If you’re looking for adventure camera features – such as waterproof capability – in a more familiar form, try these alternatives.
Canon PowerShot D20
The 12.1 MP Canon PowerShot D20 is a straightforward point and shoot with some awesome features. It’s got HD video, a nifty GPS logging system to track your travels and is waterproof to 10 metres.
The PowerShot is a handsome camera and much bulkier than the adventure cameras, but it feels solid and is easy to operate. The buttons are large and designed so you can still grip them properly in cold or wet conditions, but I found the camera a bit awkward to hold because of the position of the lens.
I also struggled to pull open the battery flaps, but I suppose this is for the best, as the camera needs to be watertight. It has a cool wrist strap that tightens to fit and it’s shockproof from 1.5 metres (which I tested by dropping it, sorry Canon).
Costs R3 799
Available from most good camera shops. Otherwise contact Canon
Optrix XD4
Getaway photo editor Dylan Kotze says
The XD4 or XD5 from Optrix turns your iPhone 4 or 5 into a protected and mountable adventure camera at a fraction of the cost of a GoPro or Drift HD camera. It serves dual-purpose with an inner, everyday rubber casing, as well as a tough, waterproof outer case with ultra-wide lens attached.
The lens really adds a funky perspective to the video with a wide field of view, but when you switch to take photos, you’ll need to zoom in a little to get rid of the rather sizable vignetting, which ultimately reduces the super wide-angle effect. Still, it’s surprisingly easy to navigate the touchscreen, you can frame and review your footage on the spot and there’s a range of accessories such as suction cups, chest mounts and extension poles available.
Costs R1199
Action Gear, tel 011-781-1323, [email protected], www.actioncameras.co.za.
