Outdoor And Waterproof Digital Cameras

May 2nd, 2008 by

Photo-John

Rugged Digital Cameras For Backpacking,
Cycling, Boating, And The Worksite

Pentax Optio WP - the original waterproof digital camera.

With the summer beach and travel season coming up and the recent announcement of Ricoh’s new G600 water-resistant and shockproof digital camera, I thought it would be good to do a roundup of current outdoor-friendly compact digital cameras. By “outdoor-friendly,” I mean cameras that have some level of moisture resistance and can take some physical abuse - cameras you can take to the beach, camping, etc. Right now, between Olympus, Pentax, and Ricoh, people who want a rugged, moisture-resistant digital camera have plenty of choices.

Olympus, Pentax and Ricoh have all been making waterproof cameras for a few years now. The waterproof Pentax Optio W-Series cameras are in their third generation. I reviewed their first waterproof camera, the 5-megapixel Pentax Optio WP, back in 2005. Olympus has two lines of cameras that qualify, the venerable Olympus Stylus cameras, which began as weatherproof 35mm point-and-shoots; and the Olympus Stylus SW line, which is shockproof, waterproof, crushproof, and freezeproof. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to use a few of the original 35mm Olympus Stylus cameras and I’ve reviewed a couple of the Olympus Stylus digitals as well as the first of the waterproof and crushproof cameras, the Olympus Stylus 720 SW. And right now, I actually have their latest – the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW – a 10-megapixel camera that can withstand a 6-foot drop and can be submerged to about 30 feet underwater. Ricoh’s new G600, which got me started on this article, is their second waterproof camera. Like the Olympus Stylus SW cameras, it’s not only waterproof but built to withstand drops and other impacts.

If you spend a lot of time outdoors or in environments where there’s a lot of moisture, you should take a look at the digital cameras listed below. Kayakers, boaters, fishermen, mountain bikers, skiers, and serious hikers will all appreciate having a digital camera they don’t have to worry about getting wet. Contractors or other professionals that need a small, rugged digital camera will appreciate the Olympus Stylus SW and Ricoh G600, which are built to military shockproof standards. I’ve used the Olympus Stylus and Stylus SW cameras as well as the Pentax’s waterproof Optio line for mountain biking, skiing, and other outdoor activities. So I can tell you from experience, being confident that your camera can take some abuse means getting more and better photos, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. And better photos are what it’s all about.

Photo-John Recommends
The current king of outdoor digital cameras is, without a doubt, the new 10-megapixel, shockproof and waterproof Olympus Stylus 1030 SW. It can be dropped from 6 feet, submerged to 30 feet, frozen, stepped on, fallen on, etc. If you need a camera that can take a beating, the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW is the best there is. If you don’t need the burliness of the 1030 SW, the weatherproof Olympus Stylus 1200 can handle rain and splashing without worries. And the 12-megapixel sensor, 7x optical zoom lens, and Dual Image Stabilization ensure it will capture excellent quality photos.