Good Outdoor Camera

[RussellMcNaughton]

Hi Everyone, I am looking to get a good rugged outdoor camera for snapping photos when I am out walking. I want something that can take a fair amount of abuse and that I can just have tied to my rucksack ready to take a photo at anytime. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Oxon Crawler]

Most of the big brands do waterproof/dustproof/shockproof cameras, for example Olympus TG-1 looks nice + it got an advantage of built in GPS and compass: Olympus TG-1
Or, if you already own a camera and don't want to spend too much of your hard earned dosh, you can try one of the Aquapac cases: Aquapac Camear cases

[tenohfive]

Pick a camera you like for other reasons and stick it in a Lowepro case. My camera gear is worth about £1000 (DSLR, lenses etc) and I've just bought my third Lowepro bag. Their kit is excellent - well padded, light, well designed etc, and whilst alot of their stuff is geared up towards full blown SLR bags they do make cases for compact and bridge cameras that you'll be able to clip to a rucksack. Anything with 'AW' on the end has a waterproof cover that you can pull out when it chucks it down (assuming you don't move it inside your bag.) Have a nosy on Amazon for a few examples once you've picked a camera.

Much better to spend a few quid extra on a case than to compromise on the quality of your camera IMO.

[Caberfeidh]

In subzero temperatures you are better to keep your digital camera inside your jacket, as a wee bit contracts with the cold and shuts it down. It shows a "low battery" warning, but it is really just the cold.

[Border Reiver]

I always used to carry a SLR & although they were good, they were always took up too much space & added extra weight. I bought an excellent Panasonic Lumix compact, but it died when it fell out of my pocket into stream & I had to replace it. Now I've got an Olympus TG1 as well, that I use when I'm out and about. It's drop-proof to 2m, waterproof to 12m, crushproof to 99kg and freezeproof to -10c. It won't compare to a top DSLR, but it's just right for my needs. I just keep it in a pocket and when I need it, it's immediately to hand. If it gets dusty or dirty, I just rinse it in water.

[Alzay]

I've just bought a Pentax Wg-1, it's waterproof,wind proof,freeze proof the works, even comes with a carb to hook it on your rucksack.


http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/Digital%20Compact/optio-WG1

[Michael Thomson]

I was fairly disappointed with the image quality from the Pentax WG-1 to be honest, but I can be more than a bit picky about that. I haven't seen the WG-3 yet.

In my experience the Panasonic FT4 is decent as a good all-rounder; they've also just announced the FT5, but that's an unknown quantity at the moment.

You might also look at the Nikon AW110, or if budget is an issue, the S31.

[rockhopper]

In subzero temperatures you are better to keep your digital camera inside your jacket, as a wee bit contracts with the cold and shuts it down. It shows a "low battery" warning, but it is really just the cold.

Know the problem well ! Fed up with the number of times I take the camera out, it switches on OK but when I press the shutter it just switches off due to the cold. Tried carrying it in my pocket - problem is it then doesn't work due to condensation. Never had these problems with a mechanical 35mm SLR - cheers

[gsaboy]

I use a kodak playsport. I think you can still get them for about £70. It does HD video and is completely waterproof, I use it for some nice underwater shots. I have it in a little pocket on my rucksack strap, and it's never had an issue with the cold. However it's 5mp stills are not great. But I am willing to use it in any conditions, so it's captured some extreme weather.

For proper photos, I have a Canon 7D DSLR in my bag. It's really heavy, but all metal, so can stand a bit of abuse, and frequently spends 10mins sat in the snow for a time lapse shot.

My main advice is that anything with a clever electronic zoom is not going to like cold ice, and wet, and will fail as my panasonic lumix did after 6 months.

I have started using my iphone 5 more, as it's much better quality than the kodak. for photos and videos. I use one of these to keep it safe.
http://www.lifeproof.com/shop/us_en/iphone-5/iphone-5-case

So technically I take 3 cameras! But taking good photos and video is a big part of it for me.

[RussellMcNaughton]

Thanks folks, went for the Pentax WG2. Should take a fair amount if abuse. :-p