Anyone aware of a waterproof digital camera with at least a 10x zoom?

Eric wrote:

Anyone aware of a waterproof digital camera with at least a 10x zoom?

No, the Pentax 33WR and announced-but-not-yet-available 43WR both have
37-104mm equivalent zoom, which is about 3x. They may have digital zoom,
but I don't believe DZ is useful, so I don't pay any attention to it.

http://creekin.net/cameras.htm

The Minolta Dimage A1/A2 have 28-200 equivalent zoom, which is over 7x,
but are not water-resistant.

Bill Tuthill wrote:

Eric wrote:

Anyone aware of a waterproof digital camera with at least a 10x zoom?

No, the Pentax 33WR and announced-but-not-yet-available 43WR both have
37-104mm equivalent zoom, which is about 3x.

Yes, this is what my research has turned up as well. Unfortunately, a 3x
optical zoom isn't really worth it, imho.

I guess I shall wait a bit longer until someone does make the camera I
am looking for.

They may have digital zoom,
but I don't believe DZ is useful, so I don't pay any attention to it.

Yes, I agree, a Digital Zoom is not useful.
I only care about optical zoom.

On 4-May-2004, (Eric) wrote:

I guess I shall wait a bit longer until someone does make the camera I
am looking for.

Are you including waterproof housings for digital cameras in your search?

Mike

Michael Daly wrote:

On 4-May-2004, (Eric) wrote:

I guess I shall wait a bit longer until someone does make the camera I
am looking for.

Are you including waterproof housings for digital cameras in your search?

No. I have one for my current digital camera and find it rather
annoying.


--
== Eric Gorr ========= http://www.ericgorr.net ========= ICQ:9293199 ===
"Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both
benefit and harm." - Sun Tzu
== Insults, like violence, are the last refuge of the incompetent... ===

I'd like to ask a silly question in this thread.

From my personal experience, even the 3x zoom can give me blurred
pictures from my boat. I can only assume 10x would be worse.

Unless you are paddling in a super-wide boat in very calm conditions.
In which case I don't see the need for waterproof. Granted you could
be taking photos in the rain, but I doubt it.

So what is the advantage of a 10x zoom waterproof digital camera? I
have to assume I am missing something.

- Eric

Eric Nyre wrote:

So what is the advantage of a 10x zoom waterproof digital camera? I
have to assume I am missing something.

I really don't consider anything less then a 10x zoom to be worthwhile.
One doesn't have to use the full 10x zoom.

The 10x zoom would be available when one is not in a kayak.

Being waterproof means it is relatively safe to take it while kayaking.

I do not wish to own both a camera with a 10x zoom which is not
waterproof and a camera with less then a 10x zoom which is waterproof.

I find the waterproof cases to be annoying.

--
== Eric Gorr ========= http://www.ericgorr.net ========= ICQ:9293199 ===
"Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both
benefit and harm." - Sun Tzu
== Insults, like violence, are the last refuge of the incompetent... ===

Eric wrote:

Yes, this is what my research has turned up as well. Unfortunately,
a 3x optical zoom isn't really worth it, imho.

It is very difficult to design a 10x zoom, especially one with good
optical performance.

The current Tamron and Sigma 28-200 lenses are quite good, and can be
placed on a Canon or Nikon or Pentax DSLR such as the 300D or D70 for
an equivalent focal range of of 45-320 or 42-300 respectively. You
could buy a Ewa-Marine waterproof case for lotsa bucks.

The more-than-10x Tamron and Sigma 28-300 lenses are much less good.
I have seen results from the Tamron and wouldn't buy one myself.
Best 10x zoom would be the Canon 35-350, which retails for $1500.
Seems like Canon announced a new wider-angle 10x zoom but I can't
remember any details.

Bill Tuthill wrote:

Eric wrote:

Yes, this is what my research has turned up as well. Unfortunately,
a 3x optical zoom isn't really worth it, imho.

It is very difficult to design a 10x zoom, especially one with good
optical performance.

I have no cause to doubt that.

However, I would doubt that it will remain true indefinitely.

I was mostly just wondering if technological advancement and consumer
demand had made it possible to design a 10x zoom, waterproof digital
camera at a price I am willing to pay (= $500). It would appear the
answer is 'no' for the moment.

Eric wrote:

Bill Tuthill wrote:

Eric wrote:

Yes, this is what my research has turned up as well. Unfortunately,
a 3x optical zoom isn't really worth it, imho.

It is very difficult to design a 10x zoom, especially one with good
optical performance.

I have no cause to doubt that.


Optical lens design is a mature technology. There will undoubtedly be
incremental advances, but designing a 10x lens that has decent optical
performance is difficult. Designing one with good optical performance is
essentially impossible. (You can argue about what "good" means.)



However, I would doubt that it will remain true indefinitely.

I was mostly just wondering if technological advancement and consumer
demand had made it possible to design a 10x zoom, waterproof digital
camera at a price I am willing to pay (= $500). It would appear the
answer is 'no' for the moment.