Scuba Diving With the SeaLife DC2000 in Central Florida

SeaLife unveiled its latest camera, the DC2000, in November during the DEMA Show, and ScubaLab has been eager to take one into the water ever since. A few weeks ago we finally got our chance. With a break in our schedules, clear weather and a shiny new camera in hand we headed north of our Orlando-based office to go scuba diving at Alexander Springs in Ocala National Forest.

One of the first things you notice about the DC2000 is that it’s a lot heftier than some of SeaLife’s previous camera offerings — especially the Micro 2.0 — but there’s good reason for that. While the DC2000’s intuitive controls and easy-to-operate piano keys help make it a fine point-and-shoot for a beginner or semi-seasoned underwater photographer, it has enough features under the hood to satisfy more advanced shooters.

scuba diving in florida freshwater springs

A shot of ScubaLab Director Roger Roy in his natural habitat.

Mary Frances Emmons

The actual camera is depth-rated on its own to 60 feet; with the included housing it can go all the way down to 200 feet. The camera is compatible with SeaLife’s wide array of trays, lights, lenses and other photo accessories. The DC2000 features a large 20mp image sensor, three built-in underwater filters, continuous burst shooting, optical image stabilization and an ultra-fast shutter response.

The exciting news for experienced underwater photographers is that the DC2000 gives them full control over their images. The camera has eight shooting modes: manual, aperture, underwater, shutter, program, intelligent auto, land and panorama.

These bluegills moved in for a closer look at SeaLife's new underwater camera, the DC2000.

Roger Roy

The DC2000 is capable of capturing photos in both JPEG and RAW (Adobe .DNG) imaging formats. This allows for much more precise editing and post-production work on your finished photos.

Learn to get the most out of your RAW images with our photography tutorials

As you may have gathered from the above video, the DC2000 also shoots some beautiful underwater footage.

“I loved it,” said Deputy Editor Mary Frances Emmons. “Very easy to use, and the quality was amazing. The sharpness and color really surprised me.”

For underwater photographers who want more control over their images without wanting to break the bank on complicated rigs, the DC2000 is a wonderful option.