Help with camera - Budget R4K - R6K

[Bravestar]

Hi guys

Looking to buy a camera but not a SLR, need to be able to take the camera with me on a oil rig.

Budget R4K - R6K

Needs to have the following features:

Small
Light
Waterproof
Shock resistant
Optical zoom

Any suggestions?

Cheerio

 

[pixel_ninja]

I use this for fishing: http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/compact/ts4_ft4/

While a Gopro may be more geared towards video, it is also an option IMO.

 

[garyc]

The above suggestion should work well on an oil rig, with all of its hazards.

I use the Nikon AW100 for engineering inspections. In just the last couple of months it has proved why you would want something like this. It has been used in an environment filled with carbon dust (respirators needed), which would have shorted out the contacts on an ordinary camera. It was also used in an environment filled with dense caustic fumes (body suits needed) which would normally corroded the electrical contacts in a camera. Around the same time it was also exposed to a lot of fine dust generated by explosives. In all cases just wash it off under a tap afterwards and everything is fine. Very good macro for recording small details in failure investigations and takes report-ready photos if you pick the right resolution.

In case this looks like a Nikon advert it does have a couple of drawbacks. There is some Moiré patterning on fine repeating details and the in-camera image processing and sharpening is on the aggressive side.

I got the Nikon because it was on a special at the last Film and Photo show. Any of the other genuinely rugged cameras are also likely to do as good a job.