Waterproof Camera Case

The soft waterproof camera case we reviewed is the SLR camera case with hard lens, (Code 455) $120.00. This can be found on their website, which is AuqaPac at: http://www.aquapac.net/usstore/erol.html#588X1411 I got the soft waterproof camera case that I am using to take these pictures from AquaPac to test. This was a newly designed unit, and they redesigned it from being a large zip lock bag, to having a hard lens on the soft waterproof camera case. I found that the new lens design is not that great. The lens tube is so long, and I think they designed the soft waterproof camera case for use with at least a 300mm camera lens. I do not understand why, because normally you want to shoot with a 28-80mm lens.
In most dive situations, or if you are snorkeling, you should be within a range of 20-30 feet. So, the ideal lens is the 28-30mm. This entire turtle encounter was captured with a Nikon D70 in an AquaPac soft waterproof camera case. The Nikon D70 was set to the Auto setting, and I turned it on before going in the water. Please note: with a Nikon D70 in a AquaPac soft waterproof camera case, you can still adjust whatever you need to. You may just have to work a bit harder. It feels like a very heavy zip lock bag. There is a large locking closure on the AquaPac 455, which has 3 locking switches. These are supposed to insure that the bag stays waterproof.
As far as using the AquaPac soft waterproof camera case, you will have to get used to a couple of things. The bag stays filled with a lot of air, so either you need to remove most of the air by squeezing the air out while closing the bag. Or, you may just have to learn to deal with the bag fighting with you as you are underwater. I tried it first not knowing to remove the air, and with every wave that I encountered, the bag was hard to hold on to. I went back to shore to remove the air, and it was both easier to use, as well as to hold on to. At that point I did notice that when I opened the AquaPac soft waterproof camera case that there was some water inside the AquaPac soft waterproof camera case.
This then concerned me. But, I remembered that the AquaPac website stated that the AquaPac soft waterproof camera case has a problem with condensation, and that you should use silica packets to help with this issue. I then dried the inside of the bag with my towel, and I removed the air. This seemed to work. As I used the bag more and more, it got easier to use, and I learned how to focus with the AquaPac soft waterproof camera case. Since the AquaPac soft waterproof camera case is a thick rubber like bag, it is not very clear to see through. So, you basically have to learn a point and shoot type of technique.
With a snorkel mask on, fighting with the bag to press the camera against the eye piece which is already pretty small, and the sun light shining at me from above, it was a quite a challenge. But, what are your choices for only $120.00? Well, if you are going to be shooting a lot of under water activities, you may wish to go with a hard waterproof camera case for your Nikon D70. Since the cost is a considerable amount more, around $1200.00 to $3.000.00+. Not everyone is ready to spend 2 or 3 times the amount of your camera in the first place to have a hard waterproof camera case. So, I have decided to build my own hard waterproof camera case for my Nikon D70.
So, there will be a link to the story as I now try a second time to build a hard waterproof camera case for the Nikon D70. I have researched all kinds of waterproof camera cases, and I have looked at companies like Ikelite, which makes the coolest hard waterproof camera case for Nikon D70s. But, they are like $1200.00, and that is just the start. Then you need a set of strobes and domes, and I am sure so much more. I think there is a market out there for a Nikon D70 hard waterproof camera case that would be a basic case. See, the IkeLite cases look like they are out of some SciFi movie. To be honest, they are for professionals who get paid $1000.00 per day for doing what most pay $1000.00 per day to do.