Until recently, taking photos underwater required some very expensive camera gear. In the last couple of years however, camera manufacturers have perfected the process that has made waterproof cameras affordable.
There are now four great models available through BestBuy.ca that can put the power of go-anywhere photography in your hands. And this is the perfect time of year to pick up a waterproof camera; summer vacation is on the way and no matter how old you are, all the best ways to keep cool involve lots of water. With a water proof camera you never need to worry about bringing your camera to the beach, lake or neighbourhood waterfight. When you combine water, sunlight and people having fun you’ve got the perfect ingredients for fun and dramatic photographs.
The most budget-friendly unit here at BestBuy.ca is the Nikon Coolpix S32 which is waterproof to 33 feet, safe to drop from a height of 5ft, and capable of shooting in minus 10C conditions, so you’ll never have to miss a selfie opportunity on a chairlift with a chill wind blowing!
The S32 is a great camera for kids, and not just because it can withstand a fall, but also because the controls are simple and the buttons are big. It can record Full HD videos, so you can capture those dive bombs in all their glory. Vibration reduction will make your videos steadier and more polished, straight out of the camera.The S32 has a 3x optical zoom which lets you get closer to the action, and when it does detect action the Motion Detection feature kicks in to prevent blurred images and ensure everything is nice and sharp. And at the end of your busy day having fun and shooting photos you can look through your photos on the big 2.7” screen and apply cool filters to your favourites.
The next step up in terms of Nikon cameras is the Coolpix AW120, which is waterproof to 59 feet and dropable from a height of 6.6 feet. One of the cool additional features here is the built in wifi which allows you to share images instantly to your smartphone or tablet. You can also download the Nikon Wireless Mobility Utility to your device which will actually allow you to take photos remotely, so you can pop the camera on a tripod, join the group and take the shot yourself, without doing the ‘Self-timer Hustle’.
The AW120 also comes with a GPS system with all the bells and whistles. It can locate your position on a map and show you local points of interest. It will tag the photos you take with location coordinates so that you can map your photos later on. It can even tell you the depth you were at and the direction you were facing! The AW120 really is a great travel companion, smart as an eighth grader and tough as a hiking boot. Available in orange, black, blue, and coolest of all – camouflage.
The Fujifilm Finepix XP70 has the same toughness attributes as the Nikon S32; waterproof to 33 feet, dropable from 5 feet, and operational to -10C. It comes with nice 5x optical zoom and image stabilization ,which means your photos stay sharp even when you’re fully zoomed in. It’s wifi enabled to allow you to instantly download and share your images via your smartphone or tablet. With the dedicated record button, you can quickly capture HD movies and edit them right there on the camera, so they’re ready to upload as soon as you get back to the villa/yacht/basecamp. Available in blue, yellow and red.
Our final camera is from Olympus, the TG-850, which again is waterproof to 33 feet and operational at -10C.
The beauty of the TG-850 is that it’s dropable 
from 7 feet and can also withstand a crushing force of 220 pounds – that’s more than the average Canadian weighs! It has a big (3”) tilting LCD monitor, which is a great feature, and also a super-wide 21mm equivalent lens, which means you’ll get a wider view and more of the action. Available in black silver and white.
So there’s a run down of a selection of waterproof cameras available at Best Buy. Definitely worth picking one up for your summer vacation this year!
