Are you looking to get some great underwater shark pictures in your quest to be National Geographics next big photographer? Or maybe you just want a camera that you don’t have to worry about around the boat, beach or pool. While you can get an additional add-on waterproof case for some existing camera, they can be expensive, bulky and awkward to both pack and use. Why not get a camera that’s already waterproof without needing to spend extra money on accessories.
There are several models out there, but my favorite choice would have to be the Olympus Stylus 790SW waterproof, shock proof, dust proof, and freeze proof. The 790SW is the successor the the 770SW, which is still available, but a little harder to find. The biggest difference between the two cameras, is that the older 770SW can go be used in up to 33 feet of water, whereas the newer 790SW can only be used in up to 10 feet of water. Olympus apparently decided that the demographic for the 790SW weren’t big deep sea divers. Probably makes sense.
The other nice thing about the 790SW, is it’s all around durability. This has got to be one of the toughest cameras out there. Dropping it from 5 feet or less has no affect on the sensitive internal workings. Why more cameras aren’t built this way I have no idea. Not only can you take you take pictures under the water, you can take it out in the snow with no worries as well. Temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit, or -10 degrees Celsius won’t damage the camera. I’m more of a warm weather fan myself.
Another rather minor annoyance is the small hand grip Canon opted with. The G7 had the same problem, and apparently Canon thought it was OK. Perhaps it’s just an aesthetic thing on the part of their designers. For the real world, however it can be a bit of a nuisance, especially for those with larger size hands.
Other infractions by the good folks at Canon are noted below. They may not be enough to talk you out of the PowerShot G9, if your really intent on buying one, but still good things to know. The competition offers better lens options. LCD screen has too much of a bluish tinge. Controls can be difficult to reach. Battery endurance is just acceptable. The mount for a tripod could have been better.
The D90 has top-notch image quality, having 12.3 megapixels and four frames per second shooting speed. The D90’s camera body is not as sturdy as that of the Canon 40D, but it’s a camera you should consider getting if you want a DSLR that can also take videos.