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Walkintom
10-28-2010, 17:31
My digital camera has passed the decade mark and I have decided that it's time for an upgrade.

I'm interested in opinions on some of the rugged cameras that are on market. The reviews tend to be both ends of the spectrum - people seem to either love or hate them.

Does anyone have one of these cameras and if so would you recommend it based upon your own experiences?

rcli4
10-28-2010, 17:35
olympus stylus tough

had mine aqbout a year. can't break it

Clyde

trippclark
10-28-2010, 17:40
olympus stylus tough

had mine aqbout a year. can't break it

Clyde

Another vote for one of the Olympus "tough" series cameras. Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, etc. and takes good pictures as an added bonus.

Spokes
10-28-2010, 18:02
I used a Sony Cybershot last year that used 2 AA batteries. That was important to me since I didn't want to be tied down to the proprietary battery and an extra charger.

Go to this link (http://www.imaging-resource.com/DIGCAM01.HTM) then hit Camera Advisor, then Other Attributes to do a search of available brands/ models.

Raul Perez
10-28-2010, 18:12
I have the canon digital elph 780i 12MP camera. Been through a beating (including being soaked in a kayak trip) and it shoots great video and pics.

Franco
10-28-2010, 19:00
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Scarp%201/summitsite.jpgPanasonic TS2.
Waterproof/shockproof/compact/28mm wide angle/about 300 shots per charge.
Some manual functions .
A couple of shots from the TS1:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Scarp%201/FD_morn.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/Francophoto/Scarp%201/moonNlights.jpg
Shots by my mate Yair Kellner
(tip, most shots are underexposed by 1.5 stops)
Franco

Lyle
10-28-2010, 19:06
Nice shots. Will have to look at that Panasonic.

Unfortunately for a lot of us, the most important part and feature of any camera is what's standing behind the lens.

Walkintom
10-28-2010, 20:04
I think I am going to put the Olympus 6020 on my wish list. I just found out that it is the camera my cousin carried when we climbed Bond Falls in Jamaica as well as the endorsements for the line here.

I generally don't get such expensive items as gifts but Amazon's wish list tool is a great way to keep track of what has/has not been acquired in my quest for gearing up for the trail.

Thanks for all of the replies. Spokes, that camera advisor is a pretty nice tool.

Carbo
10-28-2010, 20:11
Franco, very nice photos!

Driver8
10-28-2010, 20:31
I'm looking at a Canon EOS Rebel T1i. Anyone with any advice? Too fancy a camera to risk taking out on rugged trail? Or just get a good, well padded pack for it? I want the 15.1 mpx and its many other features - want to capture, well, the shot of Mt. Washington and the far Adirondacks from Greylock on an A+ clear day, hi-res Washington from Lafayette, Mansfield from Killington, etc.

ATsawyer
10-28-2010, 20:52
Mine's a old 720. Gets hammered in my pack with all my other trail gear but is holding up to trail crew abuse. Newer models may have more options. Don't judge the picture quality by these attachments though, as I had to downsize them greatly for this site. Camera takes good pics.

Cold weather:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9349&stc=1&d=1288312959

Hot weather:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9350&stc=1&d=1288312959

Wet weather:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9351&stc=1&d=1288312959

Close ups, etc. all taken with Stylus. Watch in HD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrYsFlx3OSY

M1 Thumb
10-28-2010, 20:57
I can second the Panasonic Lumix TS2. I've been really happy with mine.

SMSP
10-28-2010, 21:04
olympus stylus tough

had mine aqbout a year. can't break it

Clyde

Well, I can attest that they can fail, at least it's water proofness. About 1-2 years ago, I bought 850SW model from Sam's Club. It eats up batteries fast. It lost its water proofness. I was somewhat upset at not getting my money's worth and knew I wouldnt have much luck with Olympus and/or Sam's Club. So I bought the current version at Sam's, the 3000 and then retuned it with the 850SW.

Was it wrong for me to do that?
Was it wrong that I got a 'lemon' as far I'm concerned?

The 3000 takes the same battery as the 850SW and doesnt seem to go through batteries as fast. I've only had the 3000 about a month now, so it's too early to know how well it will hold up, but I like it so far.

SMSP

SMSP
10-28-2010, 21:08
Oh, forgot to mention, the 850SW's audio quality in video mode was crap. The 3000 audio quality in video mode pretty good.

SMSP

amac
10-29-2010, 05:58
I have the Panasonic TS1. Love it. I've used it snorkeling, hiking, and normal stuff. It's the older model so you can get it real inexpensive.

webyrd
10-29-2010, 06:55
Have had a Pentax W90 for a few months, works good for me - easy to use, decent picture quality, rugged, waterproof, etc. weight 6oz.

Franco
11-03-2010, 23:45
"I have the Panasonic TS1. Love it. I've used it snorkeling, hiking, and normal stuff. It's the older model so you can get it real inexpensive."


good point.
When I was looking for a camera for my mate (we both worked in photographic retail for years but I was the camera buyer...) the TS2 was out but I could not justify the $200 dollar difference .
Sometime "superseded" is not a bad thing ( for the customer, not so much for a shop)
Franco

Walkintom
03-28-2011, 21:32
Update: I did buy the Olympus 6020. It has been a flop. The pictures are not as good as my old 5mp Kodak from 2000. I got about 100 pics out of the camera before the battery would no longer accept a charge at all.

Olympus is standing behind the warranty. (They should - it has been barely used. Two trips and it failed on the second.) I sent it in last week and got an email today stating it has been repaired.

I just can't recommend it as a good buy. I bought it to take pictures; not to test the warranty. So far the warranty is the only thing that has held up to expectations.

Driver8
03-28-2011, 21:49
Thanks for the follow-up.

runnergirl
03-29-2011, 13:50
I just bought a Canon Powershot A1200 for my thru-hike next month. It takes AA batteries; I've been using it for a week or two now and am enjoying it. It's fairly light and very easy to use. It's taken good pictures so far. It's a newer model-just came out this month.

Pringles
04-03-2011, 17:55
I bought a Fuji XP-10 a little over a month ago. I got one backup battery for not-much, off Amazon, and a second card. I used it for a week in the Everglades. The pictures were basically good. In some ways I liked my old Sony better, but it wasn't waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof or dustproof. I haven't dropped the camera (yet), but I did dunk it a few times in the Gulf of Mexico, and it was fine. Since then, I've been taking it to the pool during kayak rolling sessions. Sometimes it's on the edge of the pool, and sometimes it's in the pool. So far it's been a trooper. The video is good, and it lets you zoom in and out, and the sound seems to be ok. It was a little bit over $100, so I figured it was worth a try. I'm not willing to spend a lot of money on a camera (what is it chicks say... "cheep, cheep, CHEAP!"). And, it comes in about five boring-to-exciting colors! I figure it will be good for hiking, canoeing, kayaking, rafting and snorkeling. It can only go down to about 10 feet, so scuba people need to find something else.

Pringles

jimmi
07-01-2011, 05:35
I like the Canon SX230HS because of the CMOS processor but do not like the GPS because of the power drain.
Can the GPS be turned off entirely? Any Canon alternative with cmos. 10+ megapixels & 10+ zoom??




Technology lists (http://www.ranker.com/list-of/tech)

LDog
07-01-2011, 11:06
I like the Canon SX230HS because of the CMOS processor but do not like the GPS because of the power drain.
Can the GPS be turned off entirely? Any Canon alternative with cmos. 10+ megapixels & 10+ zoom??

The S95 (http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_s95)is the smallest and lightest camera in it's market segment. It'll do RAW capture, and it has a real fast lens (F2-4.9) with a fairly wide focal length (28-105mm eq). It costs $418 and weighs 193 g

The ELPH 300 (http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_elph_300_hs) is a skinny, lightweight jewel which has a fairly fast lens (F/2.7-5.9), and real wide focal length (24-120mm eq). It costs $225 and weighs 141 g.

The S95, being more of a no compromise camera as far as imagery goes, has a CCD image capture device. The S95 has a CMOS. If your desire for CMOS is based on battery life, Canon says the ELPH will record approx 220 images and remain powered for 5 hours. The S95 will record 200 shots, and still run approx. 5 hours ...

I'd love the former, but might compromise image quality for weight and price in favor of the latter :-?

BobTheBuilder
07-01-2011, 11:31
I used a Sony Cybershot last year that used 2 AA batteries. That was important to me since I didn't want to be tied down to the proprietary battery and an extra charger.

Go to this link (http://www.imaging-resource.com/DIGCAM01.HTM) then hit Camera Advisor, then Other Attributes to do a search of available brands/ models.
Hey - that was great. Just went there, found a Canon camera that uses AA batteries and weighs less than 5 oz and bought it!

bflorac
07-01-2011, 23:09
Just finished 3 week section hike a long AT with new Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3. I am really happy with my purchase. The only fault I could find is a lack of lens cover. Often, the lens would get wet and foggy (on the outside) so next time I will bring a little lens cloth to keep it clean and dry. I might also put a screen protector on the back viewing screen as I got a few scratches.

Battery life was good. Although, for most of the trip I had the GPS off to conserve juice. I only charge it once over the three weeks and think I could have done it all on one charge. I took over 400 photos (most without flash).

SMSP
07-02-2011, 00:20
I picked up the new Kodak C123 from Wal-Mart.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kodak-C123Red/15935268

It is $69. It takes AA's. The pics are good. The video is so-so and reminds me of watching old 8mm films my grandfather took of us as little kids, but in a more modren form. The video is not HD. But for the price, being water proof, and shock proof, I figured I'd give it a test run. Took it to the water park the other. It was splashed and dunked and so far, so good.

Granted, this camera does not have the bells and whistles of the Olympus cameras I have owned, but for the price of this camera with some basic features and the fact that it akes AA batteries, well, I am going to consider keeping it.

SMSP

atraildreamer
07-02-2011, 13:55
Franco, very nice photos!

Franco, very nice desktop shots for my PC! :)

~Luna~
07-02-2011, 14:19
I'm looking at a Canon EOS Rebel T1i. Anyone with any advice? Too fancy a camera to risk taking out on rugged trail? Or just get a good, well padded pack for it? I want the 15.1 mpx and its many other features - want to capture, well, the shot of Mt. Washington and the far Adirondacks from Greylock on an A+ clear day, hi-res Washington from Lafayette, Mansfield from Killington, etc.

Love my Canon EOS Rebel, just be careful on the terrain and weather.

Franco
07-03-2011, 23:18
A few more shots to show why I like the WP type cameras.
Sometimes having a camera that can be just pulled out of the pocket and is not afraid of rain or snow, allows you to grab the moment.
11730
11731
11732
11733
Shots 1 and 2 my Pentax WP1 (expect the same or better from the W90/WG1
Shots 3 and 4 Yair's Pana TS1 (now TS3)
Franco

smokeeater908
10-12-2011, 18:24
I have a Canon Elph 300HS and I love it.

Don Newcomb
10-14-2011, 09:06
Are there any digital pocket cameras that easily accommodate a circular polarizer? It's one of the very few dramatic filtering effect that is just about impossible to duplicate on the computer. It's one of the reasons I own a digital SLR.

LDog
10-14-2011, 10:19
Are there any digital pocket cameras that easily accommodate a circular polarizer? It's one of the very few dramatic filtering effect that is just about impossible to duplicate on the computer. It's one of the reasons I own a digital SLR.

I suppose it's possible, but I suspect that you'd have to look at something like the Micro four thirds cameras from Panasonic and Olympus, the Pentax Q, the Sony NEX line, or Olympus' X100, and maybe their soon-to-be-released X-10.

Red Beard
10-14-2011, 10:19
I love my Pentax Optio W90. It's rough, tough, and takes pretty good pictures. The video quality is a bit lacking, but still not bad.

Franco
10-14-2011, 17:02
Are there any digital pocket cameras that easily accommodate a circular polarizer?
A couple of ways :
1) just hold the filter in front of your camera lens (against it..)
2) get the Cokin Filter Fast system (takes standard Cokin A size filters)
http://www.cokin.co.uk/pages/filterfast.htm
Franco

Sierra Echo
10-14-2011, 17:25
Another vote for one of the Olympus "tough" series cameras. Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, etc. and takes good pictures as an added bonus.

I bought one about 2 weeks ago and i love it!

naturejunkie
10-20-2011, 10:59
The new Canon Powershot S100 (the upgrade of the S95) is coming out this November. Trail photo enthusiasts who don't want to tote around a dSLR set up may want to take a long hard look at this compact package of awesomeness.

bobp
11-11-2011, 08:03
I used an old Canon Powershot A550 with the expensive-but-long-lasting super lithium batteries and was able to go over 2 weeks (and some 500-600 pictures) on a single set of 3 AA batteries. I recommend any of the cheaper Canon point-and-shoots on which you can put the CHDK firmware, which gives access to RAW storage mode and automatic exposure bracketing. When taking pictures out West, the bracketing was very nice -- instead of overexposed sky and underexposed terrain, or vice-versa, I get 2 or 3 pictures that software can merge together into a perfect shot. If only my composition were better...

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK -- official site for firmware
http://lifehacker.com/387380/turn-your-point+and+shoot-into-a-super+camera -- informative article

coach lou
11-11-2011, 08:25
1 more vote for Olympus 'Tough", as I said in the other Thread.... waterPROOF, shock proof, takes great pics. Alittle spendy.

moytoy
11-11-2011, 09:33
The new Canon Powershot S100 (the upgrade of the S95) is coming out this November. Trail photo enthusiasts who don't want to tote around a dSLR set up may want to take a long hard look at this compact package of awesomeness.
I've been looking at the S100 to replace my current camera but the professional reviews are saying the batt. life is not as good as the s95. Other wise the reviews are great. Battery life is important!