Competitors to Olympus' Tough Series?

Ark · 25th December 2007, 7:45 PM

hey guys

recently at work i demonstrated an olympus mju 720SW or something like that and after being reassured by a fellow workmate who already has a similar model, we dropped it on the ground from desk height, dropped it in a glass of water, banged it against the wall and it still worked perfectly - after which believe it or not the customer bought that very model we had just been throwing around!

im wondering what other models are on the market similar to the olympus tough series - i would like to get one like the mju 790SW but theyre relatively expensive. ive always been apprehensive of taking my canon ixus anywhere because it feels like it might fall apart at the slightest bump, while with one of these tough cameras i wouldnt worry.

so, suggestions? sorry if this is in the wrong section!

Ark · 27th December 2007, 9:55 PM

so there arent any?

metawaffle · 27th December 2007, 10:49 PM

I don't think there are. Pentax makes a waterproof camera, but it isn't shockproof.

On the IXUS front, though, while they aren't waterproof, my experience with the IXUS 70 is that it can take a bit of a beating without too much trouble, so don't worry too much

Zuby · 27th December 2007, 11:21 PM

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-1268184-5056624?asin=B000QUJKFU&AFID=Shopzilla&LNM=B000QUJ KFU|FisherPrice_KidTough_Digital_Camera__Pink&ref= tgt_adv_XSB10001

metawaffle · 28th December 2007, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zuby

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-1268184-5056624?asin=B000QUJKFU&AFID=Shopzilla&LNM=B000QUJ KFU|FisherPrice_KidTough_Digital_Camera__Pink&ref= tgt_adv_XSB10001

I stand corrected!

Pharcyde_84 · 28th December 2007, 12:26 AM

My sister got a Vivitar waterproof camera for Christmas. It seems really good, and it takes great underwater shots. It's got a huge yellow rubber casing too, so I'd imagine it can take a pounding. Not sure about price though.

metawaffle · 28th December 2007, 12:54 AM

On the subject of those Olympus ones, though, I used one the other day that belongs to a surfer - there was sand and salt crust in all the little nooks and crannies. Still worked, of course. This guy loves the camera.

However, I know another person who has one for everyday use, and he's not so happy - basically, his opinion is that performance is on a par with a non-waterproof camera of half the cost...

AJR · 28th December 2007, 1:12 AM

There are plenty of cameras that are much tougher than those Olympus', but they're not really a competitor due to the prices.

The only really competitor is the Pentax W series, although they're protected against water (roughly just more than 3m depth safely), sand and dust; they aren't made to be particularly shock-proof like the Olympus'.

One Drone · 28th December 2007, 7:24 PM

Until the Olympus, you either had shock proof or water proof. Not both. At the moment Olympus is the only one that is both.

ecroF · 28th December 2007, 11:25 PM

I've been selling the olympus's's's's since they launched. I'm totally blown away by how few come back seeing as every 2nd person seems to want to take them in the surf. Just don't do what a mate of mine did. He managed to drop it in such a way that it landed on a corner, cuasing the battery cover to pop open........
then it bounced into the pool!

Ark · 31st December 2007, 12:29 AM

yeah shockproof is really what im looking for, i rarely spend time near water so the latter isnt necessary, just nice to have

been eyeing the olympus tough series on ebay and they all seem to be going for a bit too much for my liking. i have a nikon coolpix P5 which takes fantastic photos but its not durable nor is it particularly compact (want something thats flat, no big humps like with my nikon).

either that, or i keep using my K800i for photos while clubbing until that dies good and proper

ehor · 31st December 2007, 10:27 AM

There's also the Fuji "Big Job" you could look at.
http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod418.htm

Not that competitive on price to the Olympus 790 though.
http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod436.htm

Are you only using the camera for clubbing?
I know some people that have dunked the 790 in to schooners of beer

AJC13B · 31st December 2007, 11:18 AM

Have a 795 and love it.

Took it to Hawaii and it got sand and shit all through it, took it down into about 3 or 4 metres of water and got some great shots.

It will be taken into the ski hills of Hokkaido and interior BC in Feb and March for the polar opposite of the spectrum, will have no doubt it will perform like a trooper in those conditions as well

Xanex · 1st January 2008, 12:44 PM

ricoh make a camera too...but im not a fan of ricoh product at all.

http://ricoh.com.au/products/viewpro...ras&RangeID=10

25th December 2007, 7:45 PM	#1
Ark Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 386	Competitors to Olympus' Tough Series? hey guys recently at work i demonstrated an olympus mju 720SW or something like that and after being reassured by a fellow workmate who already has a similar model, we dropped it on the ground from desk height, dropped it in a glass of water, banged it against the wall and it still worked perfectly - after which believe it or not the customer bought that very model we had just been throwing around! im wondering what other models are on the market similar to the olympus tough series - i would like to get one like the mju 790SW but theyre relatively expensive. ive always been apprehensive of taking my canon ixus anywhere because it feels like it might fall apart at the slightest bump, while with one of these tough cameras i wouldnt worry. so, suggestions? sorry if this is in the wrong section!

27th December 2007, 11:21 PM	#4
Zuby Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 555	http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-1268184-5056624?asin=B000QUJKFU&AFID=Shopzilla&LNM=B000QUJ KFU\|FisherPrice_KidTough_Digital_Camera__Pink&ref= tgt_adv_XSB10001 __________________ Founder of 3D Printing and Design Blog Brainydeep.

28th December 2007, 1:12 AM	#8
AJR Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 1,141	There are plenty of cameras that are much tougher than those Olympus', but they're not really a competitor due to the prices. The only really competitor is the Pentax W series, although they're protected against water (roughly just more than 3m depth safely), sand and dust; they aren't made to be particularly shock-proof like the Olympus'. __________________ "Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible." - Frank Zappa

28th December 2007, 11:25 PM	#10
ecroF Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gold Coast Posts: 1,095	I've been selling the olympus's's's's since they launched. I'm totally blown away by how few come back seeing as every 2nd person seems to want to take them in the surf. Just don't do what a mate of mine did. He managed to drop it in such a way that it landed on a corner, cuasing the battery cover to pop open........ then it bounced into the pool! __________________ _____________________________________________ Go Hard or go Home! _____________________________________________

31st December 2007, 10:27 AM	#12
ehor Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: ftp://2114.syd.nsw.au Posts: 2,523	There's also the Fuji "Big Job" you could look at. http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod418.htm Not that competitive on price to the Olympus 790 though. http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/prod436.htm Are you only using the camera for clubbing? I know some people that have dunked the 790 in to schooners of beer __________________ http://www.edwardhor.com

27th December 2007, 9:55 PM	#2
Ark Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 386	so there arent any?

27th December 2007, 10:49 PM	#3
metawaffle Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 1,205	I don't think there are. Pentax makes a waterproof camera, but it isn't shockproof. On the IXUS front, though, while they aren't waterproof, my experience with the IXUS 70 is that it can take a bit of a beating without too much trouble, so don't worry too much

28th December 2007, 12:26 AM	#6
Pharcyde_84 Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Brisbane Posts: 494	My sister got a Vivitar waterproof camera for Christmas. It seems really good, and it takes great underwater shots. It's got a huge yellow rubber casing too, so I'd imagine it can take a pounding. Not sure about price though.

28th December 2007, 12:54 AM	#7
metawaffle Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 1,205	On the subject of those Olympus ones, though, I used one the other day that belongs to a surfer - there was sand and salt crust in all the little nooks and crannies. Still worked, of course. This guy loves the camera. However, I know another person who has one for everyday use, and he's not so happy - basically, his opinion is that performance is on a par with a non-waterproof camera of half the cost...

28th December 2007, 7:24 PM	#9
One Drone Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 24	Until the Olympus, you either had shock proof or water proof. Not both. At the moment Olympus is the only one that is both.

31st December 2007, 12:29 AM	#11
Ark Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 386	yeah shockproof is really what im looking for, i rarely spend time near water so the latter isnt necessary, just nice to have been eyeing the olympus tough series on ebay and they all seem to be going for a bit too much for my liking. i have a nikon coolpix P5 which takes fantastic photos but its not durable nor is it particularly compact (want something thats flat, no big humps like with my nikon). either that, or i keep using my K800i for photos while clubbing until that dies good and proper

31st December 2007, 11:18 AM	#13
AJC13B Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 364	Have a 795 and love it. Took it to Hawaii and it got sand and shit all through it, took it down into about 3 or 4 metres of water and got some great shots. It will be taken into the ski hills of Hokkaido and interior BC in Feb and March for the polar opposite of the spectrum, will have no doubt it will perform like a trooper in those conditions as well __________________ [Logitech 'G' Owners Club Member #87] ASUS P7P55D-E PRO \| I7 875K @ 4.13ghz \| Noctua NH-D14 \| 4gb G.Skill Ripjaws F3 12800 \| 560ti SOC \| Corsair HX650 \| Coolermaster Cosmo S

1st January 2008, 12:44 PM	#14
Xanex Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Devonport, Tas Posts: 569	ricoh make a camera too...but im not a fan of ricoh product at all. http://ricoh.com.au/products/viewpro...ras&RangeID=10 __________________ The Tasmanian Waterfalls Index \| My Gallery \| Camera Club Member 251 \| MiGorengNoodle Club member #27