Decided to throw together a quick summary of the current generation waterproof cameras on the market.

(Updated: July 2009)

Fuji Z33

Price: Lowest: $360, Typical: $445-$499

Waterpoof to 3m.

Pentax W60 (Obsolete model)

Price: $500+

Waterproof to 4m, freeze and dustproof. lens 28mm - 140mm

Manual controls: white balance, focus

Pentax W80 (New Model)

Price:

Waterproof to 5m, water, dust, cold, and shockproof. Lens 28-140mm

Manual control: white balance, focus

Olympus Tough 6000

Price: Lowest $466.00, Typical $520+

Waterproof 3m, dust, shock, and freezeproof. 28-105 mm

Olympus Tough 8000

Price: Lowest $606, Typical $660

toughest camera on the market. Waterproof 10m, freeze, shock, dust and crashproof...

Canon PowerShot D10

Price: Lowest: $610, typical $650-$750

Second only to the Olympus Tough in regards to "tough features".

Waterproof 10m, Freeze, Shock and Dustproof. Lens is 35-105mm.

Manual control for white balance.

Panasonic FT1 (TS1)

Price: Lowest: $698, typical: $750-$800

Waterproof 3m, dust and shock proof. 28mm - 128mm.

Manual control for white balance.

Best Movie Mode

(All of the above cameras have Manual control for Exposure compensation)

Image Quality....

Best: Canon D10, Panasonic FT1, Pentax W60

Middle: Olympus Tough 6000

Bottom: Olympus Tough 8000, Fuji Z33

Reviews:

Group test: Canon D10, Pentax W60, Fuji Z33, Olympus 6000 and 8000

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q209waterproofgroup/

Panasonic TS1 / FT1 Review

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/TS1/TS1A.HTM

Canon D10 review

">http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D10/D10A.HTM

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2009_reviews/canon_d10.html

Pentax Optio W60

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/W60/W60A.HTM[/url]

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2008_reviews/optio_w60.html">http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/W60/W60A.HTM[/url]

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2008_reviews/optio_w60.html

Olympus Tough 6000

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2009_reviews/olympus_tough6000.html

Prices are just a rough guide, I have copied the lowest price from Pricespy, plus a price more typical from the model. http://pricespy.co.nz/cat_13.html  

 

Yeah, I have heard of that happening before with Olympus range of waterproof cameras.   I would try and dig up a bit of info regarding the other manufacturers warranty.

More a video then a still camera Isn't it?   Now that I check it seems to be a Camera/video hybrid.

Sanyo VPC-CA9
http://sanyo.com/xacti/english/products/vpc_ca9/index.html
Waterproof: 1.5m
Lens: 38-190mm
high-definition video

Can not find a NZ price, maybe it has a different model number here or it has not been released....

A quick note about Sanyo, it might be easy to go and bash Sanyo as a cheap brand. But if memory serves me correctly they do have a large OEM manufacturing component to their business which constructs the Cameras for two top tier manufacturers. So they do have the technology to make high quality cameras.

They also make the best long life rechargeable batteries, the Sanyo eneloop. In saying that, their Battery side probably has nothing to do with their consumer electronic manufacturing...   

Pentax just announced their new waterproof camera, its a continuation of their W series.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09062501pentaxw80.asp

Pentax W80

Lens: 28-140mm    

Waterproof at depths of up to 5 meters for two hours, shockproof for drops of up to 3.3 feet (1m) and coldproof up to -10 degrees Celsius.

Might be a clearance sale shortly on the W60.

Half these cameras would be useless for guys and their underwater pursuits. I mean a camera rated to 1.5m is hardly going to be suitable for jack

buy cheap get cheap, buy the best and you wont be sorry :)

KeriBOI wrote: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q209waterproofgroup/ just out, a  very good group test of course canon is WIN :)

Sweet, I was waiting for this review to be published.  

Good to see that Pentax has gotten their act together and have produced a decent camera. I wonder if the W80 would be a improvement....  Fuji knows how to make a good camera, their F series is a example of that...  Probably best to avoid anything Fuji  unless they are using their SuperCCD EXR sensor.

Its a pity that the Panasonic TS1 was not included in the review, IMO it was the only real competition to the Canon. 

Here is a review on the TS1 for anyone interested

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/TS1/TS1A.HTM

Canon D10 Review from the same site

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D10/D10A.HTM

It looks like the DCresource mega review should include the new Pentax and the Panasonic. But that appears to be several months away from being published. 

I've got the Sanyo Xacti, not sure which model. It's pretty much a complete hybrid, which is nifty. Only area that it is rubbish in is low light situations. Photos tend to be blurry. Possibly this is my inadequacy. But it's fantastic for underwater videos. I've got some very nifty ones of trout swimming away. Think the price was something like $550 Aus. Hmmm interesting to see that Canon make a good waterproof camera, I am a wee bit of a slut for canons... but still, I'm very happy with what i've got.

I think this thread is worthy of a bump.

I think there is a few new models on the market since the last update. I know Pentax has announced a new one.  I beleive the main change is a slightly longer telescopic lens.  Would have to check and update when I have the time.