Making my head hurt, trying to research this.
I want a water/shock-proof digital camera to that will fit nicely in a backpack strap pocket.
I want to spend less than $200. The more lesser the better, but of course I understand that quality comes with price.
I understand very little about photography, and won’t be trying to take “great” pitures. I just want to be able to snap pictures of things I see while I’m out in the woods. So I probably don’t need the high-high end features and crap, anyway.
I would LIKE to order it tonight. I need it by Wednesday, and I’ve been putting off because trying to find the right one is an unpleasant task for me.
It’s a little more expensive than your limit, but my wife loves her Olympus Stylus TG-2, which is a ruggedized digital camera. We’re outdoors a lot, in all kind of conditions, and it takes excellent pictures, including action shots. The TG-3 is apparently the newest version, and it is about the same price.
Here’s a good summary review.
Your needs may bias the choice but the Canon D20 would be my pick.
Thanks for the link! That’s one I was looking at.
I’m looking at the Panasonic Lumix TS4 and TS5D too. Anyone have input on those? They were what I was leaning heavily towards before.
My biggest concern with these cameras is that their image quality is noticeably poorer than a non-waterproof/shockproof camera. I hike, ski, mountain bike, mountaineer, canoe and I use a high quality regular P&S on my trips. If I’m worried about rain I put it in a ziplock bag. This has worked for me since the first days of digital camera and probably 50,000 photos. It’s not that hard to keep a regular camera safe in the woods, and you’ll get better pictures.
The exception for me would be if I were doing a lot of kayaking, or expected to be out in extended awful conditions. Otherwise I find these types of cameras to be too much of a compromise. But I value image quality over anything else.
Thanks for the input! I went with the Canon. I’m afraid I won’t notice the difference in image quality, but knowing that I will have a harder time accidentally breaking it is comforting.