A friend asked me to recommend a point & shoot. After some research, I narrowed my choices down considerably. Timing was good as the PDN Photo Expo was coming up. So on the expo's last day, I had my opportunity to check them out. I was impressed and completely blown away. So which point and shoot was best?
Pentax WG 2: This is a very sturdy and impressive point and shoot for the adventurer or a family with small children who like to play hockey with the family camera. Very impressed by it's price point, durability and overall package. One cool feature the WG 2 has are 6 small LED lights circling the lens which allow you to do "Micro Photography," according to Pentax's brochure. The battery for this camera is between $25 and $40, as 3rd party batteries are available. It takes an SD card and has a carabiner & strap which comes as part of the overall very rouged feel of the package. This camera can take photos up to 40 Feet under water, and in 14 degree weather. It can be dropped from about 5 feet and can withstand over 200 lbs of pressure.
FujiFilm XF1: This point and shoot is by far the most fashionably and trendy looking point and shoot of the lot. It is simply beautiful. And I believe for that look alone it will do well. But it's far more than it's beautiful facade. The FX1 has a F1.4 lens. (The lower that F number means the better lens for low light photo taking.) The lens is going to be the main feature here. As the lens closes flush, but pops out to go into a standby mode, then turns into a manually focusing ring. It's a hit or miss feature. I liked it. Everything about this camera screams buy me. But it is not tough at all. I would even want this camera out in a misting rain. The leather wrapping which comes in 3 colors, brown, red and black is not water resistant. FujiFilm made sure to offer a good amount of accessories including vintage styled cases.
Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS: I am completely impressed with this little camera by Olympus. Not only is it a much sleeker touch point and shoot camera like the Pentax WG 2; the TG-1 allows you to add a "Fish Eye" and "Telephoto Zoom" lens to it. Like the WG 2 it can sustain the same amount crush proof pressure of over 200 lbs. It can do everything the WG 2 can do, and more. Where it differs from the WG 2, the TG-1 can be dropped from up to 6.6 feet. And has a F2.0 lens, which allows you to take photos with far less grain in low light situations! It also has a 3 inch OLED display. This little camera has a technology which allows it to quickly identify what it's being pointed at, allowing you to take that sudden photo faster and sharper than the competition. In the end this is the camera I would buy. And I believe I will.
Unfortunately I only took the brochure for the TG-1. So i am sourcing a photo from the lionlinks.com website, where they have written a few words on the TG-1 as well as many other cameras.