Nikon Coolpix 3100/FantaSea CP-3 underwater housing

Configuration

This set consists of:

• Nikon Coolpix 3100 (3.2 megapixels)
• Fantasea CP-3 underwater housing

Review

Some time ago I got the Epoque ET-100 as a present for my birthday, but this conventional underwater camera was not what I expected. Around 90 percent of the photos were failures and went straight to the recycle bin, making it too expensive.

I already owned the Nikon Coolpix 3100, but as Nikon does not produce a housing and I found 300 dollars for the Ikelite too much for me as amateur I did not have a housing at the time. When preparing for a dive trip to Egypt I stumbled upon the Fantasea CP-3 housing. Because of the low price (around 150 USD) I ordered it without hesitation.

Upon receiving the housing, I immediately discovered that not all buttons of the camera can be accessed on the housing. Most apparent was the absence of the Power switch, and it seemed the camera had to be powered on before placing in the housing. Luckily, the Coolpix 3100 has an alternative way of turning it on: by pressing and holding the Play button.

The housing's dimensions of 150 x 100 x 110 mm make it a very compact set. The maximum depth of the housing is set to 40 meters. The LCD display of the camera is clearly visible under water and the controls can be used without much hassle, even when wearing diving gloves. The underwater results are good and crisp, excellent photos for a beginning amateur photographer. Though I do intend to look for an external strobe to enhance the colors in many situations.

The housing is equipped with a rubber seal instead of an o-ring. So greasing it up is not necessary and cleaning is easy.

The camera has many functions but the CP-3 only provides access to a limited number. Delete, power, LCD, menu and timer functions for example are not available. What remains is however sufficient for me: zooming, strobe control, macro mode and reviewing photos.

Summary

Important pros:

• Very compact
• Easy control
• Affordable

Major cons:

• Limited functions available in the housing

In my opinion this is an ideal set for the amateur underwater photographer. A nice and convenient camera that gives me the results I want. Check out my underwater gallery.

Review by: Eddy Schrijvers

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