Camera for a Hunter or Ice Fisher

[SSSTaxidermy]

I've got a question for the camera experts.

I'm wondering what camera you would all recommend for an avid outdoorsman. My wife isn't particularly excited when I take our family digital camera on hunting or ice fishing trips. I too , am always worried about misplacing it, breaking it, dropping it down an ice hole, etc. Not that I wouldn't be if I had my own camera, but being it is our family camera, the pressure is always there. I'd rather face the wrath of myself, than coming home from a trip with the boys, only to break the news to the misses I ruined or lost our camera.

So with that said, I'm pretty camera illiterate....and I'm looking to buy my own digital camera...Something that would fit my needs. I'm an avid bird hunter and usually take the camera with me out to the duck blind even on those rainy days. Protecting it with plastic bags. Do all forms of big game hunting, from Bear, deer, to down south Hog hunting, etc. Not to forget ice fishing.

What kind of camera would be the best for me. That has great durability, performs well in nearly all conditions, fairly compact? Is there something out there that I could get my hands on for a couple hundred bucks? Another feature I wouldn't mind is being able to take short video clips.

Thanks for your help

[Eric Wettschreck]

I just got myself out of your situation by buying a Fuji S700. With a really good chip it came to right around 180 bucks. It takes good pictures with a bumblehead (me) using it, and it shoots video also.

[dockothebay]

Olympus makes several Point & Shoot digital cameras that are either water resistant or water proof. I've seen several casual pictures that are good - Most are 8 Megapixals, and they take video clips as well. Not sure about the prices, but they are widely available.

[Powerstroke]

I've found that Fuji and Nikon make some pretty fantastic point and shoot digitals. Most can be had under $200 and what I do for waterproof and protection is put your camera and accessories in a small Pelican case. They are priceless. You can park your truck on it while its underwater and nothing will happen to your camera. It goes in my backpack for bowhunting, in my vest for birds and in my Duluth Pack in the BWCA.

[Steve Foss]

I almost always recommend people check out the Panasonic Lumix series for P&S cameras. Not sure about video, but you can get the Lumix cameras in several Mp sizes with all the current features, and that Leica lens is second to none.

[MN Shutterbug]

 Originally Posted By: stfcatfish

I almost always recommend people check out the Panasonic Lumix series for P&S cameras. Not sure about video, but you can get the Lumix cameras in several Mp sizes with all the current features, and that Leica lens is second to none.

I have one of these Pannys and it does take decent movie clips, at least good enough for youtube. When I bought my Canon, someone inquired about purchasing my Panasonic. I said nope, it's a great little camera and I can always find uses for it. The macro function works very nice and if I ever have a need for a wider angle than my Canon zoom allows, I'll pull out this camera.

[Royce Aardahl]

If you like 12 power zoom the powershot S3IS is all over hsolist foe that kind of money. I use an S2 IS and I would like to get a S5 IS when I have a couple extra bucks.

[SSSTaxidermy]

I was doing a little bit of searching...And I'm not particular to one brand name. But I was looking for something very compact and noticed a fair number of Canon's were small and compact. Like a powershot SD400.

Also, I am a huge Nikon fan, as all my scopes and my range finder is Nikon. I have to check out their HSOforum and see if I can't find something simular to a Canon I seen.

[Moose]

I bought a Panasonic TZ3. Nice and compact with a 10X zoom to reach out and touch some ducks. Steve's right about the lens they are the best in production for a point and shoot IMO. Panasonics also recover very quickly to get another shot off some take several seconds to recover and by then you missed the picture.

[goblueM]

I'd give a HIGH recommendation for an Olympus Stylus model... I have the 770SW but I think they just came out with a new one as well.

I take it to work, fishing, hunting, and so on. Its waterproof to 33 feet, "shockproof" to 5, so if you bang it around its still fine. Very durable, takes decent pics. I took it scuba diving at work on the Miss. R, in the boat, on prescribed burns, hunting, fishing, in all kinds of weather, and its just like the day I bought it

[fishorgolf]

I second the Olympus stylus. I have a 710 and a 760 (newer model) I think. Just don't go with the real cheap ones. The reason I have two is I thought I lost me first one and liked it so much I got another and then found the first one. So now I keep one in my boat all the time.