Water proof camera review

[JSP]

Some new water proof cameras put head to head. DPreview is the best camera test site going.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q209waterproofgroup/

For those that need to know now.

Image quality: outdoors / daylight

• Best of the bunch: Canon Powershot D10, Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1, Pentax Optio W60
• Middle of the road: Pentax Optio W80, Olympus Tough 6000
• Bottom of the class: Olympus Tough 8000, Fujifilm Z33 WP

Image quality: Low light / High ISO

• Best of the bunch: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
• Middle of the road: Canon PowerShot D10, Pentax Optio W60
• Bottom of the class: Pentax Optio W80, Olympus Tough 6000, Olympus Tough 8000, Fujifilm Z33 WP

Image quality / performance: Flash

• Best of the bunch: Canon PowerShot D10
• Middle of the road: Pentax Optio W60, Pentax Optio W80, Olympus Tough 6000
• Bottom of the class: Olympus Tough 8000, Fujifilm Z33 WP, Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1

Image quality / performance: Underwater

• Best of the bunch: Canon PowerShot D10, Pentax Optio W60
• Middle of the road: Pentax Optio W80, Olympus Tough 6000, Olympus Tough 8000,
• Bottom of the class: Panasonic TS1, Fujifilm Z33 WP

[Leapy]

Just (literally) bought an Olympus 6000 Tough...looked at the Fuji Z33WP, but it seemed small in my hand and a bit low rent looking. Good price, but looks like a below average performer from John's note above.

All I can say so far about the Olympus is that when you plug it in it charges up...that's as far as I've got!

[JSP]

With out sounding too geeky Olympus Jpeg compression gives very good results with out to many artefacts . With nice rich colours, Fuji are the same.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by JSP

With out sounding too geeky Olympus Jpeg compression gives very good results with out to many artefacts . With nice rich colours, Fuji are the same.

Failed. You sound geeky

[JSP]

I know.
Want me to go into RAW files, Using TIFF instead of Jpeg, the best metering modes, in camera colour balance tricks and the maths behind using the right F stop over shutter speed at the right focal length to reduce camera shake?



I'll get my coat and gimp mask........

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by JSP

I know.
Want me to go into RAW files, Using TIFF instead of Jpeg, the best metering modes, in camera colour balance tricks and the maths behind using the right F stop over shutter speed at the right focal length to reduce camera shake?

That's what I was hoping for How can I possibly establish the worth of my purchase if you don't go into the detail?

Update: I can now turn it on and off

[JSP]

Work out how to use the timer, it's great for candid shots

[Steve_B]

For what its worth, also consider getting yourself a good non-waterproof camera and adding a waterproof(dive) housing. I have found that you then get the best of both worlds, but it does require a bit of forward planing.
Most dive housing are good for 40m if you want to get it seriously wet.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by 250kts

For what its worth, also consider getting yourself a good non-waterproof camera and adding a waterproof(dive) housing. I have found that you then get the best of both worlds, but it does require a bit of forward planing.
Most dive housing are good for 40m if you want to get it seriously wet.

Couldn't agree more. That way you can get yourself into the world of DSLR's. Olympus do a very good range of housing for the E serries cameras.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by JSP

I know.
Want me to go into RAW files, Using TIFF instead of Jpeg, the best metering modes, in camera colour balance tricks and the maths behind using the right F stop over shutter speed at the right focal length to reduce camera shake?



I'll get my coat and gimp mask........

That's the problem with digital - any idiot can do it - now when you start talking about reciprocity failiure and The Kron–Halm catenary equation it gets far more interesting...............

[JSP]

Originally Posted by codprawn

That's the problem with digital - any idiot can do it - now when you start talking about reciprocity failiure and The Kron–Halm catenary equation it gets far more interesting...............

What a load of bollox. You really do need a gimp mask Codders!

[codprawn]

On a more serious note - yes DP review is great - and it's a British site.

I am quite fancying one of these

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcgh1/

It isn't a true digital SLR as such but it has many plus points - it's cheaper and is probably the only digital camera that offers true broadcast video. Yes HD video 1080p!!!

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pana...gh1/page19.asp

Price is about £1000 list but I expect it to be down to about £600 soon. It has a few good lenses availiable.

I have a Panasonic Lumix at the moment and it's awesome - the lens is the equivelent of a 35 - 420mm - 12x optical with proper image stabilisation.

Anyway off topic as it's not waterproof!!!

I have a Pentax Optio and it's very waterproof - it's an earlier one so it's not brilliant and it's too basic - nothing much to fiddle with!!!

[JSP]

Lumix are very good cameras but way over priced.
I can under stand people paying £100-200 on a point and shoot camera with manual control but anything above that I just think is silly. They have a jack of all lens in them, most are very good but still Jack of all. With a SLR you can get the right lens in that focal group (specially if you go prime). Plus the sensors are allot smaller hence less detail.

Going back to camera housing for diving, getting the cheapest DSLR plus lens and flash, all housed in a waterproof housing will cost you at least £2000-£3000. So the little cameras on review here are very worth wail for the average tog.

[ianhappy]

Originally Posted by 250kts

For what its worth, also consider getting yourself a good non-waterproof camera and adding a waterproof(dive) housing. I have found that you then get the best of both worlds, but it does require a bit of forward planing.
Most dive housing are good for 40m if you want to get it seriously wet.

That's the dilemma I'm having at the moment:- as well as boating, I also love mountain climbing, mountain biking and skiing, and am going to be spending time in the Antarctic soon. All of these put me in beautiful places and I'd like to capture the scenes as best I can, but they're also non-friendly environments for electronics (I've already killed a Canon G5 and a Contax 159).

So I'm torn; not sure whether to go for better image quality and make sure I look after the kit (dive housings are great but bulky) or sacrifice some image quality/features and go for something smaller and bombproof that I don't need to worry about.

Sorry for slight thread hijack

Ian

[JSP]

Originally Posted by ianhappy

That's the dilemma I'm having at the moment:- as well as boating, I also love mountain climbing, mountain biking and skiing, and am going to be spending time in the Antarctic soon. All of these put me in beautiful places and I'd like to capture the scenes as best I can, but they're also non-friendly environments for electronics (I've already killed a Canon G5 and a Contax 159).

So I'm torn; not sure whether to go for better image quality and make sure I look after the kit (dive housings are great but bulky) or sacrifice some image quality/features and go for something smaller and bombproof that I don't need to worry about.

Sorry for slight thread hijack

Ian

What's your budget Ian?
For mounting climbing and your Arctic trip you'll need to keep the batteries warm. Keeping spare sets against your body will keep them good. Condensation inside the lens and view finder will be a problem too. Try and climatise your gear well before you need it.

If you don't need full water proof both Nikon and Canon do dust and splash proof DSLR's which can be fitted with camera armour for extra protection.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by JSP

Lumix are very good cameras but way over priced.
I can under stand people paying £100-200 on a point and shoot camera with manual control but anything above that I just think is silly. They have a jack of all lens in them, most are very good but still Jack of all. With a SLR you can get the right lens in that focal group (specially if you go prime). Plus the sensors are allot smaller hence less detail.

Going back to camera housing for diving, getting the cheapest DSLR plus lens and flash, all housed in a waterproof housing will cost you at least £2000-£3000. So the little cameras on review here are very worth wail for the average tog.

I used to carry bags full of lenses with me when I used 35mm - the whole point of digital is it's ease of use and versatility.

The new Lumix HAS interchangeable lenses. Mine doesn't but was £350 which is not bad value for what it is.

The advantage of my 12x zoom is that I would have missed a shot like this if I had to change lenses.

Both from the same vantage point. The quliaty is lost resizing them for this site. The last one is with digital magnification.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I used to carry bags full of lenses with me when I used 35mm - the whole point of digital is it's ease of use and versatility.

The new Lumix HAS interchangeable lenses. Mine doesn't but was £350 which is not bad value for what it is.

The advantage of my 12x zoom is that I would have missed a shot like this if I had to change lenses.

Both from the same vantage point. The quliaty is lost resizing them for this site.

All depends on your standards regarding IQ Codders. You can buy super zoom lenses but the IQ always suffers.
Take a look at the IQ results for the Lumix against DSLR's that are cheaper.

[codprawn]

You won't find a DSLR with an image stablised 12x optical zoom for £300!!!

Obviously if you buy a nice Canon 35 - 350mm zoom lens it will be better quality but it's rather big and bulky and costs about £1800!!!

The new Lumix is a totally different kind of camera to the Lumix I have - it uses a smaller sensor so the lenses and camera itself aren't so bulky but it's most important feature is the incredible video - many people say it's the best video camera out there.

At most events the ability to take video OR stills is a great bonus.

Read the review and read up on the camera - it may give you a different perspective.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by codprawn

You won't find a DSLR with an image stablised 12x optical zoom for £300!!!

IQ (image quality) again. To get a 12X zoom into a lens that big takes a major toll on the quality of the optics. If your happy with that quality, then stay with your £300 camera.

Obviously if you buy a nice Canon 35 - 350mm zoom lens it will be better quality but it's rather big and bulky and costs about £1800!!!

Nope, same goes. Squeezing all that into one big zoom lens and you forfeit quality.

The new Lumix is a totally different kind of camera to the Lumix I have - it uses a smaller sensor so the lenses and camera itself aren't so bulky but it's most important feature is the incredible video - many people say it's the best video camera out there.

Smaller sensors are a bad thing in most cases. Smaller sensors with higher pixel counts mean the pixels are closer together producing more noise.

At most events the ability to take video OR stills is a great bonus.

Most high end prosumer and DSLR have HD video.

Read the review and read up on the camera - it may give you a different perspective.

To tell you the truth I've only scanned the review. Still think the price tag is un realistic.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by JSP

All depends on your...IQ Codders.