The Good Gears
THE GOOD GEARS

Waterproof Camera

The waterproof camera is ideal for those who prefer water activities. You don’t have to spend money on waterproof case and mess to put your digital camera in it. Moreover, it’s also tough enough to withstand shocks, dust and freeze. That makes it works well from under the sea to snow mountain whether sunny or rainy, waterproof camera can capture photos of all your activities.

Best Waterproof Camera 2020


Olympus Tough TG-5
Best Overall
12MP
Sensor
4K
Video
50 ft
Waterproof
7 ft
Shockproof
14°F
Freezeproof
220 lbf
Crushproof
4x
Opt Zoom
f/2.0-4.9
Aperture
100-12800
ISO
This well-built camera is not just waterproof, TG-5 was designed to take quality underwater photos. The high ISO and wide aperture make it can capture more details with less blur in low light conditions—like shooting fish in the sea. Moreover, it allows shooting in RAW format for serious photographer.


Nikon CoolPix W300
Best Waterproofing
16MP
Sensor
4K
Video
100 ft
Waterproof
7.9 ft
Shockproof
14°F
Freezeproof
5x
Opt Zoom
f/2.8-4.9
Aperture
125-6400
ISO
If you want to dive deeper, W300 can go with you. It has great waterproof ability close to the use of underwater housing that it can submerge to a dept of 100 feet. It also comes with onboard depth gauge to let you know how deep you have dived.


Fujifilm FinePix XP130
Best Budget
16.4MP
Sensor
1080p
Video
65 ft
Waterproof
5.8 ft
Shockproof
14°F
Freezeproof
5x
Opt Zoom
f/3.9-4.9
Aperture
100-6400
ISO
XP130 is a nice little rugged camera. It’s not only slim body that can fit in the pocket, but it’s also sturdy enough to carry anywhere and still works well above and below water. It’s easy to use and image clarity is good for point-and-shoot camera.



Comparison Reviews

Waterproof camera comparison chart
Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300 Fujifilm XP130
Model Olympus TG-5 Nikon W300 Fujifilm XP130
Resolution 12 MP 16 MP 16.4 MP
Video 4K / 30p 4K / 30p 1080p / 60 fps
Optical Zoom 4x 5x 5x
Sensor 1/2.3” 1/2.3” 1/2.3”
Focal Length
(equiv 35mm)
4.5-18 mm
(25-100 mm)
4.3-21.5 mm
(24-120 mm)
5-25 mm
(28-140 mm)
Aperture f/2.0-4.9 f/2.8-4.9 f/3.9-4.9
ISO 100 - 12800 125 - 6400 100 - 6400
Shutter Speed 1/2000 - 4 sec 1/4000 - 1 sec 1/2000 - 4 sec
Connection
USB
HDMI

Wi-Fi
USB
HDMI

Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
USB
HDMI

Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Image Format JPEG, RAW JPEG JPEG
Video Format MPEG-4 / H.264 MPEG-4 / H.264 MPEG-4
Waterproof 50 ft (15 m) 100 ft (30 m) 65 ft (20 m)
Shockproof 7 ft (2.1 m) 7.9 ft (2.4 m) 5.8 ft (1.75 m)
Freezeproof 14°F (-10°C) 14°F (-10°C) 14°F (-10°C)
Crushproof 220 lbf (100 kgf) - -
Dustproof Yes Yes Yes
Tools
GPS
Compass

Manometer
Temp
GPS
Compass

Altimeter
Depth
-
Screen 3” LCD 460K dots 3” LCD 921K dots 3” LCD 920K dots
Dimensions 4.45 x 2.6 x 1.26 in 4.4 x 2.6 x 1.2 in 4.3 x 2.7 x 1.0 in
Weight 0.55 lb (8.82 oz) 0.51 lb (8.2 oz) 0.45 lb (7.3 oz)

Olympus Tough TG-5 offers outstanding image quality. It has wide aperture (f/2.0) and high ISO (12800) that’s great for taking underwater photos. It can record still images in RAW format which is great for photographers who want to edit the images perfectly.

Nikon CoolPix W300 is very tough that it can be used underwater to a dept of 100 feet and resists to shock up to 7.9 feet, and also shoots well. The W300 has a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 sec and can record high definetion video up to 4K (3840 x 2160) at 30/25p.

Both Olympus TG-5 and Nikon W300 come with built-in sensors such as GPS, compass, thermometer, barometer etc. that are very useful for extreme activities. And also support Wi-Fi connection for easy transfer images and video to smartphone.

Fuji FinePix XP130 is the cheapest camera of these 3 models but tough. It’s waterproof to 65 feet, shockproof to 5.8 feet and freezeproof. It has 16.4 million effective pixels and 5x optical zoom. The XP130 is easy to carry with 1 inch thickness and weighs only 0.45 pounds.

Which One?

If you’re not going to use a camera deeper than 50 feet, Olympus TG-5 is a good choice. It shoots well on land and underwater, and gets good reviews from DPReview and TechRadar. List price (MSRP) of the TG-5 is $449, but some online stores offer around $400 or under that makes it more attractive.

If you’re passionate about diving and want to dive deeper than 50 feet, you need to choose Nikon W300. It’s the deepest waterproof camera at this time and has been recommended by Top Ten Reviews.

If you have a limited budget, Fuji XP130 is a great waterproof camera under $200. It has no advance mode and measuring tools like high-end models. It’s just a simple compact camera which enhanced waterproof capability.

Other Options

Panasonic Lumix TS7 is the latest waterproof camera, launched in May 2018, featured with high sensor resolution (20.4MP) and high waterproof ability (102 feet). TS7 is also the first waterproof camrea with viewfinder.

Ricoh WG-50 has a unique sport design. Featuring with small 6 LEDs around the lens for lighting up the object when shooting in digital microscope mode.

Waterproof Disposable Camera is a film camera designed for one-time-use. Coming with pre-loaded 35mm film and fixed focus lens. It’s just waterproof but not shockproof and freezeproof like waterproof digital camera. The only advantage is very cheap (less than $10).

Snorkeling, Hiking, Skiing
What is a Waterproof Camera?
It comes with packed of capabilities that make it can be used in situations that ordinary digital cameras cannot.
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4 Basic Underwater Photography Tips for Beginners
If you are about to go snorkeling or diving on vacation, here are some simple photography tips for shooting underwater photos like a pro.
Questions and answers of waterproof camera
Questions & Answers
If you have some questions about waterproof camera, you can try to find out the answers here.