Best Underwater Digital Camera

For people who like photography, you must know that a camera doesn't come cheap, especially if you're considering a professional one. Along with the camera, the equipment too is equally expensive. I still remember, to get my first professional camera, I had to save for almost a year, after which I happened to possess my most valuable possession. I was always interested in underwater photography. What fascinates me about it is its alluring beauty and being close to nature. Underwater photographs have this amazing quality about them that is unexplainable. Hence, to click some great pictures you will require the best underwater digital camera that you can afford.

The most important factor while determining which camera you want to purchase, is to first identify your requirements. Would you really want a camera that can function at a depth of 30ft when you're barely going to go a foot deep? Now since you will be clicking pictures underwater, you must consider features like the picture quality, battery life, how easy is it to operate underwater, and so on. Let's take a look at the best contenders in this waterproof digital camera comparison.

Best Waterproof Digital Camera: Reviews

Canon PowerShot D10
Canon is a renowned name in photography. Most professional photographers swear by the quality of its products. It not only produces some impressive pictures, but also comes up with products having cutting edge technology. Amongst one of their masterpieces is the PowerShot D10. It is a 12.1 MP camera with an LCD of 2.5". With this camera you can click pictures going as deep as 33 feet. And one of the best features I liked about this particular product is the excellent picture quality and ease of use. It's probably one of the best point and shoot cameras.

Olympus Stylus Tough 8000
Another reliable name in the field of photography is the Olympus, which has been a big name since a long time. It was Olympus who brought to the world one of their remarkable creations which was the E-3 Digital SLR. I was quite impressed with its image quality and its resistance to water. In the category of underwater cameras, my personal favorite is the Stylus Tough 8000. It has a 12 MP camera, has 24 shooting modes, and it can shoot multiple frames per second (fps). Besides being one of the best waterproof digital cameras around, it is also shake-proof, shock-proof, dust-proof, freeze-proof, and crush-proof. Phew! According to me it can easily be the best camera in the market today.

Fujifilm FinePix XP10
Fuji has also been making some impressive quality cameras. Its contribution is the FinePix XP10 waterproof digital camera. It has a 10 MP sensor, 5X optical zoom, and comes with features such as face detection and scene recognition. The best part I like about this product is the HD movie recording, which can be very useful for people who would want to make their videos seem like movies or documentaries. As far as the price is concerned, it is estimated to be approx. $170. I would say value for money, and quite easily a good deal under $200.

Nikon CoolPix AW100
The CoolPix is quite a slim camera even for a regular digital one, let alone chunky waterproof digital cameras. Its constitution can withstand a depth of up to 10 meters, is freeze-proof to a temperature of -10 degrees C, and is shock-proof up to 5 feet. This camera comes with an added feature which is the Vibration Reduction, it helps minimize blurring in pics taken by unsteady hands. Besides Motion Detection and the Best Shot Selector, it also comes fitted with a GPS receiver. Its 16 MP sensor helps remove above-average images however, its highest resolution is best avoided. This camera is available under $300.

Sony Cybershot TX10
Sony has endowed the TX10 with the standard features of a underwater camera which include it being shock-proof of drops up to 5ft, freeze-proof to -10 degrees C, and can survive a dunk in water up to 5 meters. However, along with all this it also features an improved image sensor that the company claims to have improved bad-lighting images. It has a SteadyShot image stabilizer, smile detection, and a Sweep Panorama mode for that extra scenery that you want to capture. It excels best in its ability to bring out good color in the images, however, all other factors remain as they are when compared to its predecessor, the TX5. Available under $310.

Pentax Optio WG-1 GPS Gray
If you're looking for some exceptional quality features from your camera, then I think you must get the WG-1. Pentax is one of the oldest names in camera manufacturing. This one is a 14 MP camera, and it also allows you to do 720p HD video recording, it has a huge 2.7" LCD screen which presents perfect wide angle shooting. Being dust-proof and freeze-proof up to 14 degrees F, it can tolerate an underwater depth of 33 feet. And to add to all of that, it has a GPS device fitted so that you can tag locations. Available under $350.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3
This classic from Panasonic Lumix may not even look like an underwater camera in the first place. But then, it is said to produce some amazing underwater pictures. It is a 12.1 MP camera with GPS and video recording. It is waterproof up to a depth of 40ft, shock-proof up to 6.6ft, and dust and freeze-proof. It also has a barometric sensor fitted into it. Another feature of this product that makes it stand apart is its bursting speed which is probably the highest amongst the rest, i.e. 10 fps.

Samsung AQ100
A new entry into the world of digital underwater cameras is the Samsung AQ100. Compared to most underwater cameras, its best feature is its price that it's available at. Of course, besides that, it does have a range of features, some of which are even comparable to the Fuji Z33. Withstanding a dunking up to 10ft, this camera has an average sensor at 12.2 MP, and is dust resistant, however, it seems to be compatible only with Windows' OS, so that is a big letdown. All in all, it's a budget underwater camera and is new in the market at a very affordable price of $110, hence this should be a good buy for some light photo sessions.

SeaLife DC1000
If you are looking for an underwater camera for professional underwater photography then the DC1000 will be the most appropriate choice for you. SeaLife is a brand that specializes in making underwater cameras. This 10 MP, 25X zoom, auto focus, fast shutter speed response time camera can withstand depths up to 200ft. Available under $500.

If the cost of the cameras are going beyond your budget, then you can always go in for a disposable camera. All in all, the aforementioned digital camera models are all perfectly suitable for an amateur. They all have a decent range when it comes to the power of their sensors and are quite easy to use. It's always suggestible to first read up on all the choices thoroughly before going in for one. There are a lot of reviews pertaining to the best underwater cameras online, and you will need to go through a few of them to enable you to make an informed decision.