Which rugged compact cameras are good alternatives to an Olympus Tough?
Asked 5/13/2011
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We’re looking for a compact rugged camera to replace an older Olympus Tough. What we liked about it was the easy-to-use buttons, drop resistance, ability to handle rain without special protection, pocketable size, and having at least some manual exposure control. What we liked less was that it was slow to shoot for action and the lens was not very wide. We do not need underwater use, but we do want a durable camera. Besides the Olympus Tough range, which other rugged compacts should be on our shortlist?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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All the rugged cameras go under water, so you cannot get just rugged.
All these cameras have similar image quality due to small sensors, folded optic lenses and somehow none that I know of are great in terms of speed. So if you want to go for action shots, you'll have to let go the ruggedness. Also few fast cameras are pocket size either, so more compromises may be in order.
That being said, a number of newer models have wide-angle lenses. Those include:
- Fuji XP20 and XP30, which is the same with GPS.
- Olympus TG-610 and TG-810 which is more rugged and goes deeper underwater.
- Pentax WG-1 - The largest buttons of these and optionally comes with a GPS.
- Panasonic TS3 - Have not seen this one yet.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For a rugged pocket camera, the main alternatives mentioned are the Fujifilm XP20/XP30, Pentax WG-1, Panasonic TS3, and Canon PowerShot D10, along with newer Olympus TG models.
A few practical points:
- Rugged compacts are generally also waterproof; there usually isn’t a separate “rugged but not waterproof” category.
- These cameras tend to have similar image quality and similar speed limitations because they use small sensors and compact folded optics.
- If fast action shooting is your priority, you’ll probably need to give up some ruggedness or pocketability.
Based on your needs, the strongest shortlist from the answers would be:
- Fujifilm XP20 / XP30
- Pentax WG-1
- Panasonic TS3
- Canon PowerShot D10
- Olympus TG-610 / TG-810
If button size and ease of operation matter most, the Pentax WG-1 was specifically noted as having the largest buttons. Also, some newer rugged models offer wider-angle lenses than older Tough cameras, which may address one of your main complaints.
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AI15y ago
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