Reviewing the Sealife Micro HD - 12/05/2017

Al's Camera

Piano Keys

Most of us who dive love what we see. For many, the unique underwater environments inspire us to take photographs and videos. I'm no different. For years now I've had a little Sealife DC1400. You may recall in November I flooded it causing me to be without a camera for some time.

Well before I headed off to Mauritius I still hadn't got round to fixing it. I thought of buying a Sealife Micro 2.0, but my friend (Captain Al) said I could borrow his earlier model, the Sealife Micro HD for my trip as a trial. I did, so as an aide memoire I thought I'd right down my thoughts on it.

Like the rest of the DC series cameras it has the easy to use piano keys, feels chunky in the hand and has the preset underwater red filter entitled "Dive Mode". Unlike the DC models it's pretty flood proof as its a sealed unit that uses both wifi and a wet contact USB cable for download. 

So what did I like and dislike? Well... 

• I loved the app and wifi functionailty. Why wait to get back to sure before posting your pics on facebook or instagram. Share to tour phone and your off.
• Loved the hasslefree diving - no worrying about leaky seals, moisture munchers or any of that stuff.
• Simple and easy to use, I mean if Captain Al can use it....

But...

• It has no Macro mode, meaning blurred pictures of nudibranchs.
• No zoom mode meaning you may have to get uncomfortably close to that big angry moray.
• No Green water auto filter for the murky water diver.

All in, if you're just a snap taker like me then it's a great wee piece of kit, but if want to take some serious photos then keep saving!

I was uncomfortably close to this guy.

Blurry nudi

It Flooded - 03/11/2016

OK, so not every diving experience is perfect. I think we can all agree on that. 

Tonight wasn't a great night. It started with a getting kitted up at St Catherine's in the dark, buddy check and descent down to around 8m. At which point Jester and I paused to take a picture of a cuttlefish. You can see my picture below. At that point I noticed some water inside my Sealife camera housing and my camera starting to misbehave.

I knew what was going on. I immediately went for the surface, left my camera on a rock and headed back in to continue the dive. We swept down by the bottom of the reef to around 31m and then back up the far side enjoying gurnards, nudibranchs, more cuttlefish and the resident cushion star. None of which were photographed by me. 

Instead I took up photobombing. Jester hates it. I love it. If you have a photography daft buddy here's how to do it.

1. Enter stealth mode - switch off torch 
2. Swim round buddy in the dark - they'll think you're still behind them 
3. Approach head on as they compose the photograph
4. Sit 1m from the target
5. Await strobe flash 
6. Boss it Zoolander style

We returned, I collected my camera and dekitted to confirm what I already knew. It had flooded, but not horrifically. 

I took it home, nursed it back to health, couldn't get the battery to retain charge. So I've ordered a new battery for £4 on ebay. 

The Last Cuttlefish Photo

Photobombing is fun