It seems that most every activity I do during summer takes place around water. Many manufacturers make point-and-shoot waterproof cameras that you can take to the pool, the beach, rafting on the river, or walking through a rainy rainforest. Where a regular camera can be severely damaged by water, these cameras can handle everything from a heavy rain to diving up to 30 feet underwater.
These cameras can also handle rugged conditions. They are shockproof to handle banging on a rock, and dirt-proof to handle a beach or laying around a campground. They keep out water and dirt by using double locks on the battery/memory card compartment.
The new crop of waterproof and outdoor point-and-shoot cameras can take amazing shots at up to 16 megapixels. They can shoot continuous photos to capture action, and most can take high definition movies with sound.
The Most Important Feature to Consider
While photo quality and clarity is ultimately what you are looking for, you can't shoot what you can't see. LCD displays have replaced viewfinders. You look at the LCD to compose the photo. It's important that you can see the image on the LCD screen in all situations. Unfortunately, LCD screens can be hard to see outdoors, particularly on a bright sunny beach. In testing these outdoor cameras, I was surprised to see that this was still a problem. If possible, take the camera out into the sunshine before you buy.
A good LCD display is also important when playing back the photos you have shot. If the LCD screen is dim or washed out and cannot be adjusted, you may not know whether or not you got the shot you wanted.
Features You May Want
Automatic Scene Selection
It's easy to put a point-and-shoot camera on automatic, then point and shoot. Perhaps you've discovered that many cameras feature scene modes to enhance different shooting situations. A Landscape scene mode will enhance the blues and greens as well as focus for a distance shot. Beach scene mode will adjust for bright light reflected from sand and water so the photos are properly exposed.
Now the automatic mode and scene mode have been combined into an auto scene mode. The camera will evaluate what you are about to shoot and choose the best scene mode. It can tell whether you are at the beach, shooting a backlit person, a landscape, or a portrait. Many can even detect when you go underwater and switch to the underwater mode automatically. You'll need to wipe off the camera and lens so it can sense scenes out of the water again. The results are excellent.
HDR
If you want a photo that is perfectly exposed both in the shadows and with the perfect clouds in the sky, look for a camera with the HDR (high dynamic range feature). Check out this article on perfect exposure to learn more.
Built-in GPS
The built-in GPS feature of these cameras will add the location to the photo file so you know where it was shot. Some cameras can display a map of your current location including coordinates.
Motion Panorama for Smooth Sweeping Views
Certainly you've experienced standing on a mountain top and the 360 degree view is stunning. If you ever tried to capture it in a camera with a still panorama setting, the results can be choppy because the separate photos don't line up perfectly. The Motion Panorama feature fixes this problem by taking a continuous photo in one sweeping motion across the horizon. Some cameras offer a choice between a 180 degree or 360 degree full circle view. Other cameras guide you to stay straight as your pan the camera horizontally.
Help Taking Better Portraits
Not only do these new wave of waterproof point-and-shoot cameras focus on faces, they have smile detection and blink detection. The photo will wait or shoot a second photo if the subject is not smiling or if they blink. Self portrait assist improves those awkward hold-your-camera-out-pictures-of-you-and-friends. Fujifilm's Finepix XP150 solves the problem of whether to use natural light or a flash by taking two portraits in succession—one with and one without flash. Nikon CoolPix AW100 has soft focus, and the Oympus Tough TG-820 has gentle Beauty settings.
Low Light Shooting
Along with scene modes to capture indoor parties and candlelight, many cameras will adjust the settings for the best photos in low light. Steady camera features and auto adjusting the ISO (light sensitivity) so the picture isn't blurred are a couple of ways to get the best photos in low light.
A Tip About Care of Waterproof Cameras
If you take your camera into a chlorinated pool, or especially if you use it in salt water, you must thoroughly rinse the camera. Hold it under running water for several minutes or soak it in a bucket of fresh water then dry it with a soft towel and lens cloth. The seals that keep the battery compartment dry can deteriorate after a year of frequent use in salt water, so bring them to a camera dealer (or Geek Squad) to have the rubber seals on the doors replaced before they leak.
Haver you ever gotten your camera wet?
