Best waterproof point & shoot camera?

[oceanbound]

Canon power-shots are good cameras for P&S. A570 was a great one which has been discontinued but I had found a second one on ebay a while back. I like my SX1is but don't recommend it as UW due to having a have a very large Ikelite housing. If you want to spend a bit more then sea & sea 2G is good too

 

[davetowz]

Sealife Mini II is an awesome camera for a good price.

 

[leo]

Go Pro is nice

OP still here...
Thanks for all the replies, especially the reminder that DPReview is a great resource (it's been a couple of years since I shopped for a camera - DSLR at the time - love DPReview).

Please remember, the topic is waterproof cameras - NO housing.

Does GoPro offer a waterproof (no housing) camera?

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Nope-that's what keeps the water out

 

[Larry C]

No personal experience with it, but Nikon just came out with an UW camera that goes to 10 meters and has high end features, the AW-1. They're pricey, and too new to get much on them, but there are a couple of reviews online if you Google it. I've seen them lately at Costco.

 

[leo]

OP here.
I'm bumping this as I still haven't bought an waterproof point-and-shoot snorkel camera to replace my (now broken) 7+ year old Olympus.

I recently read the DPReviews 2013 review, and they don't like any of the cameras being sold calling them all less than desired.

As it's been more than a year since it was last discussed, does anyone have a great experience with a waterproof camera for snorkeling that is an easy (that means no housing units considered) point-and-shoot for snorkeling (not for high quality dive photography), and will provide good quality color photos and some short vid clips?

It seems that every Amazon review I read tells of poor color and photo quality, artifacts, poor color reproduction, etc. (ignoring 1* reviews, just reading the average reviews)... I can't find even one brand of waterproof camera that seems to do well for snorkeling (although DP does note that the Olympus might be the best of the bad market).

 

[PeterNBiddle]

Why no case? That seems like an arbitrary condition?

 

[drrich2]

I'm bumping this as I still haven't bought an waterproof point-and-shoot snorkel camera to replace my (now broken) 7+ year old Olympus.

Which means you haven't been getting & enjoying photos of trips in the interim, which you can't go back and take since that time is past.

If the current state of technology isn't quite what you're after, do the best you can with what's available, and in 3 or 4 years buy another that's better.

Or forfeit the photos you could take & enjoy in the interim waiting for an excellent case-less submersible point & shoot with excellent photo quality that's not real expensive.

Could be quite a wait, if history has taught us rightly. I've been watching this market off & on, too, with similar frustrations.

Following up with Peter said, think about a compact Canon in an underwater case. Could still be pretty small, and a case rated for scuba diving ought to be good protection for a snorkeler, plus it might take better photos on land.

Richard.

 

[PeterNBiddle]

Following up with Peter said, think about a compact Canon in an underwater case. Could still be pretty small, and a case rated for scuba diving ought to be good protection for a snorkeler, plus it might take better photos on land.

Richard.

Here are some results from a Canon ELPH in a Canon case, no flash. Huge fan of this setup.

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/peternbiddle/sets/72157635121073299/

 

[leo]

Why no case? That seems like an arbitrary condition?

The concept is hanging at the beach and snorkeling, not diving. The search is for a point and shoot (not a DSLR). I want a camera that I keep in my pocket, and if I run from beach to reef I don't need to do anything but have the camera on me, and can enter the water with zero "camera prep time". And, with a case the camera doesn't fit in my swimsuit pocket. Thx

---------- Post added September 14th, 2013 at 05:46 PM ----------

Which means you haven't been getting & enjoying photos of trips in the interim, which you can't go back and take since that time is past.

If the current state of technology isn't quite what you're after, do the best you can with what's available, and in 3 or 4 years buy another that's better.

Or forfeit the photos you could take & enjoy in the interim waiting for an excellent case-less submersible point & shoot with excellent photo quality that's not real expensive.

Could be quite a wait, if history has taught us rightly. I've been watching this market off & on, too, with similar frustrations.

Following up with Peter said, think about a compact Canon in an underwater case. Could still be pretty small, and a case rated for scuba diving ought to be good protection for a snorkeler, plus it might take better photos on land.

Richard.

I have no idea why you think we've missed past photos. We have other cameras that work for anything other than snorkeling (DSLR for most shooting, non-waterproof point and shoot for non-DSLR stuff, the lame old Olympus which worked fine until our last tropical visit).

Yes, all I can do is do with what's available, thus my post. What's the best available given my use (as detailed)? Thx

A case won't fit in the pocket of the swimsuit, which I'm walking around in all day, so that makes the camera too big - my search is for a normal sized (thus no case) point and shoot. Thx