Weatherproof(resistant) Compact Camera Recomendations

[koilife]

I'm looking for positive/negative experiences and recommendations for a higher quality compact camera that is water/dust/shock resistant. With the amount of rain I saw on my last Camino, I left my camera in the ziplock bag for way too much time.

Although it takes OK pictures, my Note 4 phone doesn't meet any of the above. Neither does my nearly 10 year old Nikon S700. I'm not inclined to carry the extra weight of a DSLR (and don't have the photography skills/addiction to justify it).

 

[jmcarp]

I don't have any personal experience with weatherproof compact cameras, but I have considered buying one for outdoor activities. Most of the major cameras have at least one weatherproof compact camera, and I would stick to Canon, Nikon, Olympus, or Panasonic if I were buying one. I'd look for at least a 4x optical zoom, plus some degree of added digital zoom (I seldom use digital zoom because it can decrease resolution, especially at the higher range). Here's a few examples I would consider: Canon D30, Nikon AW-120 or AW-130, Olympus TG-4, Panasonic DMC-FT5 or DMC-FT30. Note that I am not recommending any of these in particular because I have no personal experience, but the above list gives you a place to start in your research. Visit reliable third-party review sites such as http://www.dpreview.com/ or http://www.imaging-resource.com/ to see what others think. Manufacturer's reviews always seem biased to me, and I don't always trust reviews on Amazon.com.

Good luck with your search, and I'd be interested in what you finally choose. Perhaps other forum members will jump in with their thoughts as well.

[EDIT] Someone on another thread recommended the Fujifilm XP 90 -- another one to look at.

Buen Camino...

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A Fujifilm XP 90 got a good review in a recent post.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/taking-photographs.38206/#post-374529

 

[Bajaracer]

I had a Canon D20 that I gave to a family member, the D30 is the latest model, a little on the heavy side but a very stout camera.
http://cameras.reviewed.com/content/canon-powershot-d30-digital-camera-review

B&H Photo, free shipping and no sales tax.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...337b001_powershot_d30_waterproof_digital.html

 

[Seabird]

I love my Olympus TG-4 Tough and will be bringing it with me. No way would my cellphone suffice. There
are a variety of models to choose from. My model weighs 247 grams. It's waterproof and has an incredible array of features. You're not stuck with a few pre-sets, but can control the aperature, speed, etc. It takes great pictures (I love the microscope view for close-ups).

 

[koilife]

I love my Olympus TG-4 Tough and will be bringing it with me. . . . My model weighs 247 grams. It's waterproof and has an incredible array of features.

How do you handle recharging it?

All of the Olympus that I've seen have a non-standard USB cable for the camera end of the cable. The old TG-2 could be charged via a USB cable off any standard powered USB charger (including a PC). But, from what I've seen, it's not clear that the TG-4 can charge off of a standard, powered USB source (such as a PC / battery pack / generic USB charger).

I don't mind the hassle of an extra cable, but I'd prefer not to have to take a completely separate charger.

 

[Seabird]

How do you handle recharging it?

Unfortunately, it's still true it uses a non-standard USB cable. I am bringing a double USB head (to charge two things at once) and will bring the camera cable. At home, I use a separate battery charger I bought on Amazon. It weighs a little more than the cable, so at least as of now I'll stick to the cable.