View Full Version : Weatherproof Camera
I'm looking for a camera for backpacking, and possibly for a thru-hike. My main requirements are that it be compact and weatherproof. I haven't decided about batteries yet, but I think I'll accept rechargeables if they have a long enough life. So far, the only current models I have identified as weatherproof are the Olympus Stylus and the Pentax Optio.
Does anyone have experience, good or bad, with these models? Are there other weatherproof models I should check into? I would consider buying used.
-Wesley
From a quick search, I think you have already identified the 2 waterproof cameras currently on the market. Now, I did note they are waterPROOF. Didnt locate and cameras that were just waterRESISTANT...
StarLyte
08-30-2006, 14:20
I'm looking for a camera for backpacking, and possibly for a thru-hike. My main requirements are that it be compact and weatherproof. I haven't decided about batteries yet, but I think I'll accept rechargeables if they have a long enough life. So far, the only current models I have identified as weatherproof are the Olympus Stylus and the Pentax Optio.
Does anyone have experience, good or bad, with these models? Are there other weatherproof models I should check into? I would consider buying used.
-Wesley
This should be an interesting thread.
I have a good friend who carries his digital in an Altoids tin. :)
I would say unless you're taking professional shots, why not just use a good 5.1 megapixel and don't take it out in the rain? I'm sure you can keep it in a heavy duty ziploc too. I've never once had a problem. Even when it rained, I just held something over the camera.
Good luck.
Whoops! Found one more! http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17053
OK, that was a blonde moment if I ever saw one! Disregard the above post and check this one!! http://www.electronicsbonanza.com/comersus/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=2529&sku=8908&src=g
shades of blue
08-30-2006, 14:40
I hiked most of the AT with an Olympus stylus. I protected it with a ziplock for rainy weather and stream crossings. It took a beating, and lots of moisture, but held up the entire time with great photos. Take a look at my gallery and you will see photos that are from the stylus 300. I know have a stylus 800 and love it. The only issues I had with the 300 is problems with low light and blurry night shots. The 800 does a lot better with this though. Good review for me on olympus.
bigcranky
08-30-2006, 15:11
We have two of the Pentax Optio waterproof models -- the W10? They make nice images, are fairly easy to use, and you can get a lot of images on a 1-gig card. They do use Li-Ion batteries, but we carry a spare, and usually get 200+ photos per battery. (You can reduce battery use by not reviewing your photos on the little screen.) The cameras themselves are very small and slim, and the lens is completely enclosed, making them very pocketable.
Pentax makes a slim black slip-case for the camera, which I would recommend to protect both the lens and the LCD screen, neither of which has any sort of cover.
I've never had to test the waterproofness of the camera, but it does have O-ring seals around the battery/card compartment.
StarLyte: have a good friend who carries his digital in an Altoids tin.
I believe I have seen this hiker and tin, very cool!
The Solemates
08-30-2006, 15:46
I believe I have seen this hiker and tin, very cool!
yea, but stumpknocker is his own breed :)
regardless, no camera is waterPROOF in my opinion. Buy just a regular camera and buy a $15 waterproof wet/dry bag to put it in if you are that concerned.
Amigi'sLastStand
08-30-2006, 17:04
We have two of the Pentax Optio waterproof models -- the W10? They make nice images, are fairly easy to use, and you can get a lot of images on a 1-gig card. They do use Li-Ion batteries, but we carry a spare, and usually get 200+ photos per battery. (You can reduce battery use by not reviewing your photos on the little screen.) The cameras themselves are very small and slim, and the lens is completely enclosed, making them very pocketable.
Pentax makes a slim black slip-case for the camera, which I would recommend to protect both the lens and the LCD screen, neither of which has any sort of cover.
I've never had to test the waterproofness of the camera, but it does have O-ring seals around the battery/card compartment.
We have two also, Beth and I. They are great, I use em in the rain all the time, but dont submerge it, ziploc is a necessity. Good pics, small, and resists moisture real real well. For the price, it's my choice to BP with.
I have the 7.1 megapixel WATERPROOF & SHOCKPROOF Olympus Stylus. I can vouch for its durability and waterproofness. I love it! i recently dropped it on the tar as I was getting into my truck, not even a scratch!!!
I second the vote for this camera. I've been using it for a couple of months and have been very happy with it so far.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
08-30-2006, 22:11
I have an earlier model of the Olympus Stylus - very durable and water resistant - and 1 Gig card holds about 1,200 photos.
little bear
08-31-2006, 00:02
i own an olympus stylus and love it, it is waterproof to 10 feet depth and shockproof and impact resistant to 5 feet fall. i use mine for hikes and swimming pictures and have never had a problem. the battery is a special kind that comes with its own charger. i dont have the specs on it but neither the camera or the charger are real big or heavy.
little bear
I own the Pentax Optio too. I love this camera and can attest to its waterproofness.
This spring, while taking a risky and no doubt foolhardy beach shortcut in a Bay of Fundy park, a freak wave caught me up to about adam's apple height. This put the Optio about 30 or so inches under cold salt water. I hated this of course, but simply dunked it in the first available fresh water. It was fine. Don't plan to do this again, but now I don't worry about my expensive camera sitting in my pocket during a driving rain storm.
Cheers,
PKH
Thanks to everyone who responded. It was interesting to find out that many people get along just fine with regular camera, but I'll probably still go with a weatherproof one so I'll be able to take pictures in wet conditions and it will be one less thing I have to worry about keeping dry.
- Wesley
Two Speed
09-01-2006, 12:40
Getting in this late, but a weather resistant camera doesn't mean you can let the camera get trashed; still got to keep the lens clean or you'll have spots, streaks, etc in the images.
BTW, bought a Olympus Styles two years ago, the 3 megapixel one. No problems, great photos (for a point and shoot, this ain't no SLR) and good battery life. Not too sure how it'd work out on a thru as recharging the proprietary battery is a PITA w/o the charging shoe.
Bump.
I was looking at cameras yesterday. Can't decide. Any new opinions on the best camera in the 6 megapixel range?
Bump.
I was looking at cameras yesterday. Can't decide. Any new opinions on the best camera in the 6 megapixel range?
Canon Elph, had one for 4 years, water resistant, I take photos in rain, protecting it with bill of my visor, keeping it in a small padded zippered case at my waist belt. I has worked all those years. I like the 3X zoom as well as the macro capability. Great camera
Kerosene
10-10-2006, 10:37
Light weight and weather resistance are key, but there are several other variables you'll want to balance: optical zoom, megapixels, LCD size, battery type and life, and most importantly, picture quality. I strongly recommend that you take a look at the Pentax Optio WP model: 3X optical zoom, long-lasting rechargable proprietary battery, under 5 ounces, consistently great picture quality. My only gripe is that the LCD is a little small and washes out in brighter light (but it does have a viewfinder which can compensate when taking the picture).
Buy an extra battery or two (about $30 each with a battery good for 100-200 pictures depending on how often you turn on/off and how long it's on). Put the recharger in your bounce box. Put in a 512 MB or even a 1 GB memory card, and consider sending them home (padded envelope) for your significant other to upload to your PC and ship it back to you up the trail.
After seeing my hiking partner go through AAA batteries in his camera like they were candy, I'm even more convinced that the proprietary batteries are the way to go.
Footslogger
10-10-2006, 11:01
After seeing my hiking partner go through AAA batteries in his camera like they were candy, I'm even more convinced that the proprietary batteries are the way to go.
=======================================
You mean "AA's" correct ...and not "AAA's". Would like to find a camera that uses AAA's because I carry them anyway for my headlamp and MP3.
'Slogger
PS ...I carry the Cannon Powershot S500. Small (almost too small for my hands), lightweight, large LCD and has a Li Ion battery (propiretary). Keep in a ziplock and have never had a problem.
On the basis of some of the above posts, to answer the original question, I looked at Olympus stylus
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1225
This one is waterproof to 10 ft & drop proof to 5 ft. HHmmmmmmmmm:rolleyes:
You can even take underwater photos with it, so long as you are not down for more than i hour:-?
I have to have one! I was going to replace my older S400 anyway:D
I found a good one here:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/stylus720.html
It seems to be perfect for hiking, etc. Now, I wonder how cheap I can locate it?
Paul Bunyan
10-20-2006, 20:21
What are the costs for some of these waterproof cameras?
springerfever
10-21-2006, 07:48
[quote=Footslogger;254945]=======================================
You mean "AA's" correct ...and not "AAA's". Would like to find a camera that uses AAA's because I carry them anyway for my headlamp and MP3.
'Slogger
Footslogger......
my digital camera takes AAA's. Its the Ricoh GRD. Is is an excellent little camera that takes incredible pictures but has a prime lens...28mm (no zoom) and is not waterproof. see below
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/camera/review/77/page_1.html
also Ricoh makes a bulletproof digital..the Caplio 500G
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/C500G/C500GA.HTM
the 500G is a BIG camera and weighs 16oz but it is the TANK of all the waterproof cameras. Not suggesting its purchase to the individual starting the thread...too heavy and too expensive....but just thought you guys might like to read about it.
BTW.......not sure why Ricoh doesn't pursue marketing of their cameras in the US but they make excellent quality cameras and lenses, albeit a little pricy. Adorama and Popflash are the only distributors i know of in the U.S.
http://www.popflash.com/item.cfm?id=%24%24%5EBM%5C0%20%20%0A
http://www.popflash.com/index1.cfm
snarbles
10-22-2006, 19:50
On the basis of some of the above posts, to answer the original question, I looked at Olympus stylus
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1225
This one is waterproof to 10 ft & drop proof to 5 ft. HHmmmmmmmmm:rolleyes:
That's the one I've been eyeballing. Sounds like a winner considering I smashed my Canon S400 and now it doesn't focus anymore. Piece of mind in rainstorms would be nice too.
I just bought one of these the other day...
http://cgi.ebay.com/WP-500-Underwater-Digital-Camera-Waterproof-Case-Bag_W0QQitemZ300039055146QQihZ020QQcategoryZ50506Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
They have different sizes for different cameras so if you have a camera you can likely get one of these (check sizes) and not need a new camera. I used mine for the first time the other day with the kids at the pool and it worked great under water, I would probably not use it in nice weather though. Hope you find this useful.
Bito
trippclark
10-23-2006, 12:09
I found a good one here:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/stylus720.html
It seems to be perfect for hiking, etc. Now, I wonder how cheap I can locate it?
I have this camera (Olympus 720SW) and really like it. It is small and light (relatively) and is very rugged. I upgraded from the Stylus 300 which I also liked, except it took lousy low light pictures. This is greatly improved with the 720SW. It is indeed waterproof as well. I made sure to take a few underwater photos in the swimming pool while it was still in the easy "return with receipt" period and it works just fine. The 720SW also appears to be much more rugged. Olympus must thik so also since the S in SW is for "shock proof" and they claim it can handle a 5 foot drop onto a hard surface.
My one gripe -- and this is relevant for backpackers -- is that the nice big screen is a battery hog. This camera burns through batteries about twice as fast as my 300 did. I bought two extra batteries to cycle through.
A few weeks ago I took this camera on the AT for a 2.5 day section. I was not particularly conservative with the battery - several times viewing the pictures that I took. I took over a hundred pictures and burned through one battery . . . your mileage may vary.
Tripp
snarbles
10-23-2006, 13:08
I have this camera (Olympus 720SW) and really like it. It is small and light (relatively) and is very rugged. I upgraded from the Stylus 300 which I also liked, except it took lousy low light pictures. This is greatly improved with the 720SW. It is indeed waterproof as well. I made sure to take a few underwater photos in the swimming pool while it was still in the easy "return with receipt" period and it works just fine. The 720SW also appears to be much more rugged. Olympus must thik so also since the S in SW is for "shock proof" and they claim it can handle a 5 foot drop onto a hard surface.
My one gripe -- and this is relevant for backpackers -- is that the nice big screen is a battery hog. This camera burns through batteries about twice as fast as my 300 did. I bought two extra batteries to cycle through.
A few weeks ago I took this camera on the AT for a 2.5 day section. I was not particularly conservative with the battery - several times viewing the pictures that I took. I took over a hundred pictures and burned through one battery . . . your mileage may vary.
Tripp
Yeah, I think they really messed up by not putting a viewfinder on this one. Other than that it looks like a great camera.
Footslogger
10-23-2006, 13:29
Yeah, I think they really messed up by not putting a viewfinder on this one. Other than that it looks like a great camera.
====================================
I've noticed that they are eliminating the view finder on just about all digital camera models that have the larger (>2.5") LCD screens. They are running out of real estate on the back of the camera.
'Slogger
The Pentax Option w10 lacks a viewfinder as well. This can make it difficult to take pictures in high ambient light.
I can attest to the WP being waterproof - I have videos my daughter took under water. Well made camera with lots of options. It would be a good idea to get an extra battery for long trips.
I can't recommend anything with an exposed lense system. I had a bad experience with Canon A-series stuff and I would hate to see someone else burned by Canon's lousy warrantee/customer service.
oliander
11-01-2006, 16:25
I had two versions of the Olympus stylus. I do not think they held up very well. On the other hand, I didn't have the "waterproof shockproof" version.
I've had GREAT luck with the Canon Elph. It fits into my tiny hiking shorts pocket. I got a case for it as well as a ziplock bag. So far no problems with durability.
trippclark
11-01-2006, 16:35
I had two versions of the Olympus stylus. I do not think they held up very well. On the other hand, I didn't have the "waterproof shockproof" version.
I've had GREAT luck with the Canon Elph. It fits into my tiny hiking shorts pocket. I got a case for it as well as a ziplock bag. So far no problems with durability.
Oliander,
I have the Stylus 300 and now the 720SW shock proof & water proof model. While I found the 300 to a better looking camera (if that really matters) than the 720, the 300 is not nearly as rugged. As for not holding up well, my 300 broke after 2 years. I returned it to Olympus for repair. They fixed it for about $80, including a completely new housing so it looks like new. The repair came with a 6 month warranty. Now my wife uses the 300 and I use the 720 (or sometimes it is the other way around).
I really like the 720SW!
Tripp