Very compact and robust - but great pictures?

[Matts_Zed]

Looking for a small camera to take on mountain biking expeditions, so should be very robust and maybe moisture proof, but small enough to fit in the small bag behind my seat. And of course top quality images!
Any ideas or am I asking too much?
Thanks.

[raf_gti]

Not quite the answer you are expecting but how about the compact of your choice but with an insurance policy which covers accidental damage? I know when I bought a compact from Jessop's a few years back they offered a three year policy for about £30, this included any eventuality including accidental damage and loss.

Steve

[imperialism2024]

raf_gti said:

Not quite the answer you are expecting but how about the compact of your choice but with an insurance policy which covers accidental damage? I know when I bought a compact from Jessop's a few years back they offered a three year policy for about £30, this included any eventuality including accidental damage and loss.

Steve

I have to disagree with that approach. Those plans are fine if you don't intend to damage the camera, but want the peace of mind in case something bad happens. IMHO, though, if you intend to put the camera in harm's way fairly often, you anticipate that it will get dinged and scratched up, and you want something that can take the abuse without breaking. If your camera will be out of commission for 2 weeks out of every 4 for repairs, or if the insurance policy drops coverage for your camera after the first replacement, the policy won't do much good.

As for durable cameras... I once had a Sony DSC-V3, a 7MP, large-lensed, pro P&S camera with an entirely metal body. Oh, and an IR imaging mode. The photos were splendid from it, and I was convinced that it could not break. After serving as a display camera for about a year and a half at a busy electronics store, a venerable survivor at that point already, it had fallen off a 20-foot-high roof onto concrete with not even a scratch. I sold it to a friend so that I would have money for my Panasonic LX1, and he proceeded to take it on all manners of hiking. He would leave it in the armrest of his car through winter and summer (-10F to 140F), and it still took great pictures the last I talked to him a few months ago. I don't know if you can still find one (it would be about 3 years old, but it would still keep up with modern cameras), or if Sony has made a replacement for it. A great camera, though... I never should have sold it.

[white_van_man]

my little sony camera has finally given up. Im looking for somethingvery similar. i have seen a few waterproof cameras but they arent getting stunning reviews

[Moose.]

white_van_man said:

my little sony camera has finally given up. Im looking for somethingvery similar. i have seen a few waterproof cameras but they arent getting stunning reviews

I'm guessing you're referring to the Olympus 770SW? Good for what it is, but not the greatest quality pics (and no optical viewfinder, a must for me). I gave up trying to find a decent compact that could be robust and waterproof. Seems there's no such thing

In the end it was a decision between the Fuju F31d or the Sony DSC-W55 (neither are shock/water proof BTW). I opted for the Sony (mainly because it has an optical viewfinder) as well as the additional waterproof housing which should do the trick I recon. Should arrive tomorrow

[white_van_man]

i was looking at the pentax W30 but its getting mixed reviews

[cw42]

Matt, do not put anything in the bag behind your seat. I made that mistake on one ride with an old olympus film camera I used to have, and when I took it out after the ride, I'd nearly worn a hole in the body with the vibration. Best to keep any camera you get in a bum bag or camelback.

[Mr Flambes]

Thanks for all the tips (just changed my username as don't own a Zed anymore, but I digress..).

Had a look around and the Pentax W10 looks pretty compact and robust enough ( waterproof to some extent).
Looks a bit slow in operation and suffers at high ISO settings, but probably good enough for me, and it's pretty cheap.

Mr Flambes (Matts Zed as was).

[white_van_man]

Mr Flambes said:

Thanks for all the tips (just changed my username as don't own a Zed anymore, but I digress..).

Had a look around and the Pentax W10 looks pretty compact and robust enough ( waterproof to some extent).
Looks a bit slow in operation and suffers at high ISO settings, but probably good enough for me, and it's pretty cheap.

Mr Flambes (Matts Zed as was).

the W10 is really old now the latest in that line is the W30