Two Compact Waterproof Cameras Square Off
So you've been thinking about buying a waterproof camera and you've narrowed it down to the Nikon AW100 vs the Panasonic TS4. Which one should you buy?
In a competition between these two cameras, it's a tough choice because both have winning features and thousands of happy fans. So how do you choose the best? This page can help you decide which one is right for you.
Below you'll find a side-by-side comparison of features, sample photos and videos taken from each camera and a personal review of the pros and cons of both models so you can chose the best underwater camera for you.
(Photos by Lisa Howard)
Meet the Competitors
Nikon Coolpix AW100 vs. Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4
When I was looking for rugged waterproof cameras, the Nikon AW100 immediately caught my eye. After all, Nikon is one of the top camera manufacturers in the world (with 12.6% of the total camera market share in 2010), and it's the camera brand preferred by many professional photographers. That alone made me put Nikon on the top of my short list.
But as a scuba diver who started diving in the 1980s when film cameras were still in vogue, I had another reason to favor the Nikon. For years, Nikon was THE name in underwater cameras. Their Nikonos series of cameras set the standard in underwater photography from the 1960s until digital cameras led to the end of their production in 2001. So when Nikon announced the AW100, it was like Lance Armstrong or Magic Johnson announcing their return to competitive sports.
However, while Nikon had been out of the game, other competitors had moved in, and Panasonic was one who was doing very well. They jumped into the "tough" camera market with the DMC-TS1 in 2009, a compact camera that was waterproof to 10 feet, and then continued to improve it. By the third generation, the Panasonic TS3 was making some serious waves in the rugged camera category. It was the most popular camera in Amazon's Underwater Cameras category for much of 2011 and hundreds of happy customers gave it a 4- out of 5-star rating. Consumers loved this camera!
Then along came the Nikon AW100 in late 2011 to steal the thunder from Panasonic's game. Panasonic fought back with the TS4 in early 2012, and now customers looking for the best all-around waterproof camera with GPS often narrow it down to these two - the Nikon AW100 vs the Panasonic TS4.
Take a quick look at the chart below to see how they compare and then read the full reviews below.
Nikon Coolpix AW100 Review
Nikon wins for higher resolution, larger sensor, bigger LCD, and better door design
If you're looking for a rugged camera, there are a lot of things to love about the Nikon AW100. It's waterproof to 33 feet, shockproof to falls from 5 feet, freezeproof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit and dustproof. And at less than an inch thick, it can easily slide into a pocket, making it a perfect lightweight traveling companion. It can also shoot full 108p HD video with one-touch ease, and has a built-in GPS to geotag your images.
It shares many of its features with the TS4. Both have four-way rugged design, geotagging, continous shooting, sweep panorama, and a host of preset shooting modies, including dedicated underwater modes for good color reproduction. Going down the list of features, you might think there's not a whole lot to differentiate the two cameras unless you really want to go 7 feet deeper underwater or you plan on dropping your camera from a greater height (in which case you better choose the TS4!).
But what sets the Nikon AW100 apart from its competitor is its design and image quality. The AW100 has a 16 MP CMOS sensor and 5x Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens that perform well both above and below water. In my experience, the images on this camera are sharper and clearer than those of the TS4. Both cameras take great photos, but the Nikon has a slightly larger sensor (1/2inch) than the Panasonic, giving it an edge in quality.
The other feature that clearly sets the Nikon above the Panasonic is the locking mechanism on the door. A waterproof camera is only as good as the door that keeps the water out, and Nikon is the winner here. The twist-and-push button that locks the battery/memory card door would be virtually impossible to open accidentally , and it shuts with an audible "click" that lets you know the lock is engaged. Of the half dozen different compact waterproof cameras I've used, the Nikon AW100 has the best locking mechanism of them all.
On the downside, users might be disappointed to know that there's no manual or program mode on the AW100. It's all auto, all the time. This is great for the point-and-shoot crowd, but advanced users will have to rely on auto or a multitude of preset scene modes to capture their images.
The Nikon Coolpix AW100 is an excellent waterproof camera for anyone wanting to take photos in the pool, lake or ocean, but it's not for those who want a camera they can manually control.
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