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Camera List with Weatherproof Models |
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For photographers seeking a waterproof digital camera, there are several good choices. The Olympus 770SW is extremely shock resistant and waterproof to great depths. A downside is that it takes xD memory cards, which seem to be nearing their end of life. The Pentax Optio W20 is slightly less expensive, and takes mainstream SD memory cards, but is not quite as tough as the Olympus. I have seen great results from the Pentax, so it seems to me that Pentax remains king of the water-resistant cameras, as they have been since introducing the WR-90 almost two decades ago. If you already have a digital camera, you might be able to buy a waterproof case for it, but the cost of these cases (perhaps due to insurance) is almost as much as the cost of a Pentax W20. In alphabetical order. Smallest aperture of zoom cameras measured at wide angle. Prices as quoted by B&H Photo, Cameraworld, or Adorama.
focalLength aperture(Min) shutterSpeed wgt. cost
Bronica RF-645 mFmt 45/65/135mm f/4-f/4.5 (22) 1/750-8sec ±2 810g $1799
Canon 5D 4368x2912 DSLR 24-105 f/4.0 S full-frame 1/8000-30s ±2 1565g $3000
Canon 20D 3504x2336 DSLR 17-85 f/4.0-5.6 S crop 1.6x 1/8000-30s ±2 1160g $2000
Canon 350D 3504x2336 DSLR 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 S crop 1.6x 1/4000-30s ±2 675g $1000
Canon G6 3072x2704 2fps 35-140mm Dg f/2.0-3.0 (8?) 1/2000-15s ±2 467g $700
Canon S70 3072x2704 1fps case 28-100mm Dg f/2.8-5.3 (8?) 1/1500-15s ±2 230g $549
Canon Sure Shot WP1 UW 32mm f/3.5 (16?) 1/250-2sec 300g $135
Canon Sure Shot Z90W 28-90mm f/4.5-9.9 (15) 1/640-2s ±1½ 245g $135
Canon Sure Shot Classic 38-120mm f/4.5-10.9 (18) 1/770-2s ±1½ 250g $200
Canon Rebel2K 1.5fps SLR 28-105mm S f/3.5-4.5 (22) 1/2000-30s ±2 707g $480
Canon Elan 7e 3.5fps SLR 28-105mm S f/3.5-4.5 (22) 1/4000-30s ±3 947g $760
Contax T3 titanium 35mm AP f/2.8 (22?) 1/1200-3min ±2 230g $699
Contax TVS 3 30-60mm AP f/3.7-6.7 (16) 1/1000-16s ±2 312g $1050
Contax N1 3.5fps SLR 24-85mm S f/3.5-4.5 (22) 1/8000-30s ±2 1435g $2498
Fuji S8000fd 3264x2448 1.3fps 27-486mm Dg f/2.8-4.5 (?) 1/2000-3s ±2 510g $499
Fuji F31fd 2848x2136 .5fps 36-108mm Dg f/2.8-5.0 (?) 1/2000-15s ±2 185g $249
Fuji E900 3848x2616 1.5fps 32-128mm Dg f/2.8-5.6 (?) 1/2000-15s 202g $500
Fuji BigJob HD-3W 6megapixel 28-84mm Dg ? ? ? $549
Fuji DS-260HD 1280x1024 UW 35-105mm Dg f? (?) 1/1000-1/4s 700g $800
Fuji DL Super Mini Zoom 28-56mm f/4.5-7.5 (?) 1/500-1sec ±2 202g $239
Fuji Zoom Date (Silvi) F2.8 24-50mm f/2.8-5.6 (16) 1/350-1sec ? 170g $208
Fuji Zoom Date 1000 28-100mm f/5.8-10.5 (?) 1/500-1sec 175g $200
Fuji GA-645Zi mFmt P&S 55-90mm f/4.5-6.9 (22) 1/700-2sec ±3 885g $1890
Hasselblad Xpan panorama 45mm f/4.0 (22) 1/1000-8s ±2 955g $1995
Kodak DC5000 1760x1168 WR 30-60mm Dg f/3.0-7.6 (?) 1/755-1/2s ±2 454g $630
Konica Mermaid UW 35mm f/3.5 (22?) 1/360-7s ±1½ 353g $180
Konica Lexio 70 28-70mm f/3.4-7.9 (16) 1/500-1s +1½ 179g $150
Leica Z2X zoom 35-70mm f/4.0-7.6 (20) 1/300-1/4s +2 245g $300
Leica C3 zoom +box WR 28-80mm f/3.6-7.9 (?) 1/370-99sec 270g $380
Leica Minilux 40mm f/2.4 (22) 1/400-1s ±2 328g $700
Leica Minilux Zoom 35-70mm f/3.5-6.5 (22) 1/250-1s ±2 417g $850
Mamiya 645AFD mFmt SLR 55-110mm f/4.5 fixd (22) 1/4000-30s ±3 2600g $4648
Mamiya 6MF 6x6 mFmt RF 75mm f/3.5 (22) 1/500-4s +2 1150g $2796
Mamiya 7 6x7 mFmt RF 80mm f/4.0 (22) 1/500-4s +2 1210g $3278
Minolta 5D 6.1Mp 3fps DSLR 18-70mm S f/3.5-5.5 (22) 1/4000-30s ±3 830g $900
Minolta 7D 6.1Mp 3fps DSLR 24-105mm S f/3.5-4.5 (22) 1/4000-30s ±3 1155g $1200
Minolta Freedom Explorer 28-75mm f/3.5-8.9 (16) 1/500-4sec 240g $145
Minolta Weathermatic UW 35mm/50mm f/3.5/5.6 only 1/150-1/40 400g $210
Minolta Maxxum 5 3fps SLR 24-105mm S f/3.5-4.5 (22) 1/4000-30s ±3 730g $690
Nikon D70s 6.1Mp 3fps DSLR 24-120/3.5-5.6 S crop 1.5x 1/8000-30s ±5 1170g $1489
Nikon Coolpix 5700 2560x1920 35-280mm Dg f/2.8-4.2 (8) 1/4000-8s ±2 512g $1200
Nikon N80 2.5fps SLR 28-105mm S f/3.5-4.5 (22) 1/4000-30s ±3 991g $790
Nikonos-V (MFW) UW 35mm+80mm S f/2.8 (22) 1/1000-1/30 700g $1015
Olympus E-1 SLR 5½Mp 3fps WR 28-108mm Dg f/2.8-3.5 (22) 1/4000-60s ±5 1094g $2299
Olympus E-300 SLR 8Mp 2fps 28-90mm Dg f/3.5-5.6 (22?) 1/4000-30s ±5 867g $999
Olympus 720 SW 3072x2304 WR! 38-114mm Dg f/3.5-5.0 (16?) 1/1000-1/2s ±2 190g $350
Olympus 770 SW 3072x2304 UW 38-114mm Dg f/3.5-5.0 (16?) 1/1000-1/2s ±2 155g $350
Olympus IS-50 ZLR 28-120mm f/4.9-6.8 (22) 1/2000-4sec ±2 649g $280
Olympus IS-5(K) ZLR 28-140mm f/4.9-6.9 (22) 1/2000-4sec ±2 649g $350
Olympus IS-3(K) 2fps ZLR 35-180mm f/4.5-5.6 (22) 1/2000-4sec ±4 961g $450
Olympus Stylus Epic WR 35mm f/2.8 (11) 1/1000-4sec 134g $100
Olympus Stylus Wide 80 WR 28-80mm f/4.5-8.4 (11) 1/500-2sec 255g $180
Olympus Stylus Wide 100 WR 28-100mm f/4.6-11.9 (11) 1/500-2sec 220g $200
Panasonic FZ20 5Mp 2-3fps Dg 36-432mm f/2.8-2.8 (8) 1/2000-8sec ±2 519g $500
Panasonic FZ15 4Mp 2-3fps Dg 36-432mm f/2.8-2.8 (8) 1/2000-8sec ±2 519g $400
Panasonic FZ3 3Mp 2-3fps Dg 35-420mm f/2.8-2.8 (8) 1/2000-8sec ±2 292g $500
Pentax istDS 6.1Mp 2.8fps DSLR 16-45/4.0 S crop 1.54x 1/4000-30s ±3 870g $1230
Pentax Optio 33WR 2048x1536 UW 37-104mm Dg f/2.8-3.9 (16?) 1/2000-4sec ±2 208g old
Pentax Optio 43WR 2272x1704 UW 37-104mm Dg f/2.8-3.9 (16?) 1/2000-4sec ±2 207g old
Pentax Optio WPi 2816x2112 UW 38-114mm Dg f/3.3-4.0 (16?) 1/2000-4sec ±2 135g old
Pentax Optio W10 2816x2112 UW 38-114mm Dg f/3.3-4.0 (16?) 1/2000-4sec ±2 160g $250
Pentax Optio W20 3072x2304 UW 38-114mm Dg f/3.3-4.0 (16?) 1/2000-4sec ±2 135g $300
Pentax 645N mFmt SLR 45-85mm S f/4.5 fixd (22) 1/1000-30s ±3 2150g $3550
Pentax 645N mFmt SLR 55-110mm S f/5.6 fixd (22) 1/1000-30s ±3 1782g $2395
Pentax Espio 24EW 24-105mm f/4.9-12.5 (16) 1/400-2sec ±3 200g $240
Pentax IQzoom 928 28-90mm f/3.5-9.0 (9) 1/400-1/5 ±3 315g $200
Pentax IQzoom WR 90 WR! 38-90mm+M f/3.5-7.5 (8) 1/400-1/5 440g $200
Pentax IQzoom WR 105 WR! 38-105mm f/4.5-11.0 (11) 1/400-4sec 360g $230
Pentax ZX-5n 1.8fps SLR 24-90mm S f/3.5-4.5 (22) 1/2000-30s ±3 765g $860
Ricoh Caplio Rx 2048x1536 28-100mm Dg f/3.1-5.8 (16?) 1/2000-8s ±2 165g ?
Ricoh GR-1v 28mm AP f/2.8 (22) 1/500-2sec ±2 178g $350
Ricoh RW-1 WR 34mm f/4.4 only 1/100-1/40 250g $ 85
Rollei Giro 70 WA 28-70mm f/5.6-10 (22?) 1/250-1sec y 200g $170
Rollei Prego 90 old 28-90mm f/3.6-9.8 (16?) 1/400-1/3s ±3 320g $170
Rollei Prego 30 30mm f/3.6 (22?) 1/500-1/3s 150g $150
Rollei AFM35 (Klasse) 38mm AP f/2.6 (16) 1/1000-1/2s +2 250g $299
Samsung AF 444 WR WR 35mm f/4.5 only 1/125 210g $ 70
Samsung Evoca 90W Neo 28-90mm f/4.5-11 (22?) 1/400-1sec B 250g $150
Sony DSC-V1 2592x1944 +case 34-136mm Dg f/2.8-4 (22?) 1/1000-30s ±2 291g $600
Sony DSC-F828 3264x2448 28-200mm Dg f/2.0-2.8 (22) 1/3200-30s ±2 962g $1000
Sony DSC-U60 1632x1224 UW 33mm Dg f/2.8 (22?) 1/2000-1/8s 191g $230
Vivitar A35 Splash WR 35mm f/4.5 only 1/125 210g $ 60
Yashica T4 Super WR 35mm f/3.5 (15.5) 1/700-1sec 200g $150
Yashica T4*Zoom 28-70mm f/4.5-8 (16?) 1/360-120s ±1½ 195g $199
AP aperture priority mode, includes exposure override
Dg digital, images must be uploaded to a computer
M macro lens setting
mFmt medium format: for 35mm zoom equivalent, multiply by .62
MFW manual focus and manual wind
±N provides plus or minus N stops exposure override
S system camera with interchangeable lenses
UW underwater camera suitable for diving
WR weather resistant or splashproof (! class V)
For whitewater photography with film, the Pentax IQzoom WR-90 and its successors were very popular. The Yashica T4 Super and Olympus Stylus Epic produced better results, though without zoom capability. The WR-90 and WR-105 can be submerged; the T4 Super cannot. For an even-handed evaluation of the best compact film cameras, see John McCormack's Zoom Point & Shoot Comparison Table. There are links to discussions of non-zoom compacts. For helpful hints about using a compact camera, see John's Tips and Tricks For Better P&S Photography. It is well worth reading John's links to related information.
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