Canon Powershot A570, at high resolution and at the largest possible size (3,056px by 2,296px) would have a file size of just over 3 Megabytes. Therefore, you could fit between 500 and 600 such images on a 2GB card.

Reducing the size of the photos to 1,024px x 768px (the size of an average computer monitor) would allow you to store over 4,000 photos on a 2GB card. The table below is intended simply as a guideline, and there is no guarantee that it is accurate.

CAMERA MODEL	1024 x 768	1600 x 1200	2048 x 1536	2272 x 1704	2592 x 1944	3056 x 2296	3264 x 2448
CANON POWERSHOT A570 7.1 MEGAPIXEL	4400 photographs	2200 photographs	1600 photographs	960 photographs	780 photographs	520 photographs	-
CANON POWERSHOT A720 IS 8 MEGAPIXEL	4400 photographs	220 photographs	1600 photographs	960 photographs	780 photographs	520 photographs	464 photographs

As you can tell from the table above, the higher a camera's Megapixel count is directly related to the maximum size of the photos it can take. Bear in mind that a 7.0 Megapixel camera can take photos up to a maximum size that is nine times the size of an average computer monitor. Obviously, unless you are planning to print your photos at a rather large size, it is not necessary (not to mention a waste of file space) to take shots at this size. The table below gives approximate equivalents between image resolution and print size.

MEGAPIXELS	5MP	7MP	8MP
POSSIBLE PRINT SIZE at 300DPI	7" X 9"	7" X 10"	8" X 10"
POSSIBLE PRINT SIZE at 150DPI	13" X 18"	15" X 20"	16" X 21"

When using the table above, note that it is important to realize that most larger prints are not scrutinized up close, and are meant to be viewed from a distance, in which case a lower resolution may not be noticed.

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY WITH POOR QUALITY 'THROWAWAY' CAMERAS.

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