When you want to capture life around you, you don’t want to be
thinking about whether it’s raining, what will happen if you lose your
grip on the camera or any such disasters. If your mind is at ease, you
can concentrate all your energy on the perfect shot. And that’s what
rugged cameras offer: a stress-free photo experience.
Along with the
most rugged Bluetooth speakers, here are the best rugged cameras to take on your next adventure.
The
Panasonic Lumix TS5
offers “5-Proof Protection”: waterproof, dustproof, shockproof,
freezeproof and pressure resistance. Of all the point-and-shoot rugged
cameras, reviewers reckon this one has the best image quality,
especially in colour reproduction. Another thing you need in these
cameras is good autofocus and an intelligent auto mode — two areas in
which the TS5 delivers in spades. And the icing on the cake is the video
quality, where it far excels any of the current crop of point-and-shoot
rugged cameras, with some reviewers reckoning it beats even the GoPro
Hero 3 Black.
- 16.1 megapixel MOS sensor
- 4.6X optical zoom lens (F3.3-5.9, 28-128 mm)
- ‘Power OIS’ optical image stabilization
- 1080 FullHD video recording at 60 fps
- 3-inch LCD (460K)
- Built-in GPS with compass
- Wi-Fi
- NFC
- Waterproof up to 13 metres / 43 feet
- Shockproof from 2 metres / 6.5 feet
- Crushproof up to 100 kg / 220 pounds
- Freezeproof to -10 degrees Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit
- Dustproof
The
Olympus Stylus Tough TG-2 iHS
is a worthy alternative to the Lumix TS5, granted a few caveats. The
TG-2 has an aperture of f/2.0, far exceeding any other rugged
point-and-shoot and making it the best performer for shots in low-light
environments. It’s also got fantastic manual controls, has detachable
fisheye and telephoto lenses as add-ons, and a Microscopic Macro Mode
that lets you take photographs as close as 1 centimeter away from your
subject. If you’re interested in that, you should definitely read
Bakari’s great guide on
getting started with macro photography.
But the TG-2 falters majorly in video recording, with grainy, choppy
images and bad audio recording. Also, the colours it reproduces are not
as true as what you get with the Lumix TS5. Plus, there’s no Wi-Fi or
NFC in this one.
- 12 megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor
- 4x optical zoom (F2.0-4.9, 25-100 mm)
- Sensor-shift image stabilization
- 3-inch OLED screen (610K)
- Built-in GPS with compass
- 1080p FullHD video recording at 30 fps
- Waterproof up to 15 metres / 50 feet
- Shockproof from 2.1 metres / 7 feet
- Crushproof up to 100 kg / 220 pounds
- Freezeproof to -10 degrees Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit
- Dustproof
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money but still want a rugged camera, the
Fujifilm FinePix XP60
is your best bet. It isn’t as robust as the Panasonic Lumix TS5 or the
Olympus TG-2, but it gets the job done. And it’s surprising how much it
packs for its price: a macro mode for close-up shots, HDR mode, and a
burst mode of 10 fps. However, it comes at the cost of where things
matter most. The image quality is good, although not great, and the
built-in flash is extremely poor. At high ISO ranges, image noise is a
major issue. It also runs out of battery faster than the others. And the
lack of GPS is jarring.
- 16 megapixel CMOS sensor
- 5x optical zoom (F3.9-4.9, 28-140 mm)
- Sensor-shift image stabilization
- 2.7-inch LCD screen (230K)
- 1080p FullHD video recording at 60 fps
- Waterproof up to 6 metres / 20 feet
- Shockproof up to 1.5 metres / 5 feet
- Freezeproof to -10 degrees Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit
- Dustproof
Most
rugged cameras look like big, clunky devices with no finesse; they
place functionality above form. But if you want a looker that’s
resilient, the
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX30
is the way to go. This toughie looks sleek and sharp, while taking
decent images and video — the Magnifying Glass Plus macro mode with the
built-in LED lamp is particularly cool–but be ready for out-of-focus
photos. Its big problem though is the touchscreen on the back. The lack
of buttons gives you a larger screen, but at the cost of one that simply
does not work underwater, rendering its waterproof protection useless
for marine shots.
- 18.2 megapixel ‘Exmor R’ BSI-CMOS sensor
- 5x optical zoom (F3.5-4.8, 26-130 mm)
- Optical image stabilization
- 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen (1229K)
- 1080p FullHD video recording at 60 fps
- Waterproof up to 10 metres / 33 feet
- Shockproof up to 1.5 metres / 5 feet
- Freezeproof to -10 degrees Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit
- Dustproof
Mirrorless cameras are all the rage now, offering the convenience of a point-and-shoot with the quality of a DSLR. And the
Nikon 1 AW1
throws in a rugged body into the mix. Its biggest advantage over
point-and-shoots is the shutter speed and quick autofocus: it shoots at
15 fps with continuous autofocus or 60 fps with fixed autofocus. There’s
no worry about image or video quality here. Additionally, you get
interchangeable lenses, of which Nikon has two in the rugged variety
right now. Non-rugged lenses work too, and you should check out
Lens Hero
to find out more. Unfortunately, all the rugged coating makes it much
bulkier than standard mirrorless cameras, losing the “compact” charm.
Also, it does not have a built-in image stabilizer and its battery life
is weak. And man, check out that price tag! Phew!
- 14 megapixel CMOS sensor
- 11-27.5 mm NIKKOR kit lens (f/3.5-5.6)
- 3-inch LCD screen (921K)
- FullHD 1080p video at 60 fps
- Built-in GPS with compass
- Waterproof up to 15 metres / 49 feet
- Shockproof up to 2 metres / 6.6 feet
- Freezeproof to -10 degrees Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit
Tough Choice
All of these rugged cameras have their own pros and cons and it can be hard to choose, so I suggest you read through Joshua’s
8 tips before buying a camera. Which of the above caught your eye? Are there any other rugged shooters you have used and loved?
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