Best Waterproof Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 12MP Series Digital Camera

This digital camera is waterproof to 10 feet, shockproof to 5 feet!

^-

You can take pictures just about anywhere with the rugged, tough, shockproof, and waterproof Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 Digital Camera

• Rating Score: 4.7 out of 5

Finally there is a camera that is tough enough to take just about anything you dish out. The panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 is truly an amazing digital camera, a real value for the money. Just like their successful "ToughBook" computers, this camera is tough. It's shockproof, and has been designed to survive multiple drops from 5 feet. A drop like that would almost certainly kill or maim most digital cameras. Think about this camera when heading out with your day pack to go on a hike through rugged terrain. This camera is also dust-proof.

Have you ever wanted to take your camera to the water park and not have to worry about it getting wet? We all know what happens when you drop any digital electronic equipment in water. The DMC-TS1 is waterproof to depths up to 10 feet for up to an hour at a time. If you want a camera for the next water park outing or if you're going to take a camera on your next diving or snorkeling excursion to the Caribbean or the neighborhood pool, this is the camera for you. Be sure and check out the floating camera strap available in the Amazon.com section of this page. It's like a life preserver for your camera.

Not the first "Tough Camera,' but maybe the best

While the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 is not the first "ruggedized" camera to hit the market, it is arguably the best camera for the least amount of money. A real value for the average consumer everyday photgrapher who might be a little careless with a camera. If you drop it in the sand at the beach, toss it on a counter, dropp it on the ground, or use it in the rain - it's going to perform, and perform like a champ. It's truly a camera that was made to handle the rough and tumble mishaps in life that we all experience from time to time.

Making Movies with the Lumix DMC-Ts1

Other great features include an HD movie mode with HDMI output. The TS1 records at 30 frames per second in the 720p AVCHD Lite format, or it can record video in the JPEG format as well. The AVCHD format requires a PC computer and PHOTOfunSTUDIO software to upload and read files, and is not compatible with Apple Macintosh computers. Panasonic recommends the AVCHD for watching your videos on an HDTV, while the Motion JPEG format is recommended for viewing videos on a PC. The Motion JPEG format also offers the 30 fps playback at 1,280 x 720, 848 x 480, 640 x 480, and 320 x 240 resolutions. You can also optically zoom in and out while shooting video. Most digital cameras only offer a digital zoom.

Final recommendation: A real winner for the price

A real winner because it's a digital camera that takes great pictures, can be taken just about anywhere, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 is available in three colors - orange, green, and silver. There are some digital cameras out there that can still take a better picture than the TS1, but those digital cameras are not nearly as rugged.