If you’re going to spend your vacation at a beach in Spain, indulging in a bit of scuba diving or snorkeling, you will want to take your camera with you. But as you are well aware, most ordinary cameras are not water resistant, and incapable of underwater photography.
Don’t let that hold you back – there are a number of waterproof cameras available in the market that not only capture the most stunning underwater photographs, but are capable of withstanding a lot of abuse.
We review some of the best rated, high quality, best tough water proof cameras in this article, which allow you to take photographs at a depth of 30 meters or more. Each waterproof camera discussed here is shockproof and freezeproof, and they are incredibly tough, capable of taking a lot of punishment underwater.
Each of the cameras reviewed here, whether it’s a Nikon waterproof camera or a Canon waterproof camera, come with interesting features of their own, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, GPS location tagging, altimeters, compass and more.
We hope you enjoy these waterproof camera reviews. Just pick any of the top rated digital cameras from this list, capable of taking HD quality videos and start shooting straightaway during your underwater sojourns.
8 best waterproof camera
(1) Nikon COOLPIX AW130 Waterproof Digital Camera with Built-In Wi-Fi (Black)
We begin our waterproof camera reviews with the Nikon Coolpix AW130. This Nikon waterproof camera is a perfect deep underwater camera which comes with a number of cool features. It has GPS functionality, with Wi-Fi connectivity and an interactive world map. It also comes with an underwater depth gauge and a high resolution, HD quality 921k dot OLED monitor. It can take quality photographs up to a depth of 30 meters and is shockproof up to 2.1 meters. It’s perfect for beginners and is reasonably priced at $349.95.
Price: $349.95
Nikon Coolpix waterproof camera
(2) Panasonic DMC-TS30A LUMIX Active Lifestyle Tough Camera (Blue)
The Panasonic DMC-TS30A Lumix is incredibly cheap – it costs just $138 on Amazon and comes with a number of great features. It is freeze-proof for up to 14 degrees, shockproof for a depth of 4.9 ft. and waterproof for a depth of about 26 ft.
It is reasonably tough and delivers high performance for its low price. This top rated camera shoots underwater action in crisp detail and is very user-friendly. It’s perfect for beginners, as it comes with a number if automatic functions that handle everything for you so that you get the perfect shot, effortlessly.
Price: $138
Panasonic DMC-TS30A waterproof camera
(3) Fujifilm FinePix XP90 Waterproof digital camera (Orange)
The Fuji FinePix XP90 is a very user-friendly underwater camera that is priced in the range of $151 to $179, depending on where you buy it from. It is strictly for beginners. This camera is freezeproof for up to 10 degrees, shockproof for a depth of 1.71 meters and waterproof for a depth of 15 meters.
It is certainly cheap compared to some of the other models in the market, and comes with advanced filters. But it does not have GPS and its image quality is not as good as that of some of the other cameras covered here in the waterproof camera reviews. Even so, this budget camera is good enough for a short family vacation at the ocean.
Price: $152
Fujifilm FinePix XP90
(4) Nikon 1 AW1 14.2 MP HD Waterproof, Shockproof Digital Camera System with AW 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 1 NIKKOR Lens (Black)
This Nikon camera is one of the best recommended waterproof cameras on our list. It is actually the first shockproof, waterproof, and interchangeable lens camera ever created. This camera comes with a one-inch, 14.2 megapixel CMOS image sensor which delivers excellent image quality even in dim light.
It is capable of continuous video shooting at high speed at 15 fps with a full autofocus, and can shoot up to 60 fps at fixed focus. It’s not a budget camera for sure – the Nikon 1 AW1 costs $796.95. Still, the price is justifiable considering its high image quality and sheer ruggedness.
Price: $796.95
Nikon waterproof camera
(5) Olympus TG-4 16 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Red)
The Olympus TG-4 is one of the best tough ocean cameras out there. It features a 2.3-inch, 16 MP sensor, a 25-100 mm lens and a 3-inch, 460K dots monitor. It is freezeproof for up to 10 degrees, shockproof for about 2.1 meters underwater and waterproof for about 15 meters underwater. It shoots videos at a resolution of 1080p and is considered ideal for beginners.
There are few cameras out there that are as tough and rugged as the TG-4. It has an excellent build quality and is capable of taking extraordinary punishment. It can survive almost any situation. It has a chunky design, but the controls have been built in beautifully. The TG-4 can be used in any weather. It comes with advanced features such as a GPS system, depth gauge, pressure gauge and an electronic compass.
Price: $349
Olympus TG-4 16 MP Waterproof Digital Camera
(6) Canon PowerShot D30 Waterproof Digital Camera, Blue
This Canon waterproof digital camera is reasonably priced at $299, and is one of the best designed cameras out there. It is waterproof up to a depth of 25 meters, shockproof for up to 2 meters and freezeproof at up to 10 degrees. It has a decent ergonomic design, a nice white balance performance.
It is certainly a pleasure to use, but it does not come with full GPS functionality or built-in Wi-Fi. It does have GPS location tagging, but does not track altitude or depth data. The image quality is not the best, but good enough. This Canon waterproof camera consists of a DIGIC 4 processor and 12.1MP sensor. But it can capture photographs underwater at a depth of 25 meters, which is really as good as it gets for these types of cameras.
Price: $299
Canon waterproof camera
(7) SeaLife Micro 2.0 32GB Wi-Fi Underwater Digital Camera Waterproof up to 200 ft. (60m)
This SeaLife camera is not inexpensive – it costs $499, but it has many advantages. It can take high quality, full 1080p HD videos at a depth of 200 feet or 60 meters under water, which is astonishing. It comes with a built-in ultra-wide 130-degree fisheye lens, consisting of large piano key controls.
It has a built-in Wi-Fi with a massive 32GB internal memory. But it’s not perfect. The rear LCD has a low resolution and there is a lengthy shutter lag. Not everyone likes the fish-eye design, and there is no built-in flash. Still, it can dive deeper than any other camera in its category, which makes it worth the price.
Price: $499
SeaLife Micro 2.0
(8) Olympus TG-870 Tough Waterproof Digital Camera (Black)
The Olympus Tough TG-870 is waterproof up to 50 feet or 15 meters, shockproof up to 7 feet or 2.1 meters, and freezeproof up to 10 degrees. It is a very tough, rugged camera, which can take up to 220 pounds of force. It comes with 13 art filters, GPS functionality and built-in Wi-Fi. The TG-870 consists of 21mm Ultra-Wide Angle Lens, which is capable of a 5X optical zoom. At $314, it is one of the most reasonably priced waterproof cameras out there.
Price: $314
Olympus water resistant camera
Conclusion
So, these are our picks for the best waterproof cameras available in the market right now. Each of the cameras listed here have their own unique features, and their own advantages and disadvantages. What do you make of these waterproof camera reviews? Do you think we have missed out on any of your favorites? Do let us know about it, we look forward to your comments!
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