When you’re at home, the most convenient camera is usually the one in your pocket already, the one on your phone. And though camera phones can be brilliant, when you go on holiday you often want to take a special separate camera, for a number of reasons. Number one is that whipping out your very expensive phone in a tourist area can be a prelude to someone making off with it. Number two is that you might need a camera with special functions: one that’s good at night, can take great pictures of sports events, or, if you’re on a diving holiday or about to spend a lot of time in the sea, one that’s waterproof.
So, especially for those of you who fall into the last category, here’s our list of great, inexpensive waterproof cameras.
Fujifilm FinePix XP70
This is a great budget digital camera; a real winner on price. It’s available for around 135. We like it because it’s shockproof to 1.5m, waterproof to 10m, sand resistant, freeze resistant, and has a wide-angle 5x optical zoom lens and a 2.7 inch screen. It has a nice chunky design and the buttons can easily be used even with gloves on or underwater. You can make decent video clips on it, and it also has a Wi-Fi function to make it really easy to send and transfer your images.
Olympus Tough TG-630
This is also a great budget conscious camera, coming in at 139. It’s shockproof to 1.5m, waterproof to 5m, and freeze proof too. It features a 5x wide optical zoom and full HD 1080/30p movie with sound. The design is colourful and sleek, and it has special settings for underwater photography to make sure that you get the perfect picture irrespective of light conditions.
Olympus Tough TG-830
This version of the Olympus tough goes up in price a bit to about 199, and for that you get a camera that’s waterproof to 10 metres, shockproof to 2.1m, and has GPS built in.
Panasonic Lumix FT5
Spending a bit more now, at an RRP of 269 the Lumix FT5 from Panasonic is great for scuba diving as it’s waterproof to 13 meters. It’s shockproof to 2 meters, freeze-proof to -10ºC, and has a nice roomy 3 inch viewing screen. You can make movie clips with sound with full 1080p HD video recording and it has Wi-Fi and GPS, too. Special tricks include optical image stabilization (OIS), useful to take clear shots without a tripod, panorama mode, and sports, snow, and advanced underwater settings.
Nikon Coolpix AW120
Again at 269 this camera offers the best depth resistance of the bunch with 18 meter waterproofing. It also has action control to help with underwater shooting and action scenes, making it easyto use with gloves on. It has 2 meter shockproofing, and features a wide-angle 5x optical zoom lens. It also has Wi-Fi, GPS, and a compass. Videos can be recorded at 1080p HD with stereo sound. For close-ups, the camera has an amazing 1cm focusing distance, which is brilliant for taking detailed pics of the corals, sponges and fish you pass.
In the end the camera you pick depends on your budget, with the cheaper options offering good value for money. But at the more expensive end of the scale, you get a virtually professional result, which will make those Caribbean holiday photos really something to impress your friends with!
Here is a great story on Greece from the BBC
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