Sport All Sports

It used to be that underwater cameras were of interest only to divers, mostly recreational scuba divers and underwater photographers, and it’s likely a good bet that this was due mostly to their high cost, not to mention the fact the equipment was awkward and bulky. But now that’s a thing of the past.

Manufacturers of waterproof digital cameras have been able to bring down both the size and cost to where these devices are compact and affordable. This is of course great news for divers, but even more so for those of us tired of always having to “mind” the camera when enjoying outdoors sports and recreational activities, or just at the beach on family vacation.

After all, the times we most often want to use a camera are while on vacation or holiday, or while we or our kids are involved in some form of outdoor pursuit. And during those times it’s rarely always sunny and clear. Rather we’re in the midst of whatever elements happen to be present, be it water, snow, rain, sand, salt, dirt, or mud, not to mention wild variations in temperature.

And if the harshness of the elements wasn’t enough, what about the survivability of that digital camera after falling from a pocket onto the rocks, or slipping from our hand to the cement? Of course that’s nothing compared to what cameras undergo when they get into the hands of little kids. You can be sure that’s all she wrote.

Now at long last, a few manufacturers of underwater cameras have come up with models that are watertight, requiring no additional external housing. They also have settings that can be changed depending on whether or not you’re shooting in the water. In “underwater” modes, the shutter speed and aperture adjustments compensate for lower lighting conditions typically encountered under water.

When switched to “land” mode they work like any other land camera allowing the operator optimal performance out of water. They are also compact, rugged, shock-proof and crush-proof. You can drop one from several feet up and not hurt it. The compact size and light weight make them extremely convenient to take along everywhere.

The compact, point & shoot dive cameras such as those made by SeaLife are good down to 75 or 130 feet, plus they’re rugged, compact and inexpensive. Olympus also makes their super-compact Stylus SW models that are shockproof and waterproof to 10 or 33 feet. If desired, external housings good to 130 feet can be obtained for the Olympus.

The 6 megapixel SeaLife Mini and ECOshot are similar except for having different depth ratings, and provide protection for the camera via a rugged polycarbonate case that is rubber-armored. In fact one torture test showed that even after a car drove over and then parked on top of the camera, it still worked fine.

Though the SeaLifes are compact, the Olympus models are sub-compacts that easily slide into a pocket. They range from 7 to 10 megapixels, and provide their crushproof shock protection with a metal case that has components cushioned internally.

Aside from very small size and slightly higher cost, the Olympus models differ in that they offer more features, but have shallower waterproof ratings. However they are plenty waterproof for use as an outdoor sports camera, and even snorkeling with no external housing. The SeaLife Mini dive camera may appeal more to divers who can kill two birds at once since its rated to 130 feet with no additional housing.

In terms of finding the best all-purpose sports camera, the manufacturers already mentioned both offer compact, low-cost alternatives. Features are much the same except for variations in depth, size, and resolution, and it mostly depends on your primary intended use.

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