Nikon COOLPIX AW100 16 MP CMOS Waterproof Digital Camera with GPS and Full HD 1080p Video (Blue) (OLD MODEL)

I misplaced this camera recently for about a week and it seems like everyday is was exasperated to not be able to get the shot I could have gotten with it but couldn't get with either my DSLR, Nikon 700, or with my very good and handy compact Canon S95. I bought this camera mainly to use when I didn't dare take one of the other cameras out in so much water. It is even nice not to have to be concerned about the rain, or the wet updraft from a waterfall, let alone at the beach, the river, the ocean, kayaking, rock terrain, sand, dusty riding or hiking. Yes the lens stays behind it protective glass that is itself quite will protected by the frame protruding just adequately beyond it. The other main attraction was the dropability. I was impressed by the shock-resistant aspect. I brag that I can drop it about the distance of my height onto any surface. But I can't get myself to intentionally do that. Still. I feel confident of its durability. I am also glad to have the GPS onboard. When I was considering ordering it, I was concerned about whether the resolution would be satisfactory, so, I chose to buy a refurbished one. The warrantee sounded good enough to take a chance. If I had known how much I was going to be using it and enjoying it, I would have bought the brand new one instead. But, I am very pleased with this refurbished one. No problem! One of the reasons that I can hardly stand to not have it at hand at all times is because it is so easy to take a really close shot. I am a beekeeper and I have been trying to get close-ups of the bees with the other two cameras and haven't been able to do with them what I can do with this one. The resolution isn't as good as I would like to be able to get eventually, but it is much better than anything that I have gotten at the beehive previously and the images that I send to the newspaper look good in print. This is the third water camera that I have gotten, and by far the best so far. I am very glad to have this at hand. Oh, and by the way, almost every time I open and close the water-tight door to the battery and SD card, I realize how much I appreciate the technology of that door and its latch and remember that comment about one of the reviews that criticized the latch as overly complicated and difficult to use. I get a really satisfied feeling from closing this particular latch that seems to have the feel of closing a submarine hatch. And opening the latch with only one hand is a skill that is pleasing to be a master of and takes little effort in accomplishing. And yes, if you guessed, I relocated the missing camera in the pocket of my beekeeping jacket. Now to get some close-ups of the kittens that are just beginning to get a little tiny bit of their eyes open. Of course, I can't get quite as close to them as I get to the honeybees that I can be almost touching with the lens and fill the frame with the bee and get fairly good focus and detail. Good enough for most uses, at a price that you wouldn't expect to be getting gallery quality, anyway. Yes, I did get the orange face. Sometimes I am really glad when it is so easy to find. In the beginning, sometimes I couldn't find it because I didn't see any orange face anywhere. That is when I learned to always set it monitor down. That side is all black. I like the looks of the black better, but the orange is handy and it is good for me to set the monitor face down to protect it from anything damaging it from above. Oh, and I really like how well it rides with me when the strap is around my neck. Excellent that it wears like a necklace, secured at with each end of the strap at a side of the camera instead of the wrist strap kind of tether. It is so easy to wear and to just lift and shoot. Easiest of any compact camera that I have ever used. It is when I am wearing it, though, that I would prefer that it had a the dignity of a black face. But, such a good image buddy, I can't complain. If you get one, I hope that you enjoy it at least as much.

I purchased the Nikon AW100 after researching the waterproof pocket size offerings of the dominant manufacturers who have similar cameras. Through the reviews found online, and comparing the specifications, the Nikon seemed a bit too good to be true. It was spec'd to have higher resolution than the rest (16MP), better zoom (only 5X, but better than 3X or 4X of competitors), and it is lighter. I was a little concerned with the $300 price tag, but I figure the waterproof capability alone saves me from destroying cameras or having to deal with dry bags/boxes to protect fragile equipment is well worth the investment.When I received the camera, I dug in and checked out all the accessories. The reason I call it a "near perfect" camera is because you have to remove the battery to charge it. If you could recharge it through the USB cable that is used to offload the photos, I would definitely remove the "nearly". The charger included only works on AC power, so if you are on a long adventure, you will either need an aftermarket charger that works on 12VDC, or USB, or make sure you have plenty of extra batteries to get you through. I found that a battery will last through an active day of taking photos and videos, so I would recommend one battery per day with an extra if you are a real shutterbug If you aren't constantly turning it on and off and snapping shots, you can obviously get by with less. It remains to be seen if there is a loss of capacity in the Li-ion batteries as they age. Typically this cell chemistry does well over time.Right out of the box, I got the battery charged and installed it, and couldn't wait to get it wet. I turned it on, and filled up a large tumbler with water and plunged it in. After all, if it is going to fail on me, I want it to happen at home, not out on the trail when I am depending upon it to capture the memories of a lifetime. I let it soak for a little while and was comfortable that this little gem was definitely at least splash proof. That weekend, I went out kayak fishing offshore with some friends. I was still learning how to use many of the functions, so I accidentally left it on several times, and other rookie mistakes, but it held up perfectly and I got some good photos and video of fish being caught and released.A couple weeks later, the reason I made this purchase came up and I headed for Montana. I learned more about the functions and the panorama function was again worth the cost of the camera. When you are in the midst of enormous vistas that you have no idea how to capture, this mode is the best way to try to show your friends what you experienced. This camera takes fantastic panorama shots that capture mountain views better than I have ever pieced together in Photoshop. One click of the button and pan 180 or 360 degrees and you get the whole thing holding the camera landscape or portriat.The macro mode is also very good. I took many photos of wildflowers, of which, the ones where I remembered the macro mode, turned out fabulous. I also took some great shots of a flyfishing lure in front of a sunrise that look like postcards. Having the camera halfway submerged is the only way to get the angle and the sharpness that I achieved. Knowinig a few basics about how to frame a photo and a good camera that figures out all the little details while protecting itself from the elements makes for some amazing memories to share with friends and family.Some of the mountain lakes filled with fish were a great opportunity to video some of them swimming around. I started the video, and sank the camera into the icy water and followed the fish for some HD video that is hard to beat by National Geographic. The camera handled everything without a hitch. It was even blown off a rock a couple times while I was trying to take a self portriat using a small tripod. A four foot tumble down a boulder into the rocks didn't even scratch it.This is a tough camera, for those who need a waterproof camera that is light, reliable, and easy to use. It is the point and shoot that you have been dreaming of.Get out there!