Waterproof Digital Cameras

One of the big hits in the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is the Kodak Zx1 HD Pocket Video Camera. This small camera can record HD video at resolutions of 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) at a rate of up to 60 fps with an aspect ratio of 16:9. It can also take still pictures of 3-megapixel quality.

The Zx1 is very similar to its predecessor, the Zi6. However, it has been given a tougher and more rugged finish. The door is rubberized to protect all openings. With its stainless steel panel, it is given a protection rating of IP43. While it falls short of the label “waterproof”, it is “weather-resistant”, meaning it can take on rain, snow, dust, and dirt and still function perfectly. You can shoot while playing under the rain, enjoying those water park rides, having a snowball fight, gliding on a sand board, or tossing volleyballs at the beach.

The video camera does not really have a very useful internal memory, being only 128 MB, but it has a slot for SD or SDHC cards with capacities of up to 32 GB. With 32 GB you can record up to 10 hours of HD video whether under the bright sun or in low-light conditions. It even has a low-distortion microphone to pick up audio for a more involved recording of your adventures. A 2-inch LCD screen serves as the viewfinder as well as playback monitor.

The Kodak Zx1 HD Pocket Video Camera is powered by two size AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries which are included in the purchase. It can also work with CRV3 lithium batteries as well as Kodak’s Li-Ion KLIC-8000.

HDMI, AV and USB cables are included in the box which you can use to connect to your HDTV, SDTV, or PC.

In pre-historic times man was active because he had to hunt and run after his meals, or run away from an animal that want him for its meal. Then civilization came along and he became a couch potato. Today he is active again, climbing mountains; jumping off cliffs, bridges, and planes; and diving into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Only this time, he will want a camera to record his adventures, a camera like the Panasonic SDRSW20 Waterproof Digital Camera.

Designed with the active person in mind, the SDRSW20 is shockproof, waterproof, and dustproof. With its fortified and thickened body, this camera has enough strength and rigidity to withstand a fall from a height of 1.2 m. Tight closures and sealants prevent water from seeping into the camera allowing you to capture videos in the rain, snow, or up to 1.5 meters underwater. The same sealants also keep off dust so you can also use camera during beach volleyballs or sandstorms.

This camera features a 1/6-inch CCD optical sensor. It has a 10x optical zoom lens with a focal length that ranges from a minimum of 2 mm to a maximum of 23 mm. It has a 2.7-inch color TFT active matrix LCD display. This display swivels out of the camera and can be tilted to allow shooting from either a bird’s eye- or worm’s eye-view. There are two SUB REC buttons, one at the back and another at the side of the unit. The latter is more convenient when shooting from low angles.

Images can be stored in an SD or SDHC memory card. A 16GB SDHC card will provide over 13 hours of recording. The recording format for videos is MPEG2, while for still photos, the format is JPEG with a resolution of 640 X 480.

The Panasonic SDRSW20 Waterproof Digital Camcorder is a small and compact camera that will easily fit into a shirt pocket. It measures only 3.4 cm H X 11.5 cm W X 6.3 cm D.

The trouble with most video cameras is that you can’t share your view of the snow-covered mountain gradient as it rushes to meet you after plunging yourself and your skis into the slopes. You would have to hold your ski poles, not a video camera. Or perhaps you might want to share your perspective of the white, churning, or whirling eddies towards which your rubber dinghy is speeding. But you have to hold your paddles, not a video camera. A great answer to this problem is the Vievu PVR-PRO Video Camera.

This video camera is wearable. Because of its small size, at 3 inches high, 2 inches wide, and three-quarters of an inch thick, you can clip it to your shirt or use a dual pin attachment. By simply sliding the lens cover, it will see what you see and records it in a 1GB internal memory. No buttons to push, no viewfinders to bother about. It does not only pick up images, it also records audio. Your friends will hear you scream as you drop from a precipice or as your raft starts to spin with an eddy.

Since the camera is shock-resistant and waterproof with an IPX5 rating, it will continue recording even after drops and water splashes. Images are recorded at 30 frames per second in a VGA 640 x 480 resolution. The battery lasts up to one hour of recording.

A USB cable is included with the camera for use in downloading captured video to your computer. It is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, and Vista as well as Mac OS X.

While there are waterproof camcorder casings in the market, they are necessarily bigger than the camcorder itself. If you are one of those with dainty hands and you do not feel comfortable handling bulky gadgets, these casings may not be for you. Fortunately, there are available camcorders that are by themselves waterproof. One of these is the Sanyo Xacti VPC E2 Digital Camcorder.

The VPC E2 can take videos and photos on land or underwater. It can be submerged up to five feet deep and keep capturing images for one full hour. Videos are recorded at a resolution of 640 x 480 at 60 fps. Still photos, on the other hand, are captured by an 8-megapixel CMOS image sensor. Taking stills is even possible while recording videos.

A 2.5-inch LCD display flips out of the camcorder and can be rotated up to 285°. This capability enables you to take photos from a bird’s or worm’s eye view, or from any other angle, without difficulty.

The camcorder has a 5x optical zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/3.5, providing a focal length ranging from 38 to 190 mm. Coupled with a 12x digital zoom, the VPC E2 has a zooming capability of 62.5x.

A sophisticated face detection feature can track up to 12 faces even if they are in motion. Once detected, the camera automatically adjusts exposure and focus to guarantee sharp and properly illuminated faces.

Since the camcorder is capable of underwater shots, it is equipped with an underwater scene mode. This mode is intended to address the different lighting conditions of underwater shooting.

Videos and photos can be stored in SD or HDSC memory cards of up to 8G. Sharing files is facilitated with the VPC E2’s MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression capability. Because file sizes are reduced uploading to the Internet and e-mailing are quicker and faster. Viewing through the TV, DVD, or PC is also possible via cable connections.

The Vivitar DVR 510 is a digital video camera equipped with a digital zoom rated at 8x. It captures video images at a resolution of 640 x 480 VGA at 30 fps, or 320 x 240 QVGA at 30 fps. The images are recorded in a built-in 8MB, 2GB NAND Flash memory, or, into a 4GB SD card using the camera’s SD card reader. The video files are stored in an AVI file format.

Images are displayed on a 1.8-inch TFT LCD screen, both when taking videos or playing them back. With its Infrared Night Vision feature, it can record images at night even with a minimum of light.

The DVR 510 comes with a cover that protects the camera from water splashes. While you may not be able to take it scuba diving, you can confidently use it to take videos while frolicking on the beach.

Videos can be displayed on you computer via a USB 2.0/1.1 interface, and for your TV, it has an NTSC/PAL video out port.

This small camera, measuring 111 mm x 60 mm x 22 mm, is powered by four size AAA batteries.

The Ultimate ATC3K is a hands-free digital video camera that delivers full color videos with a resolution of 640 x 480 VGA recorded at 30 fps both on land and up to three meters under water. It can also continue to perform in extreme temperatures from -40 to 140°F. A neoprene cold weather sleeve is supplied with the unit to help assure its operation.

It comes with a mounting kit consisting of a handle bar grip which you can use to mount the camera on your motorcycle, mountain bike or any cylindrical base of about the same diameter; a long Velcro strap with which you can tie the camera to your helmet; and a silicone rubber strap which could be useful for wet conditions.

The field of view of the Ultimate ATC3K, at 48°, is at the upper end of the range generally classified as standard. This gives it a wide coverage of images and sceneries. These images are stored either in a 32MB internal memory or in an SD card of up to 4GB with its built-in SD drive.

The camera can be connected to either your TV (NTSC) or laptop through the supplied RCA and USB cables respectively. It is compatible with WIN2000/XP/Vista and Apple Mac X 10.3/10.4.

It measures 4.25 inches long, 1.75 inches deep, and 2.25 inches high. With this small size, it weighs at only half a pound even with the batteries installed.

The Predator VX360 Waterproof Video Camera is a wearable, waterproof, hard-wearing camera that is perfectly suited for extreme sports both on land and in the water.

It consists of two parts –an eyeball camera lens and a recording unit. The camera lens can be worn on the head using a headband or on the arm with a neoprene arm band. It can also be attached to the helmet with the use of special clips and fasteners. The recording unit, on the other hand, is usually worn on the arm.

The mounting bracket which holds the camera lens allows it to rotate up to 360° enabling you to take video footages from any angle. It is wide-angled and is equipped with anti-fogging capabilities thus keeping videos clear even in conditions of extreme temperature and humidity. It is comes with a UV filter and lens protector.

The recording unit uses Sony Super HAD CCD sensor to record video images at VGA or 640 x 480 resolution at 24 frames per second. The recorded images are stored in a DS or SDHC memory card of up to 8GB through an integrated card slot. A 2.4-inch LCD display can be used to view captured images while you are still in the field. It also has an AV and USB ports for connection to your TV or computer.

As the VX360 was meant for extreme sports enthusiasts, it was built to take punishment. It can absorb strong impacts and shocks, resist the corroding effects of seawater, and dive down to a depth of three meters. Notwithstanding this, it has been kept light enough to be worn on the head or arms comfortably.

The Oregon Scientific ATC2K does not look like your average hand-held camera. Instead, it is tubular in design with one end slightly tapered. This end incorporates a camera lens while the other has an LCD display. The tube is held by a ring with a mounting mechanism at the bottom. At the top are control buttons.

The reason the ATC2K design is radically different from that of hand-held cameras is that it was not designed to be held. It was meant to be mounted on helmets, motorcycle and bicycle handlebars, or any other equipment whether for sports or work. You only need to push a button, make a few adjustments, and the camera will take your videos.

If you have one mounted on your helmet and you fly down a tall waterfall on your whitewater run, it will record everything you see, the foaming waters, swirling eddies, and your friends cheering you along. If you get thrown off the raft, you don’t have to worry. The ATC2K is waterproof up to three meters. You can also take it skiing as it can continue to function smoothly even in sub-zero temperatures.

The camera records 30 frames per second at a resolution of 640 x 480 VGA. Videos are stored in the 32MB on board memory or in an SD card of up to 2GB. You can watch a playback of your videos on the LCD screen. However, USB and RCA cables are included with the unit so you can watch them on your computer or TV.

The ATC2K is small in size. When mounted on your bike or other equipment, it will not get in your way. It is only 4.25 inches long, 1.75 inches deep, and 2.25 inches high.

Sanyo offers two designs for its high-definition waterproof cameras –the horizontal and vertical or pistol grip versions. For those who prefer the latter type, Sanyo offers the VPC-CA9 Waterproof HD Camcorder.

The VPC-CA9 is both a high-definition camera that records 720p MPEG-4 AVC/H .264 videos and shoots 9-megapixel still photos in JPEG. It embodies a further refinement of the ergonomic Xacti blueprint resulting to less muscle fatigue when recording. This allows you to continually take videos or still pictures over extended periods whether on terra firma or subaqua, up to a depth of 1.5 meters.

This camera features a 5x optical and 12x digital zoom. These allow close up photos, picture enlargement, and cropping. To help avoid blurry still pictures and video images, an electronic Digital Image Stabilizer is installed. It also has Auto Face Tracking for proper exposure and focus on your subject’s face. A reverse sequential shooting function allows continuous shooting for as long as the photo button is depressed. This button is distinct from the video button eliminating the need to switch modes when shifting from stills to videos or vice versa. You can even shoot stills and take videos simultaneously.

The VPC CA9 features a 2.5-inch LCD monitor that rotates approximately 285°. With this extent, you can shoot from any angle you wish without having to bend or twist your body or stand on your toes.

Although the internal memory of the Sanyo VPC-CA9 is only 43 MB, it has slots for SD or SDHC Memory Cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB. Power is supplied by a lithium-ion battery that can last up to slightly over an hour of video recording or about 220 minutes of playback. This is roughly the equivalent of 170 still picture shots.

The Vivitar DVR 850W is a handy digital video recorder that incorporates a lot of features making videography and photography an enjoyable experience. What really makes capturing videos and photos enjoyable are the clear and excellent images that come out of your camera. The DVR 850W is equipped to help you with this, both on land and underwater up to a depth of five meters.

This camera has four modes –video, camera, playback, and setup. Within each of these modes there are numerous adjustments that can be made to vary the operation of the camera.

In the video mode, you can adjust the resolution, white balance, exposure, and color effect of the images. When capturing still photos under the camera mode, you can also reset the same settings mentioned in the video mode, plus flash setup, self timer, and date stamp. The settings you need to set when viewing videos or still pictures on the camcorder, TV, or computer are accessible through the playback mode. In the setup mode, you can modify the operating format of the camcorder such as the auto power off option, buzzer, LCD screen brightness, TV output, date and time, and light frequency.

The image resolution of the DVR 850W is rated at eight megapixels giving a digital video resolution of 640×840 (VGA) and 320×240 (QVGA), and for still pictures, a maximum resolution of 3320×2490. Instead of a viewfinder, the camera has a 2.4-inch TFT LCD with an adjustable brightness that can improve visibility even under sunlight.

The internal memory of 128MB is understandably too small to store your videos and still photos, but this can be augmented by an SD memory card up to 8GB. Power is supplied by a lithium ion battery.