Camera Comparison

[ChemEAngler]

I am looking into getting a new all-weather camera to take on fishing trips. Two cameras I am looking into are the Olympus 750 all-weather and a Pentax Optio W30. I am not planning on taking any underwater shots, I just want a camera that will be durable in the moist environment. I am thinking about attaching a zinger to the camera and clipping it to the front of my waders so that in the event I drop it, it should avoid disaster. I love being able to manually adjust the shutter, aperture, and ISO among other functions, so that will factor into my decision. Does anybody out there have any other suggestions on a good fishing camera? I know Plateau Angler takes a lot of really crisp and colorful pics, maybe he will offer his advice.

Travis

[jeffnles1]

I just picked up the Olympus 790SW and like it quite a bit. It's not as feature rich as my Cannon PowerShot but it is shock resistant (supposedly will survive a 5' fall) and waterproof to 10'.

The photos I've taken with it were sharp and clear. I haven't uploaded any yet but can do that or email a couple representative shots to you if you like.

Jeff

[Stonefly]

I got the Optio more or less on Plateau's recommendation, and I'm very happy with mine. I think the price may have come down on those recently too.

sb

[David Knapp]

The Pentax Optio W30 is a great camera. Since I haven't used the other, I can't really compare but I have heard good things about it. The feature that really makes the Pentax stand out is the excellent macro capabilities. Also, the settings you were talking about can be manually adjusted on the W30 which is nice...

Good luck purchasing a new camera. I'm looking foward to seeing some great pictures along with your fishing reports!

[Dancing Bear]

I have the Pentax and it is a great camera. It is easy to use and makes great photos. Even for me. My wife works in graphics and she was impressed with the quality of the images. I don't think you would be disappointed with what you get for the money.

[ChemEAngler]

Thanks for the responses. If I am not mistaken I believe the Pentax has a 3x zoom and the Olympus has a 5x. I never use my digital zoom, so I don't factor those numbers in. Have any of you out there with the Pentax noticed any limitations of the zoom capability for any landscape pictures?

Travis

[Flying Trout]

I have not noticed any limitations with the cameras. I have the 5mp and the 6mp. It's small and lightweight and I have been able to take almost any picture I like (including underwater of my kids on vacation).