[UPDATE: I have posted a usage report for this camera, please check it out here!]
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After thinking a little while about my different options for taking photos underwater (post: “Waterproof Camera Search“), I’ve decided on the newly released Olympus Tough 8000.
My options were the following:
1) Buy a cheap waterproof camera with decent underwater capabilities: Olympus 1050SW submerges up to 3 meters, and the Pentax W60 submerges up to 4 meters. Total price comes in around $200.
2) Buy a cheap digital camera + waterproof housing: basically any cheaper digital camera for around $200 or less + a waterproof housing that also costs around $200. Puts the total price at around $400 with submersion capabilities of around 40 meters.
3) Buy the Olympus Tough 8000: Costs around $500 and can submerge up to 10 meters.
Analysis of options:
1) The problem with this option is that I’m afraid 3-4 meters isn’t enough depth. The last thing I want to be worrying about while snorkeling is my camera. Advantages are the price and the fact that the cameras can be used during rain, skiing, and etc.
2) The problem here is that a cheap digital camera is well… not that great and “behind the times”. Other than for snorkeling, I would never use the camera; without its waterproof housing, the camera is just as fragile as any other digital camera I already have. Not to mention the fact that the $200 waterproof housing will only work with that one camera. Advantage is in submersion capability.
3) The problem with this option is that it’s the most expensive solution, and even so, it’s not the best in terms of submersion depth. But, for an extra $100 over option #2, I have 10 meters of depth to work with (I’m not scuba diving, mind you), no need for clunky waterproof housing, and the camera can withstand quite a beating out of the water as well.
So.. I went with option #3. … Unfortunately, the camera costs a lot of money and my initial impression of it is, well… only mixed: I’m getting a rather high percentage of blurred pictures at the moment. I’ll post up an “impressions” report after I’ve used this camera some more.
