The Price:

$379

The Waterproofing and Toughness:

It's rated to 10 meters, or 33 feet, without a case, making it just as pressure resistant as the Powershot D10. And there's a 30 meter case, optional, for deeper excursions, too, which the Canon doesn't have. It is the only periscoping internal zoom lens with a mechanized metal cover. Like the Pentax W80 and Canon Powershot D10, it can operate at down to 14 degrees F, making it ideal for winter sports. It's shock rated to a drop of 6.6 feet and crushproof to 220 pounds. It's heavy and almost completely metal. The screen and lens are coated with a water resistant substance, keeping droplets from getting in the way of clean shots. It's a monster. All it needs is a damn turret and you could send it into a warzone.

The Pictures:

Now for the slightly sad part. Relative to other test shots by other waterproof cameras, the photos were, well, middling and grainy. I don't believe that picture quality is necessarily a main concern on waterproof cameras—water quality is a bigger determination here—but as an above water camera, there are better choices. I did find the multiple underwater modes for surf/snow on the ground (pumps exposure), the high speed and landscape under the sea, and video modes to be a nice touch. The camera is also dual stabilized using optical and high ISO to reduce shakes. The biggest problem I had was the focus lag which caused plenty of missed action shots. That was a negative thing for me in an otherwise great user experience. Oh, there's a beauty mode, which combines face detection with softening algorithms on camera—there's a cool animation with sparkles that it plays while it renders—that take wrinkles and shadows out of faces. Kind of works!

The Video-ooh No:

What the shit: The 640x480 pixel video looked kind of jittery at times and was washed out all the time and—the worst part—limited to 10 second clips. This, for me, is somewhat of a deal breaker. When you're outside, motion shots are a given. I need better video on this camera!

Quirks:

Yes, it uses XD cards, and a variation of ye old mini and micro USB, so I had to hunt for some gear to transfer shots.

The Bottom Line:

As tough as it gets, but photos are a little underwhelming and video fall way short. I'm definitely conflicted here.

The toughest point and shoot in the world.

Video sucks

Photos a bit soft


[Olympus, Gizmodo]

Summermodo is a chance for Giz to get outside and test our gear where it belongs.

Sure, the standard def video was serviceable, but when cheaper point and shoots do the same or HD video, a purpose built camcorder has no excuse for not blowing them out of the water for cheaper. And it's only waterproof to 6 feet. Miserable! Also, the camera liked to focus on the water droplets on its lens like a cross-eyed idiot. Unlike the very presentable Lumix DMC-TS1 from the same company, please avoid this piece of defunct technology. One nice thing: It comes with a floating strap. But, again, if you buy this, you are dumb. [Panasonic]

The fact that it exists.

Summermodo is a chance for Giz to get outside and test our gear where it belongs.

The Price:

$400

The Toughness:

It's rated to about 10 feet and for drops of 5 feet, which places it at the lower end of the spectrum of waterproofing. Well, it's not the lower end, but given the shock and dust proofing and the lens reinforcement system, I'd expect the makers of the Toughbook to best cameras like the fluffy Fuji z33 and the slimmer Pentax w80 waterproofs for depth. Again, I wouldn't call this a weakness, but if the DMC-TS1 had one, this would be it. Update: Wow, there's an external dive case for this camera which extends the depth rating to 130 feet. It's rated down to 32 degrees, which isn't quite as low as the Pentax W80, Canon Powershot D10 and Olympus Tough 8000's 14 degrees F op temps.

The Visuals:

The photos were among the best in low light, high ISO and daylight. There was a simple beach/surf macro mode which worked well enough. Colors were accurate, and I only noticed a slight distortion around the edges while zoomed out. (Many periscoping internal zoom cameras have this issue.) The lens went pretty wide at a 28mm equivalent and the zoom was almost top of the class at 128mm (only the Pentax did better). Images, overall, were second best to the Canon with its traditional lens system, but this camera doesn't have that problem of a protruding snout which makes it a lot more pocketable. The camera has optical stabilization, which is pretty kick ass. The uncovered lens caused some photos to look smudged, which is perhaps the rule, not the exception in these cameras. Shots are at 12.1MP, but you can get variations of that in 16:9 mode. (My favorite!) As usual, waterphotos are generally limited in quality by water clarity and color, so, well, above the sea shots work fine.

The TS1's video recording happens at a high res of 720p, stabilized and recordable in motion jpg or AVCHD lite, giving you more recording time and quality. It looks better than good.

The Design:

I'm into the spartan, square design. And the camera's responsive shooting, burst modes, and menus made it the easiest to use without being overly simple like the Canon D10.

Yeah, I don't know yet:

The Lumix is a fantastic all-around camera that is somewhat tough and waterproof. I'd originally gone into this review thinking it would be king, but given the shallow depth rating, I may have to wait 'til I see the new Olympus in action before I give a stronger rating. Especially at $400. At that price, the smaller, Pentax w80, rated to 16 feet with decent shots and shitty video looks like a lot better of a deal. And the super cheap and small Fuji z33 does, too. I don't know. I'm not giving up on this camera yet. Strong video playback is an important thing these days. I guess its my camera of choice and should be yours too (for now) if you don't go beyond 10 feet down and image quality and relative pocketability is a priority. Until I check out that Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 which has some really solid stats all-around and cost a bit less.

Great images

Great case design and menus

Great video at 720p

Despite the all-around toughness of the device, only waterproof to a middling (not poor) 10 feet

[DP Review, Panasonic, Giz]

Summermodo is a chance for Giz to get outside and test our gear where it belongs.

Price

$150

Waterproofness

Because it lives in its own magic bubble housing, its good for 15-feet. That's good, but not great. The Canon D10 is good for 30 feet, and most other waterproof cameras are good for this depth without a housing.

The Photos

I won't go too in depth here as the photos speak for themselves:

Barfy color, contrast and grain. It's really a video camera that can record at 1280x720 (or, 720p) at 30 frames per second in h.264. There's 4x zoom, and it starts fairly zoomed in, making me wish it had image stabilization. It has an LED for lighting videos, though. The stills were 5MP, for whatever that's worth.

The Designs

Inside of its case, you can't do much. You can't power it down and up, either, so I ended up getting a bit of moisture in the case. No biggie, since its no loss if this thing drowns. Oh, you know what else is terrible? The thing is, like many camcorder housings, permanently stuck in a flipped out screen position, so packing this thing is a chore.

720p video

Cheap, but only a few bucks less than the much nicer Fuji Waterproof. So...

External housing

Worst images of any underwater camera

Not very waterproof considering the bulky housing

[DXG]

Summermodo is a chance for Giz to get outside and test our gear where it belongs.

The Price

The Sonim XP3 is by no means a new phone, either as a product or a piece of technology. For the US, though, it's still semi-fresh: It's just been announced on regional carriers around the country, and as of last week you can pick one up unlocked for about $400 at Best Buy.

The Verdict

As you can see, this thing is a brick. It's a heavy, Tonka-yellow slab of plastic and rubber that sometimes makes calls, sends texts and visits a website or two. In a way it's the ultimate dumbphone: It's not annoyingly dumb—it's actually got a decently attractive UI, and it's worlds easier to use than the not-as-tough Casio G'zOne—and the battery life is conversely related to the phone's feature set, just like it should be. (I've been playing with this thing on and off for more than a week, and I still don't need to charge it.) Also, of course, it's tough, like all my favorite dumb people. It's the anti-iPhone, and not necessarily in a bad way.

When I say tough, I don't mean to say this is a phone for people who go through a lot of handsets, or hate that their Pre's backplate keeps getting scratched—this is in a different league, for a different type of human: Do you work on an oil rig? As a stuntman? Underwater, sometimes? Did you sign a 100-page insurance waiver before starting your current job? Have you ever watched a coworker get crushed to death, along with his phone? No?

Ok, but would you like the option to occasionally cook your phone?

Spaghetti con Tele

Gallery or video, take your pick:

Sonim never claimed this wouldn't kill the phone, and the battery clearly states that it shouldn't be heated past 130 degrees. After a brief speaker fritz that solved itself, though, the XP3 works perfectly.

You can boil it, like pasta, for at least three minutes

It's surprisingly pleasant to use, for what it is

Battery lasts forever

It's not terribly huge, but not thin either

It's fundamentally ridiculous, though necessary for a select group of people

No 3G, or major carriers (yet)

Extremely hard to chew, even harder to pass

Taste Test is our weeklong tribute to the leaps that occur when technology meets cuisine, spanning everything from the historic breakthroughs that made food tastier and safer to the Earl-Grey-friendly replicators we impatiently await in the future.

The Price: $300

The Photos and Video: In sample shots on our kiteboarding trip and at the local beach, the W80 was not the best but sill surprisingly good. Compared to periscoped lens setups, the traditional internal 5x zoom lens made the 12mp shots look sharper than most other waterproof cameras. The 28mm-140mm equivalent lens was sharp edge to edge with a touch more zoom than others in the roundup. Color was good, too.

But I noticed the lens was a little too slow to capture sharp motion underwater where light is rarer than on the surface. (The first sample shot I took in dim light triggered the flash where other models didn't need one.) Colors and exposure was fine, but the grunge resisting lens and lcd were only marginally helpful in combating substances like suntan lotion, grime and surfboard wax. Video is captured at up to 720p, but it didn't look so great. Face detection locked on pretty quickly, and there are several shake reduction capabilities, including digital and movie modes.

The Design: The casing is still one of the smallest and is by far the most pocketable ruggedized model around, but its only good for drops up to 3.3 feet. Models by Lumix and Olympus are far more rugged, although more Hummer-esque, too. Pentax's various scene modes are amongst the most useful around, and there's an simple button to switch between them, but that button and menu is also the only way to easily switch between video and still mode. Quite a chore.

The camera could use a design refresh, in all honesty, and more metal. But it's also good for winter sports, rated to function down to 14 degrees. I liked Pentax's optional floating wrist strap, too.

The Waterproofness: Good down to 16 feet, up from 13 feet in the last generation. Good enough for light to medium beach duty.

The Recommendation: My favorite rugged-ish waterproof camera when size is a consideration.

Compact considering its quasi-rugged chassis.

Decent shot quality.

There are tougher cams out there that take better photos, but only slightly so in all regards.

Could use a redesign, since the W60, W40 and W20 had similar cases.

[Giz, Pentax]

Summermodo is a chance for Giz to get outside and test our gear where it belongs.

The thing about the water is that a lot of times you have other people out so having music to listen to is a way to block out people's questions. Kidding aside, it's one way to be in your own little world.

I use music in my regimen when it involves anything with long distances—if I'm doing a really long crossing, or something that's going to take me a while, music is a good distraction. It's a way to kinda let time go by.

Then I found that surfing with the right song creates a whole other situation that you don't have when you're not listening to the music. It's almost like you use a different part of your brain than you normally would without music. Sometimes I feel like things slow down, and I have more time to do maneuvers and to observe what's happening. (I'm not sure if there's any scientific research on that.)

Obviously, when waves are at 80 feet and our lives are on the line, we're not listening to music. We need to hear what's going on and, being put in a demanding situation, we need to be able to communicate. But we do it a lot on our foil boards—those hydrofoil boards that we ride—and again, with the right song, it's a little bit like a movie with a soundtrack. Music just really turns it into a whole different experience.

Before H2O Audio and the iPod, we had music. We were hungry in the early days, so we had the Walkman. They made a little case for a Walkman, with some earphones. We've been using music in surfing and paddling since it first became available in any form.

Laird Hamilton has been a surfing hero since the 1980s, solidifying his reputation as the king of big wave surfing when he conquered Tahiti's Teahupo'o Reef at its most perilous in August 2000. As an innovator, he pioneered many new activities including kitesurfing, tow-in surfing and hydrofoil boarding. He's on the board of directors at H2O Audio, makers of pro-level waterproof iPhone and iPod cases, and has his own signature line of Surge waterproof earphones, proceeds of which are donated to the Beautiful Son foundation for autism education.

We've all soaked a not-so-waterproof gadget or two, and we know that lots of them can come back to life after a few days of drying, albeit sometimes with some unfortunate damage. But dunking a wet gadget in a container of rice (provided the surrounding environment is humidity-free) can absorb excess moisture and reduce the possibility of damage, which can come in handy in these glorious summer months that are so fraught with danger for our beloved gadgetry. Not that we're suggesting you take your iPhone along with you for a surf, but if you do, this (and more suggestions at Lifehacker) might save your gadget's life. [Lifehacker]

What's remarkable (and remarkably Thanko-like) about these is the price: Similarly designed headphones, often not waterproof at all, run for well over $100, while these are only 4280 Yen (about $45). They're waterproof down to 5 meters, which makes them great for workout swimmers (or snorkelers, I guess). Unfortunately, they're Japan-only for now, so we'll have to keep making due with significantly less cool waterproof 'buds. [Thanko via New Launches]

It's good enough for a casual splash in a pool or a river swim, but not worthy of a lake or ocean jaunt. The camera has a 10mp rating, and does 720p video at 30fps, which is good news. It also has face detection and some forms of shake reduction including a movie version, and an ISO equivalent of 6400 (but like all high ISO point and shoots, I wouldn't count on that being very grain free.) The lens is a 35mm equivalent of 35-175mm.

Huh, weird. It also has a small face filter, that makes people with big faces look more attractive.

At $250, I might go up to a higher end waterproof camera or buy last year's model used.

PENTAX UNVEILS NEW WATERPROOF COMPACT WS80:
Dunkable, Affordable Optio WS80 Sports Bold Colors

GOLDEN, CO. (August 5, 2009)…A bold, new waterproof digital camera jumped into the swimming pool today. PENTAX Imaging Company announced the Optio WS80, the newest contender in the durable, affordable digital camera category.
Available in two bold, his-and-her's designs, the water and dustproof Optio WS80 is a perfect choice for travel, outdoor activities and families. Featuring a 10 megapixel CCD and a 5X internal optical zoom housed in a slim, palm-sized body that is less than an inch thick, the Optio WS80 has a large 2.7 inch LCD with 230,000 dot resolution for easy composition. With waterproof construction that can withstand depths up to five feet (1.5 meters), the Optio WS80 captures underwater photos and video including high resolution, widescreen, HD video up to 720p at a full-speed 30 frames per second. Other features include:
• Fast Face Detection technology sees up to 32 faces in as little as 0.03 of a second for easy portrait photography.
• Smile Capture automatically releases the shutter when a subject smiles and Blink Detection alerts the photographer if the subject's eyes are closed during the exposure.
• PENTAX Shake Reduction (SR) technology features Pixel Track SR, Digital SR, and Movie SR, stabilizing your images and video for beautiful, blur-free results.
• PENTAX Auto Picture mode automatically selects from eight shooting modes for beautiful images in any setting.
• Sensitivity up to ISO 6400 boosts shutter speeds to freeze subject movement for blur-free images even in low lighting.

Available in two eye-catching color options, black with orange accents or white with purple accents, the PENTAX Optio WS80 will ship in September 2009 for $249.95 USD.
More information is available here: www.pentaximaging.com.
Product images are available here: http://www.pentaximaging.com/press/pressfiles.html
PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of a variety of digital cameras including weather resistant digital SLRs and compact, waterproof cameras, as well as lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, and eyepieces. For 90 years, PENTAX has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses.  With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc.
# # #

Consumer contact:
pentaxinfo@pentax.com
1-800-877-0155
http://www.youtube.com/pentaxian1

PENTAX Optio WS80 Major Features
Exceptional waterproof performance for underwater shooting and adventure
The palm-sized Optio WS80 assures reliable waterproof performance that allows underwater photography up to five feet for up two hours (JIS Class 8 standard). The WS80 also features the PENTAX-exclusive, highly water-repellent SP (Super Protect) coating on the protective glass panel that covers the zoom lens. As a result, the Optio WS80 may be rinsed clean with fresh water if it becomes covered with dirt or sand. Coupled with remarkable dustproof capabilities equivalent to JIS Class 6, the Optio WS80 may be used without worry in many different situations where water or dirt is a major concern.

High-quality images delivered by 10.0 effective megapixels
Combining 10.0 effective megapixels with the PENTAX-developed imaging engine and high-performance PENTAX zoom lens, the Optio WS80 produces brilliant, high-resolution prints with edge-to-edge sharpness even when images are enlarged.
High-performance optical 5X zoom lens
The slim, palm-sized Optio WS80 features an optical 5X zoom lens covering focal lengths from 35mm to 175mm in the 35mm format. The camera offers an Intelligent Zoom function that extends the zoom range up to approximately 28.5X for even tighter zooming in on the subject.
High-quality, widescreen, HD movie recording
The Optio WS80 captures beautiful, flawless HD movie clips at 16:9 aspect ratio (1280 x 720 pixels)* at a frame rate of 30 frames per second. The camera also comes equipped with advanced, user-friendly features designed to facilitate movie recording: the Movie SR (Shake Reduction) mode, which automatically compensates for camera shake during movie shooting; and the Underwater Movie mode, which automatically optimizes color settings for underwater movie shooting.
*When the Optio WS80's AV output terminal is used, movie clips are output as normal image-size data. If the user wishes to play back movie clips at high-definition-TV proportions (1280 x 720 pixels), the data must be transferred to a personal computer for playback.
High-speed Face Detection, with a range of user-friendly features
The Optio WS80's advanced Face Detection AF & AE function captures 32 faces in sharp focus and perfect exposure in a mere 0.03 seconds. It also accurately detects a subject facing the camera at an angle or with a tilted head. The Optio WS80 offers other user-friendly features, including:
• A Smile Capture mode automatically releases the shutter the moment the camera detects the subject's smile.
• A Blink Detection function warns the photographer when a subject's eyes close at the time of shutter release.
• A Small Face filter helps reduce a subject's face so that it appears smaller in proportion to the body to produce more flattering well-balanced portraits.

PENTAX OPTIO WS80 FACT SHEET CONTINUED

Triple anti-shake protection to prevent different types of camera shake
Pixel Track SR mode
When recording still images, the Optio WS80's Pixel Track SR (Shake Reduction) mode effectively compensates for camera shake by processing affected images.
High-Sensitivity SR mode*
When it detects low-lighting conditions in still-image shooting, the Optio WS80 automatically raises its sensitivity to as high as ISO 6400, making it possible to use a higher shutter speed. This effectively minimizes the adverse effects of camera shake and subject motion blur under poor lighting conditions.
Movie SR mode**
During movie recording, the Optio WS80 prevents blurry images by effectively minimizing annoying camera shake.
* When the High-Sensitivity SR mode is selected, the recorded size is fixed to 5M (2592 x 1944 pixels).
** When the Movie SR mode is selected, the angle of view becomes narrower than normal shooting.

Large 2.7 inch LCD monitor for effortless image viewing
The Optio WS80 features a large 2.7 inch extra bright color LCD monitor so photographers may view on-screen images, menus and mode-settings with ease while shooting and during playback.

Additional Features:
• Interval shooting mode, convenient for fixed-point observation of starry skies, flowers and plants
• High-speed 9 point AF system, with Auto-Tracking function, to maintain constant focus on a moving subject
• Auto Picture mode automatically selects one of eight shooting modes for the optimum results in a wide variety of shooting conditions
• A variety of digital filters including Toy Camera and Retro to add distinctive visual effects to recorded images
• Dynamic Range adjustment prevents overexposed and underexposed areas in images
• Digital Wide function creates a panoramic, extra-wide-angle image (equivalent to an image taken with an approx. 25.4mm lens in 35mm format) from two images
• Digital Panorama mode creates a single panoramic picture from as many as three images
• Style Watch function displays the time with pushbutton operation, even when the camera's power is turned off
• Image recovery function recovers accidentally erased images
• Frame composite function (with 90 frames stored in the camera) shoots or composes images with decorative photo frames

Cosmetically, the HD Hero is basically indistinguishable from the previous version, and the similarities run deep: it's got the same 170° field of view, an identical 5MP still shooting mode and the same water-resistant credentials. But hardware performance has been bolstered elsewhere, with support for 30fps shooting in 1080p mode and 60fps shooting in 720p, all powered by a larger 1100mAh Li-Ion battery for up to three hours of recording per charge.

For such a large performance jump on such a new camera a price hike is inevitable, but it's really not that bad. The $300 price is at least in the same range as the $200 base model, and judging by the previous model, I'd expect the footage—especially in the 720p slo-mo mode—to be fairly spectacular. [HelmetCameraCentral via Engadget—Image from Freeskier Mag]

There's only one way to know the truth: Get your iPhone 3GS to the pool today, submerge it for a few seconds, and tell us. Come on. You know you want to do it. Send me your test video to jesus@gizmodo.com.

Let me say first that I did not use either of these cameras in their ideal conditions—namely, outside, underwater while swimming. For some reason, Canon and Panasonic did not tailor the release dates of these cameras to coincide with my trip to Egypt a few months ago, which is where I wanted to test them out (why not guys??). Back here in New York, any outdoor body of water is way too frigid right now, and there's something pretty creepy and ultimately unacceptable about taking an underwater camera to the YMCA for test shots. So, instead of the verdant coral reefs of the Red Sea off the Sinai coast, which were straight out of Planet Earth, our test shots are of me playing with a Kraken Attackin' Lego Pirates playset in my kitchen sink. Which is a cool playset, but, you know, not the same.

But still, we've gathered enough data I think to inform your decision, if you're thinking of picking up a waterproof toughcam for this summer. Here are the main points of differentiation I see:

Form Factor/Interface
Both cameras are waterproof, but the Canon D10 is protected up to 10 meters (around 32 feet), where the Panasonic TS1 is only protected up to three meters (around 10 feet). And that's immediately apparent in their shapes:

The D10 looks like it was designed by Ringo on the set of Yellow Submarine—its bulbous shell and porthole-like screws drive home the fact that this baby is going underwater. But on land, it'll be tough to fit it into a pants pocket without some serious bulging.

It does have some nice, easy-to-press buttons for changing into video mode, for instance, and the icons on the LCD screen are nice and big, easily spotted through a snorkeling mask. There are some superfluous button presses to lock in settings which could be tedious underwater, but the UI is not horrible, and you'll easily get used to it. The D10 also has come big screw-mounts on each corner for mounting various underwater grips and other accessories that you can buy from Canon.

The TS1 takes a totally different approach, with a sleek rectangular slab shape that at first glance is hard to distinguish from regular non-tough weeniecams. The buttons are a bit smaller, but not prohibitively so, and shootings modes are selected with a thumb dial instead of dedicated buttons—I didn't see anything I couldn't operate with a bit of practice while snorkeling. A basic locking wrist-strap comes in the box.

The important thing is that the TS1 is not at all out of place in non-toughcam situations, where the D10 may be. But if you're a deep snorkeler, three meters may not be enough for you compared to the D10's 10 meters (I imagine if you're a serious SCUBA diver, you'll need something beefier than either of these), but where you lose usability under water with the TS1 you will gain it on land. Consider that.

Video
Another big difference, if not the biggest, is that the Panasonic TS1 shoots 720p in the AVCHD format, where the Canon only does 640x480 VGA vids. The TS1 video recording mode isn't the most polished—there's a good two to three second delay from when you hit the dedicated video button to when recording actually starts and stops, and it's unclear exactly when everything does start, but if you're OK with that, the HD video mode is awesome. I mean, underwater HD in such a tiny package—that's a no-brainer right? I would kill to have some HD clips of my friends and I swimming around in crazy schools of neon fish in Egypt.

Here are some sample clips from the sink:

TS1 720P Clip:

Note: There is a current bug with the TS1 that makes video imported into iMovie '08 and '09 play at double speed. I had to do some conversion to avoid this, which is a pain. Panasonic says they're working with Apple on this to include a fix in future versions of iMovie.

Canon D10 VGA Clip:

Keep in mind that the AVCHD format is kind of annoying, in that you might have to install special codecs and import video straight into your video editing software of choice and then export it in friendlier formats, rather than just grabbing an AVI or MOV clip from the memory card and uploading it to YouTube.

And yeah, the quality of these videos is pretty bad, but the difference in the actual output is clear: 720p underwater rules.

Shooting
Both cameras are 12-megapixels, for full-res shots at 4000x3000. Both have the same size CCD sensor, but the TS1's ISO goes up to 6400 where the Canon D10's only to 1600. I didn't do a thorough sensitivity test with either camera, but I would imagine you don't want to go much higher than 800 on either one, so the difference is probably fairly moot.

A difference that does matter is the TS1's wider-angle lens: it's a 28mm-128mm f/3.3-f/5.9 effective focal length zoom, compared to the D10's 35mm-105mm f/2.8-f/4.9.

As you can see, color reproduction via the TS1's Leica lens is far better than the D10s, which has to fight through a bit more protective plastic. Also, the TS1 tends to autofocus underwater with much greater ease—important, because you won't always be able to look at the LCD when composing shots while snorkeling.

Conclusion
Like I said, I only played with these cameras in the sink, so I didn't push their waterproof capabilities to their max. But having a waterproof and shockproof camera around the house is kind of cool in its own right—imagine taking bath time photos of your kid without having to worry about getting the camera wet, or taking shots with dirty hands while you're barbecuing, or anything like that. You can always dunk these cameras underwater to clean them off. It's nice. You don't have to be a snorkeler to use them and have fun with them.

Which is why for me, the balance shifts heavily toward the Panasonic TS1. Its form factor makes using it on land a lot more convenient, and the added HD video option is a huge plus. And my ears hurt if I go down much further than three meters underwater anyway. At a premium of only $70 ($400 list vs. $330 for the D10), I'd say it's well worth spending up for.

Panasonic Lumix DSC-TS1
HD video capture

Unobtrusive form factor good for both land and sea

28mm wide-angle lens

Buttons perhaps more difficult to use underwater

Only waterproof up to 3 meters

Canon PowerShot D10
Super-rugged body waterproof up to 10 meters

Big, simple buttons and LCD icons

Only shoots video at 640x480

Very bulky

The Price: $300

The Verdict: The Stylus Tough 6000 is waterproof to 10 feet, shockproof to 5 feet, can withstand temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. In this camera, Olympus even acknowledges the fact that its xD format is pretty much useless, and includes a MicroSD adapter, so you can buy a much more useful MicroSD card instead. (I used a 4GB SDHC one for this test, and didn't notice any performance holdbacks.)

As much as the puke yellow finish didn't really go over well with the rest of my ski party, it's easy to see in the snow, one of many characteristics that jive with Blam's key requirements for a good snow gadget. It did get a little scratched up as you can see in the gallery, but the scratches were superficial, and kinda made it look tough.

Besides sheer durability, Oly added some great UI enhancements. I typically don't give Olympus much credit for UI, but the main controls are straightforward and the icon-based menu is less confusing than the menu on most cameras.

I didn't have much trouble controlling the camera with heavy gloves on—the zoom buttons and scroll wheel are laid out correctly for that—but the UI addition that makes this a real Snowmodo contender is the tap control: You toggle between shooting and reviewing, and change flash and macro settings, just by tapping the sides and top of the camera. It sounds weird, and at first it's a little confusing, but it takes just minutes to figure out, and once you do, you'll love it.

One big problem I ran into was that video resolution and frame rate were both set, as a default, to the lowest specs (QVGA, 15fps). So the video you see below is a little choppy and low-res, in spite of the fact that I could've shot 30fps VGA. I didn't realize how bad my video was—and how much better it could have been—until after our days on the slopes had ended. The fact that there's no HD sucks in this day and age, but I am sure Oly will get there soon. BTW, someone a lot better (at skiing) than me shot this:

Camera wise, there were some great things and some not-so-good things. It's a basic 10-megapixel 3.6x optical zoom with a great wide-angle setting for one-armed self portraits and shooting in tight areas. I am partial to including the sun in outdoor shots because I like lens flares, but in this case, the optics were a little weird: During video shooting, the lens flare was a blinding bar, straight up and down, and in the still shot, I got the mushy pink flare you can in one of the following four sample shots:

And though the 6000 is good for most daytime outdoor shooting, it's no good indoors without a flash or tons of ambient light, meaning it's not the best choice for everyday use. To pay $300 for a camera you only use on vacations might sting a bit, but hey, if you're into destination-oriented pursuits like snorkeling and snowboarding, $300 for a great beat-around camera might sound pretty reasonable. [Olympus Product Page]

Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP. I'll let you wear my hat (below).

Nearly every aspect of the TS1 was designed with rugged use in mind: the airtight shell, reinforced with rubber padding, glass and carbon resin is purported to protect the camera during underwater use at depths of up to ten feet and falls onto a hard surface from five.

Now for the spec pile: the TS1 shoots stills at 12.1 megapixels and video at 720p. effective lens length is an ample 28mm-128mm, the aperture opens to a 3.3-5.9 maximum size, ISO notches all the way up to 6400 and the maximum shutter speed is 1/1300. A 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot LCD adorns the back of the slim(ish) 3.87 x 2.49 x 0.91 body, and the standard facial recognition, image stabilization and creative mode features are all present.

The TS1 will ship in April for $400, which doesn't sound so bad considering what a solid travel camera this could make. See the whole presser below. Note: Panasonic hasn't yet released press images for this product, but the FT1, pictured above, is the European equivalent to the TS1 and is, for all intents and purposes, identical. Picture from LetsGoDigital. [Panasonic]

PANASONIC INTRODUCES WORLD'S FIRST*1 WATERPROOF, SHOCKPROOF AND DUSTPROOF DIGITAL CAMERA
WITH AVCHD LITE HD VIDEO RECORDING CAPABILITIES*2

New LUMIX DMC-TS1 Digital Camera Features Tough and Rugged Design for Capturing Still and Motion Images In Outdoor Activities

MIAMI, FL (January 27, 2009) – Panasonic today introduced the LUMIX DMC-TS1, the world's first*1 waterproof, shockproof and dustproof digital camera*2 to also feature AVCHD Lite High Definition (HD) video recording capabilities*3. The TS1's tough and rugged design makes it the ideal choice for active users needing the ultimate hybrid for capturing both still and motion images during outdoor activities. The LUMIX TS1, with a 12.1 megapixel resolution, features a 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens, a 4.6x optical zoom and Panasonic's proprietary iA (Intelligent Auto) mode, making this an easy-to-use, yet powerful camera that packs advanced imaging features.

"Many consumers are hesitant to take their digital cameras on outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, boating or even a day at the beach, for fear it will be damaged. With the introduction of the LUMIX TS1, we offer a digital camera with a rugged design that consumers can feel confident using in these tough environments," said David Briganti, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "Even more, with the ability to take both beautiful high-quality still images and High Definition video, with AVCHD Lite, the TS1 offers a powerful one-two punch to capture memories that can later be shared with friends and family."

The TS1 is waterproof to a depth of 10 feet, shockproof from falls up to 5 feet, and dustproof. With its rubber padding, reinforced glass and carbon resins inside the camera, the TS1 features an airtight body protected against water immersion, dust and sand.

Starting at the 28mm wide angle, and zooming up to a useful 128mm in telephoto, the TS1 gives users the flexibility for a variety of shooting environments – especially underwater, where movement is often restricted and the angle of view becomes important for composing shots. The TS1 also features a 2.7-inch, 230,000-dot Intelligent LCD with a wide viewing angle, enhancing visibility during recording and playback by automatic brightness control according to the environment's lighting conditions. Plus, the TS1's LCD panel is deliberately thickened for protection against pressure, allowing the display to operate with clear visibility even underwater.

The TS1 records AVCHD Lite HD video, allowing almost double the recording time in HD quality compared with the conventional Motion JPEG format. The TS1 also features Dolby Digital Creator to record high quality audio to match the high-quality motion images.

Also new in 2009, the TS1 features iA mode for both still images and in Movie Mode. For iA in Movie Mode, the TS1 features Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.), which helps prevent handshake when using high-powered zoom. Face Detection automatically detects a face in a frame and adjusts focus, exposure, contrast, and skin complexion on the face. Intelligent Exposure continually checks the ambient light level and adjusts the exposure setting as conditions change to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows. And Intelligent Scene Selector automatically switches between Normal, Portrait, Macro, Scenery, and Low Light modes according to the situation to optimize visual quality. A Wind Cut function is also available to block out most of the noise from background wind. Optical zoom can be used in motion image recording. Users can start video recording by simply pressing a dedicated button on the camera's back panel.

The TS1's iA for still image adds Face Recognition*4 – a feature that "remembers" faces from previous shots. When a registered face appears in the frame, the camera will prioritize focus and exposure to capture it beautifully. With Face Recognition, when a familiar face is recorded several times, the camera will prompt you to register the face. Once registered, if the face appears into the frame again, the camera will display the name specified for that person and prioritize focus and exposure so that the registered face is bright and sharply focused.

The imaging power of LUMIX has further evolved with the Venus Engine HD, which boasts two CPUs to provide approx. 2.4x processing capability and support for Face Recognition, AVCHD Lite and HDMI output. It integrates the numerous advanced functions with high performance, and low-power consumption. Thanks to the Venus Engine HD, it's easy to view photos or movies recorded in AVCHD Lite. Simply insert the SD Memory Card from the camera in the Panasonic VIERA® HDTV's Image Viewer SD Memory Card slot to start playback, or connect the camera via an optional HDMI mini cable to a VIERA Link™-equipped Panasonic VIERA HDTV and use the TV's remote control to run slideshows*5.

This multi-task image-processing engine also enables a fast response time. The TS1 starts up quickly in 1.3 seconds and shutter release time lag is approximately 0.005 seconds, making it easy to capture sudden, spur-of-the-moment photo opportunities. The Flash Burst mode makes it possible to take consecutive shots with continuous emissions of the flash*6. The Venus Engine HD also supports a High Sensitivity mode that lets the TS1 record up to ISO 6400*7, sensitive enough to capture subjects in near-total darkness without using a flash. Despite its outstanding performance, the high performance engine is also more energy efficient, extending the battery life up to 340 shots (CIPA) per a single charge.

Other features of the LUMIX DMC-TS1 include:
New Scene Modes for Still Images: Beach & Surf mode gives users a single mode with optimized auto white balance for optical shooting on the beach and in shallow water.
New Panorama Assist scene mode allows users to shoot a number of consistent photos, either vertically or horizontally, by aligning them according to a guide that overlaps the screen. Then using those photos and the bundled PanoramaMaker software, users can create dramatic panoramic images.
Increased Scene modes for both still and motion image shooting – optimized for a variety of situations. There are 26 scene modes for still image and 17 for motion image (Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self portrait, Scenery, Low light, Food, Party, Candle light, Sunset, High sensitivity, Beach & Surf, Snow, Aerial, Pin hole, Film grain and Underwater)
LED Illumination is available in motion image recording.
High-Speed Burst (Speed Priority) that fires off approximately10 shots per second*8.
Menus are clearer and easier to navigate with the Display Size option.
Macro Zoom function lets users pull subjects even closer to capture dramatic close-up shots by using the 3x digital zoom in the wide-angle.
Bundled Software: The latest version of PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition allows users to view, edit and archive captured content with greater ease and fun. Still and motion images can be transferred to the computer via a USB cable for viewing and archiving. Using PHOTOfunSTUDIO 3.0 HD Edition, users can edit and remove unwanted portions of video clips recorded in AVCHD Lite. Contents recorded in AVCHD Lite can be burned directly onto a DVD disc or converted to MPEG2 format. The software also incorporates the Face Recognition function, which recognizes registered faces in photos stored on the computer, making organizing and archiving photos with a specific person much easier. Additionally, motion pictures can be uploaded directly to YouTube.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TS1 will be available in silver, green or orange models in April 2009 for a suggested retail price of $399.95. For more information, please visit www.panasonic.com/lumix.

Devices:

Blackberry Pearl $120.00 per unit coated

Apple IPod Shuffle $60.00 per unit coated

Apple IPod Touch $120.00 per unit coated

Lansing IPod Speaker Orbit M $60.00 per unit coated

Garmin GPS etrex $75.00 per unit coated

West Marine Vhf 55 Radio $120.00 per unit coated

Speakers (no enclosures) up to 8 inches in diameter $100 each $180 pair

The 1040 is a super-slim cam, and in fact, the thinnest Stylus yet. It ditches the big zoom lens typical of other Olympus cameras for a more common slick, boxy style with flat controls on the back. As far as specs go, it's basically the 1050 SW without the huevos, a 10.1MP point-and-shoot with 3x optical zoom and a 2.7" LCD screen. Also out in October, the 1040 will run $200. [Olympus]

It seems the hardest part of the process was getting all the cables to interface with eachother. Working with Apple's composite cables, an old AV iPod dock, and the inputs for the video player, soldering was required to get them all on the same page. The rest was mostly handiwork and a bit of elbow grease. Sure, the final product isn't exactly practical, but it is fun and imaginative. Check out the full video here. [Popular Mechanics]