Suitable camera for the outdoors?

dogmatix

Can anyone suggest a good quality camera for outdoor use? I’m thinking in terms of hill walking, where a reasonably compact one would be suitable – the sort of camera I can attach to my trouser belt or maybe the shoulder strap of my rucksack so that when I want to take a photo I don’t have to remove my rucksack to do so. In other words I can just reach with my hand, take out the camera, snap and return. But image quality is important also.

For a number of years I had a little Fuji F10 Finepix which despite its compact size took great photo’s – but then I lost it. I now use a big hefty second-hand Nikon D40X with removable 18-55mm lens but while it takes really good quality photos I am finding that this camera is just a bit too big and impracticable for hill walking. It either needs a separate bag (requiring two bags to go hill walking) or goes into my daysack (meaning I have to take my daysack off to retrieve and use it – and it takes up much needed usable space in my daysack).

I had been looking at the ‘Micro four-thirds’ range of cameras - compact cameras with interchangeable lenses but to be honest I’m not a professional photographer and an standard camera with a fixed lenses is really all I need.

One camera I’ve been looking at is the Fuji X10 – a fixed lens camera which is supposed to produce high quality photos and looks compact enough to fit into a camera bag I can attach to my trouser belt loop.

Any recommendations? What do other people use when they are out and about in the hills?

Mickeroo

I know a few people who use these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Olympus-TG-320-Digital-Compact-Camera/dp/B006UABFDU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1350046136&sr=8-3

They're waterproof & shock proof, though I've beeen told as a camera they're not amazing or anything but do the job. They're a good option if you want something you can bring just about anywhere in the outdoors though.

Fuji also do a similar camera: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fujifilm-FinePix-XP30-Digital-Camera/dp/B004G8Q5TM/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1350046311&sr=1-2

mikka631

The Fuji X10 would be a good choice. You could also look at the Canon G12 or Canon S100 which are in around the same price range. Pick a model that allows you to shoot in RAW as it will give you more control over the finished image when post processing. You should also go to a shop and get a feel for the different cameras you have in mind after you have looked at the online reviews.
Don't let yourself be browbeaten into a particular model by the sales person.

dogmatix

Thanks all for the info. The Fujifilm FinePix XP30 looks like a no-go as it gets a lot of iffy reviews on picture quality.

I'll investigate the Olympus, X10 and Canon's further.

Judge

Another one you might look at is the Sony RX100, which is getting great reviews: e.g. New York Times, The Luminous Landscape.

Pat Mustard

I found that I didn't carry my previous camera when hiking because I didn't want to damage it, I didn't want the extra bulk of carrying a camera bag or the hassle of having to take it out of my daypack every time I wanted to take a picture.

Therefore, I decided to get a new camera which had to be tough, splash-resistant and small enough to fit in my pocket. I did a bit of research.

I got a Sony TX5. It does everything that I need it to do for hiking. I've had no problems. The battery doesn't last a huge length of time, but considering how compact this is, it's an acceptable trade-off.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-DSCTX5B-Cyber-shot-Digital-Camera/dp/B00336EOFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350485860&sr=8-1

I now keep this in a small, hard case attached to my belt, when hiking. http://www.lifeventure.co.uk/htm/accessories/digital-cases.html

I think that there is a updated version of the camera, but I don't think it got great reviews by comparison.

And no matter how waterproof the manufacturer tells you that the camera may be, I think that you are asking for trouble if you take a camera underwater, unless it's designed for scuba diving.