What is a Waterproof Camera?
Waterproof camera is a digital camera that made to be ready to use in water with no underwater housing and waterproof case require. Its electronic circuit is protected from water leakage by adding rubber seals to completely close the gap between the seam of body case, buttons and the cover of battery, memory card and ports compartment. That makes it’s not just water resistant, but it’s waterproof and can be taken to dive.
The deepest waterproof camera at this time is Panasonic Lumix TS7 which can be submerged to depths up to 102 feet.
Not Only Waterproof But Also Rugged
Top brands of this camera type do not have only waterproof capability, but it also comes with packed of capabilities that ordinary cameras do not have.
Shockproof - In addition to water pressure, their case are also designed to be tough enough to withstand impact. From the claims of manufacturers tested by dropping them at various heights on plywood panel. The highest shockproof model at this time is Nikon CoolPix W300 which can withstand a drop from a height of up to 7.9 feet.
Freezeproof - Most waterproof cameras can withstand cold weather, which have been tested in sub-zero temperatures. The brand name like Olympus, Nikon, Panasonic, Sony and Canon confirm that their cameras can operate at temperatures as low as 14°F (-10°C).
Crushproof & Dustproof - On some top models have added these features to support using the camera in extreme conditions that need to contact dust or sand — like Olympus Tough TG-5 is dustproof and can withstand to crush up to 220 lbf (100 kgf).
However, not all models have all these features. Please make sure that the camera to be purchased meets your needs.
How Good It Is
Save Money
Before having waterproof camera, to take photos of water activities requires waterproof case or underwater housing to prevent water from entering the camera. Which are usually sold separately — that make you have to pay more (about $25 - $70 for waterproof case and up to $400 for underwater housing).
Convenient to Use
In the use of waterproof equipment, it must be assembled before use that is quite fussy and time consuming — spend some time for case and use more for housing. But for waterproof camera, it does not require preparation. It’s already waterproof and ready to get wet.