I have tried out a few waterproof digital cameras and have listed below what I liked and disliked.

Vivitar V5188 waterproof digital camera

This little camera was fun at first but definitely not a worthwhile purchase for anyone serious or even semi serious about getting some good photographs. Unfortunately despite having some decent specs the pictures are more often than not blurry. That said, if your looking for a fun cheap waterproof digital camera that you don’t mind your kids getting their hands on the Vivitar V5188 is light, easy to use and comes with a funky underwater case that the camera fits inside ensuring no water can get in. The Vivitar is functional and did not let in any water when submerged.

Specs:

5.1 meagapixel
8x Digital Zoom
1.5” TFT Screen
Waterproof Case

Oregon Scientific ATC 2K Waterproof Video Camera

Described as an action cam the oddly name Oregon Scientific ATC 2K is designed to give a first person viewpoint. This camera is extremely tough and has excellent build quality. Strapping this waterproof camera to a helmet, handlebars or rocket you can get some video footage where other cameras fear to tread.  Unfortunately for me the poor sound and picture quality just wasn’t good enough in my opinion. However for the price it is a great video camera and you won’t mind letting the kids play around with it.

Specs:

Waterproof:      Up to 3 Meters
Resolution:       640×480
File Format:     AVI
Frame Rate:      30FPS Max
Support for SD memory cards

Panasonic SDR-SW20

I cannot recommend this camcorder highly enough. Both design and function are great. This shockproof and waterproof video camera is lightweight and extremely easy to use. For those people looking for high def pictures you will need to look elsewhere but that’s not to say the Panasonic SDR-SW-20 picture quality is not any good. In fact the picture and sound are perfectly acceptable with sharp images, bright colours and excellent sound quality. The Panasonic has a wonderful aesthetic value with its very stylish retro looks and small but chunky feel. It can easily fit into a shirts top pocket. With a tripod clamp you can attach the camera to the front of your cockpit combing and because it is waterproof you can get some quality first person action footage. Furthermore if you are kayak fishing you can video landing your big catch. The camera has image stabilisation so even when paddling the images are very good. The SDR-SW20 uses SD cards so your footage can be easily transferred to a computer.

Specs:

Waterproof:     1.5 Meters
Resolution:      640 x 480
File Format:    .MOV  (MPEG2)
Shockproof:     1.2 Meters

Olympus MJU 850SW Waterproof Digital Camera

I have been using this waterproof digital camera for over six months and it has yet to let me down. For me it is one of the most essential kayak accessories to have. It is rugged well built and takes beautiful pictures. Whilst this is obviously not a high end camera it is the perfect answer for anyone looking to take good quality pictures without spending a small fortune. It can be a tad fiddly going through the menus but once you get used to them it is really no problem at all. Point and click bliss without worrying about the kids getting hold of it and destroying it. In my opinion if you are looking for a waterproof digital camera that takes great pictures and won’t leave a large dent in your wallet this is the one to have.

Specs: