Underwater overachievers
As the mercury rises and temperatures sizzle, you’re undoubtedly thinking about taking a plunge into a cool body of water. A pool. A lake. An ocean. If you want to snap some photographs of your waterside fun, you’ll need to think about getting a waterproof camera. The ones developed a generation ago were bulky, steel-encased gizmos the size of toasters. Today’s submersible cameras are small, sophisticated and light. We tested four models in a neighborhood swimming pool, including a one-time-use camera that utilizes (gasp!) film.
-- Hugo Martin
ALL-WET WINNER
First look: At first glance, you wouldn’t know the Olympus Stylus 850 SW is waterproof, shock resistant and freeze resistant. It looks like any other sleek, high-tech digital camera with a sharp 2.5-inch LCD screen and built-in flash.
Likes and yikes: You can drop the Stylus 850 SW from 5 feet above the ground, dunk it in a pool to a depth of 10 feet and chill it to a temperature of 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and it will still produce sharp, 8-megapixel photos. Even better, it has 3X optical zoom and face-detection software to tell human subjects from the landscape. That’s why the Olympus ranks at the top of the four models we tested. The only downside to this 5-ounce camera: The tiny buttons are difficult to work underwater.
The 411: $300, available at Wal-Mart, Fry’s Electronics and www.amazon.com, or call (888) 553-4448.
--
EASILY SHOCKED
First look: The Pentax Optio W30 is another small, light camera that is submersible to 10 feet. The Optio has a 3X optical zoom, face-recognition capability, 7.1-megapixel sharpness, a built-in flash and a 2.5-inch viewing screen.
Yikes and likes: Like the Olympus, the Pentax takes sharp photos above and below the water’s surface. But don’t drop the Optio -- it’s not shock proof. The buttons are small but easy to use underwater.
The 411: $300, available at Circuit City, Wal-Mart and at www.pentaxwebstore.com, or call (800) 877-0155.
--
SERIOUS SINKER
First look: The SeaLife ECOshot is for serious underwater enthusiasts. It’s submersible to 75 feet and can withstand a drop from 6 feet off the ground. The ECOshot takes 6-megapixel-quality photos but offers no optical zoom, only digital zoom and no face-recognition abilities.
Likes and yikes: The camera weighs about half a pound and is wrapped in hard, military-strength rubber. It is so sturdy and heavy that you could use it as a weapon. This is a heavy piece of hardware that you should consider buying only if you need it to document a perilous underwater adventure. Otherwise, consider the Stylus or the Optio.
The 411: $230, available at Sport Chalet and most scuba supply shops or go to www.sealife-cameras.com to find the nearest retailer. For more information, call SeaLife at (856) 866-9191.
--
SINGLE-USE SLAM DUNK
First look: Maybe you don’t want to spend more than $200 on a waterproof camera. In that case, consider buying a one-time-use, 35-mm camera such as the Kodak Sport. The Sport is light, easy to use, shock resistant and waterproof to 50 feet.
Likes and yikes: If you can get past the idea that this still relies on film, you’ll find that the Kodak Sport takes a pretty photo. You don’t get many accessories, but as long as you have good lighting, the Sport’s pictures are more than adequate.
The 411: About $10, available at REI and other sporting-good stores, or call Kodak at (888) 368-6600.
