Best water proof camera

[One2killu]

Hi everyone , I'm in a rut and want some experienced advice on the subject , best waterproof camera . Im off on a once in a life time holiday and I intend on going swimming , snorkelling and also sight seeing. I want a camera that takes great pictures as well as videos for in and out of the water . I'm thinking the Olympus tg2 although I've read it can be noisy in video ,I've also read the tg320 is just as good . So many reviews and different cameras out there . What one is the best ?

 

[fralexandr]

dpreviews waterproof roundup conclusion page
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/2013-waterproof-roundup/18

 

[robertkey]

thanks for the link fralexandr very good link

 

[One2killu]

Thank you very much for the link , seems its worth getting the tg2 then . They all seem to have there strengths and weaknesses in performance .

 

[Syborg1211]

I have the lumix, and I am quite happy with it. If you look at general reviews, it seems that every camera has people who experienced water leaks and the cameras dying on them. At the time I researched them, the panasonic had the least amount of people complaining about the water sealing. The quality of the seals was definitely my top priority, and I know 2 other people with panasonics that are happy with their waterproof-ness.

 

[shortylickens]

Always, ALWAYS go to DPReview before asking a question here. Chances are pretty good they've already discussed whatever it is you want to know.

 

[One2killu]

Of corse I did a search before I posted the topic and I didn't find the answer , never heard of or depreview till now great site .
I really appreciate the comments everyone has put it's a big help .

 

[Imp]

I was looking into the TG2 and other "life proof" cameras a few months back and came out disappointed. If I had to get one, I'd get any with an available dive housing for extra security. In the mean time, I'm going to avoid submerging even my GoPro -- got it over a year ago.

 

[Syborg1211]

I was looking into the TG2 and other "life proof" cameras a few months back and came out disappointed. If I had to get one, I'd get any with an available dive housing for extra security. In the mean time, I'm going to avoid submerging even my GoPro -- got it over a year ago.

Do you not leave the house because of the risk of getting hit by a crashing airplane or satellite falling from the sky? These cameras were designed to be used under water and if they break within the warranty you get a new one no problem. After the warranty period, if it breaks, at least you got a year+ out of it. It's not like these things cost thousands of dollars to replace.

The gopro waterproof housing is pretty darn sturdy. Do you not trust the extra strong clamp the thing uses to close down? Not to mention the countless videos on the internet of gopros going under water no problem.

 

[queequeg99]

Do you not leave the house because of the risk of getting hit by a crashing airplane or satellite falling from the sky? These cameras were designed to be used under water and if they break within the warranty you get a new one no problem.

A warranty won't include a return to where the pictures were taken (a once in a lifetime vacation according to the OP). I ran into the same dilemma. I ended up getting a housing for my Olympus ZX-1. It cost as much as the damned camera but it was top rated. I couldn't find any reviews indicating leaks. But housings obviously have drawbacks. They're expensive and bulky. But they will allow you to use cameras with features that so-called water proof cameras simply don't have.

That having been said, when I conducted my research, the TG2 was the second choice option for me.

 

[One2killu]

Indeed you can't warrant your pictures or replace it in that period of time whilst on holiday . I'm thinking if I buy it early and test it every so often , so if a problem did occur I had time to replace or make changes . Though life's not always kind being any one of these cameras could fail at any given time . Touch wood I hope I don't be one of the unfortunate ones .

 

[slashbinslashbash]

I have an Olympus TG-310 that leaked while I was using it in like 6 inches of water. This was after using it in deeper water (snorkeling depth) multiple times. Olympus replaced it under warranty. It has never been a favorite, however; photo quality (both under water and above) is not its strong point. However, I only paid about $120 for it on sale at Staples.

I later found a Nikon AW100 on clearance for ~$100. It takes much better photos and video, both in the water and out. However, its retail price was almost 3x the retail price of the 310. So you get what you pay for, to some extent. All of the "rugged" cameras use roughly the same seal design, although I do like the Nikon lock better than the Olympus one. All else being equal, I would go with a Panasonic, but I can get by with the Nikon.

A much cheaper option is the DicaPAC waterproof soft cases. I have a couple of them, and they work pretty well if you want to use a standard P&S underwater but not shell out a ton of money for a dedicated one. You could even use one for extra protection on a waterproof camera.

 

[CuriousMike]

What about the AW1 ... I would think it would take the best photos since it has a 1" sensor. I think all the others use the typical P&S 2/3" sensor (?)

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/0...t-rugged-waterproof-mirrorless-digital-camera

 

[Imp]

Do you not leave the house because of the risk of getting hit by a crashing airplane or satellite falling from the sky? These cameras were designed to be used under water and if they break within the warranty you get a new one no problem. After the warranty period, if it breaks, at least you got a year+ out of it. It's not like these things cost thousands of dollars to replace.

The gopro waterproof housing is pretty darn sturdy. Do you not trust the extra strong clamp the thing uses to close down? Not to mention the countless videos on the internet of gopros going under water no problem.

The warranty/replacement service isn't 100% smooth. And with high enough pressures, it apparently takes just a little dust to make the seal fail no matter the clamping force. They're designed to go underwater, but they're consumer oriented, "made in China" products, mostly from companies based on another continent (e.g. Fuji, Panny, Sony, Olympus).

Risk vs. reward. If I went diving, I'd buy a cheapo with a casing for extra security, maybe take the GoPro after testing the housing. In the mean time, the only reason I would take my GoPro underwater is if I were testing it in the sink or doing pointless "artsy" shots with a bowl, so why risk it.

 

[One2killu]

I've had a change of heart . The cameras like Olympus tg2 , aw110, and so on seem to have pros and cons for a point and shoot . Most lack in video quality , some are noisy . I've come to a conclusion wouldn't it be better if I got a decent camera and buy a waterproof housing for it . the money you spend on say a tg2 I'm looking at £250 . for around the same price I could buy a Sony rx100 and the quality is tones better . The only draw back is I will have to fork another £100 to make it water proof . Would you agree this is the way to go ?

 

[Imp]

Doesn't seem like there's a wrong way to go. Waterproof housings aren't perfect (nor are camera seals), and "life proof" cameras seem to require certain sacrifices to make them tough, so I'd get something I'd be willing to part with or lose.

I stick to Canon seems to have a large line of casings for their cameras:
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/standard_display/underwater_photo

Sony did (does?) too:
http://www.sony.co.uk/product/dcc-sports---marine-packs

 

[fralexandr]

yep, if you're after portability, it's pretty hard to beat the "life proof" point and shoots. Adding those housings makes cameras larger and bulkier. Some housings make the camera harder to use. A lot of sacrifices are made to make the tg2 roughly the same size as most point and shoots, much of it in the image quality.

If you're after quality, you could even buy DSLR underwater housings, or other specialty equipments. Pretty much everything has its pros and cons.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

In truth, my solution so far has been to spend the cash on many cameras. I have DSLR's, "tough" P&S's like the Olympus 310 and Nikon AW100, and other P&S's that have better IQ than my "tough" ones (Canon ELPH lineup). All of my P&S's have cost me $150 or less, and between my wife and I, we now have 4 working ones (2 "tough" and 2 normal), so it's not a big deal if one of them gets damaged or lost.