A good waterproof camera.

Started by tomato can, May 29, 2012, 18:44:12 PM

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Stone-Man

Pentax WG-1 here and I love it
I got it on e-bay for $200
I am a piss poor photographer and that camera makes me look good.  (95% of my pictures are taken outdoors)

  JT

Transylwader

Bill, if you have $400 to play with, get this:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1621
Woolly has one, I saw it on Saturday, after reading the reviews and short description, it is an uber point and shoot, you have the ability to change the lens. I'd buy one in a heart beat, but have a car payment nowadays...

streamer

I just bought a an Olympus Stylus Tough 3000 for $50.00 on Craigslist.
Here's a review with a pic.: http://www.dslrphoto.com/dslr/olympus-12mp-waterproof-stylus-tough-3000-review-by-dcr-with-rating-3-5,16546.html

I used it to shoot a few pics of my son's HS graduation last weekend, and the pics are good.

Yer Pal,
Streamer
Remember...We all live downstream.

OldDominionAngler

Here's a good article on what they consider to be the top four on the market.  http://gizmodo.com/5916329/the-best-waterproof-rugged-digital-cameras

Dude, your Lumix wins.  I have the Nikon AW100 and I tend to agree with what's said in the article...especially the theme of overexposed/washed out images and also a bit of a slow focus on closeup shots.  Of course, I could stand to learn a few things about all of the settings, which would help with some of the exposure issues.

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: OldDominionAngler on June 12, 2012, 15:35:44 PM
Here's a good article on what they consider to be the top four on the market.  http://gizmodo.com/5916329/the-best-waterproof-rugged-digital-cameras

Dude, your Lumix wins.  I have the Nikon AW100 and I tend to agree with what's said in the article...especially the theme of overexposed/washed out images and also a bit of a slow focus on closeup shots.  Of course, I could stand to learn a few things about all of the settings, which would help with some of the exposure issues.

re the Olympus TG-1.

I'm going to dispute claim that it takes 5 sec to start up and snap a pic. I would say it's about 2 sec. differently less that 3, but it does take about 5 sec when you change custom modes. I'm not 100% sure that I like it. I've got to learn some of its particularities. I'm using the 2 custom settings, one for normal close-ups which I use for most of my fish pics, and the other is Super Macro mode for bugs and the like, then I use the general P mode for everything else. I like not having to navigate a menu to make those changes.

I think that the fast lens is really going to help out in low light situations, whether it be late in the day or down in some deep gorge with a canopy of trees. Now the focus on the 'super macro' is another issue, it is slow and problematic. Might just be me and the bugs I catch, but this camera isn't any better than the old one... 
We'll see and you can judge my pics as time goes by.  Perhaps a firmware update will address these issues....
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

tomato can

Well I ended up getting a Nikon coolpix waterproof camera.  I read reviews till my brain hurt and I did not find the reviews helpful - too much contradictory information for me to synthesize.   Of all the camera's I fondled the Nikon felt the most grippy.  Hopefully my picture skills will improve.

Big J

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/waterproof-2012/waterproofA.HTM

A good review of all the leading waterproof outdoor cameras.  Here were the top 3.

#1: Canon D20
Big and bold, Canon's first foray into folded optical design was certainly a success, even if telephoto optical quality suffered a bit. The Canon D20's overall performance put it at the top in a fairly close race. Its large display performed well outdoors, and the Canon D20 captured good quality stills and video. Chromatic aberration and corner softness were quite high, but the Canon D20's positives far outweighed those issues. When it comes to outdoor and underwater performance, the Canon D20's results speak for themselves, with good color, good detail for the category, and satisfying pictures.

#2: Pentax WG2
With its aggressive Transformers-like design, the Pentax WG2 rose above the Olympus TG1 primarily thanks to its superior image quality in the situations we imagine people will use it: Underwater and in outdoor sun. The Pentax WG2 just turned out better shots more often. It also turned in a great print quality result, making a decent 4x6 even from ISO 6,400 images, and a good 11x14 at ISO 125. Timing factors, like startup and shutter lag, were slower than others in this roundup, but not by much. If you want a little faster AF, look to the Canon or Olympus, but we're talking a tenth of a second difference, so it's not a big issue. Our reviewer also had trouble with the buttons, and had a hard time viewing the LCD underwater, as our sample video demonstrates, so take note if those issues will be a problem for you.

#3: Olympus TG1
Better in most ways than other recent Olympus Tough cameras, the TG1 came in third with a good physical design and impressive speed. The Olympus TG1 was fast, had good print quality, and very low chromatic aberration. Distortion at wide angle was a bit of an issue, and in our tests the TG1 struggled to maintain good exposure. Where the Olympus TG1 shines is speed. It's faster to start up, faster shot-to-shot, and even its flash recycles quickly. Its battery life is best-of-class too, all of which amounts to a lot. The Olympus TG1 also turned in the best print quality numbers of the group, especially as ISO rose. So if speed and print quality are important, the TG1 is a top choice, but the exposure problem is a major issue, which is why we couldn't rank the Olympus TG1 any higher.


I personally don't like the look of the Canon D20, but they thought it out performed both the Pentax WG2 and the popular TG1.  I have really been liking the images that you guys have been throwing on here from the TG1, and was surprised it didn't get a higher ranking.  Is the exposure really that big of a problem with this camera?

benben reincarnated

Quote from: Big J on October 17, 2012, 08:30:17 AM

I personally don't like the look of the Canon D20, but they thought it out performed both the Pentax WG2 and the popular TG1.  I have really been liking the images that you guys have been throwing on here from the TG1, and was surprised it didn't get a higher ranking.  Is the exposure really that big of a problem with this camera?


X2 on that Canon...looks totally designed for the couple that is going on their honeymoon to Hawaii and wants to take pictures.

The review sure as hell talked up the TG1, but they docked it for exposure, which I haven't seen an issue with.  I have done most of my shots in auto-mode and haven't seen that issue crop up.  Like every point and shoot, you'll see some issue in low light, but even this one overcomes it with honors.  Here are some pictures I've taken with my TG1 at places other than bluelines just to show you how sick the thing is:

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Big J

See, its pictures like that that make me want one.  The TG1 has gotten some awesome reivews and they seem to take better shots then the Pentax. That review just made me wonder if the exposure was really a "major issue"  like they said.

Woolly Bugger

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Dougfish

Ben, I know you're talented, but.....
The Olympus pics are much better than what my Pentax offers.  b';
Auto mode leaves a lot to be desired. It It's adjustments to conditions and distances blows.
Flower mode for most shots and microscope mode for closeups work best for me.
But the Olympus really wins, hands down IMHO.

benben reincarnated

Quote from: Dougfish on October 17, 2012, 09:57:43 AM
Ben, I know you're talented, but.....
The Olympus pics are much better than what my Pentax offers.  b';
Auto mode leaves a lot to be desired. It It's adjustments to conditions and distances blows.
Flower mode for most shots and microscope mode for closeups work best for me.
But the Olympus really wins, hands down IMHO.

As you know Mike has the TG1 as well and we were talking about it and the main things at the end of the day I like about it best is the start-up time from power on to picture taken, quick focus, and just overall quality of the shots.  I coined it as "one and done".  I can pull it out, power it up, know it will be focused as soon as I depress the shutter to focus it, and the picture will be nice, all in a matter of seconds.  I'm not fiddling around trying to wait on the camera or taking multiple shots in the hopes of getting one good picture.



tomato can

Dayum Benben those are nice shots for a P/S.  Wicked good.

benben reincarnated

Quote from: tomato can on May 12, 2013, 07:16:50 AM
Dayum Benben those are nice shots for a P/S.  Wicked good.

Thanks. I believe that 80% of a shot is composition. The rest just let the camera do its thing as best it can.



tomato can

I agree but I find composition tough!  I can kind of do the easy easy  foreground and aft shots, but that waterfall shot  has all kind of good things going on in it.