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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!

My new AW100 replaced a Kodak Easyshare Sport C123 and a Canon SD400. The SD400 has been a great compact camera for the past 6+ years, but was getting long in the tooth esp since I bought a Windows 7 PC and couldn't get a driver (which created all kinds of issues with deleting subdirectories on the memory card). The Kodak went back within a couple days of use because a) it didn't have an optical zoom and I found I really missed that, and b) the pictures were too 'contrasty' where the highlights were blown out and the shadows all clipped to black. I guess for $80 the Kodak delivered its price-performance, but I only take pictures once and I want them to be good. I also have a Canon SLR but I don't take that fly fishing, backpacking, winter camping, nor to the beach. I've only had the AW for about a week, but so far really enjoying it. The image quality is as good as any Canon point-shoot (my wife has a newer Canon SD). The menus are not quite as intuitive, and I had to spend a half day reading the 100 pg manual to really get a feel for how best to use this. Still, there are a lot of flexible options including control over ISO and shake, and it has some cool modes that the Canon's don't have such as shooting 8 or 10 consecutive pics and auto-saving the least blurry to the memory card. The 5x zoom is further augmented by a 5x digital zoom where the pixels are interpolated rather than cropping in. I haven't tried the digital zoom yet, but I think this will be superior if/when I need that extra close up. I was also looking closely at the Panasonic Lumix but I chose the AW for superior video. I really like the stereo sound it captures, and the slow-motion video shots have already been a lot of fun. It allows you to record at 1/2 to 1/8 speed, or 2x speed, and you can even shift during the video shoot from normal speed to high or slow speed, and back. The other thing I liked about the AW over the Lumix is the 5cm macro. Have seen some stills on Youtube that looked pretty cool, and plan to try this out more now that I have a camera that can do it. I probably won't take this scuba diving since it's only good to 33 feet, but that's about my range for snorkeling and I'm sure it'll come in handy next time I'm someplace I'd rather be. I'm also looking forward to shooting some underwater video of trout, and not having to wrap this in 3 ziplocks for a rainy day on the river (or just insurance against an unforeseen swimming opportunity). Video'ing a buddy fighting a fish, toggling to slow-motion during a reel-screaming run and jump -- yep I think this will be a fun toy. Attaching a recent vid from the dog park, shot at 1/4 speed.

I take primarily still images with just the occasional video thrown in. I got this little camera for those times when I can't carry my DSLR with me at work or on a trail, and in that regard it has not disappointed. It's light, compact and durable enough to be used in most weather conditions. I say most because like anything that's dependent on battery power, the AW100's performance is likely to degrade somewhat in extremely cold conditions (below -10 degrees C.) I'm unlikely to use this camera in underwater shooting conditions or to make much use of the GPS features because I would use other equipment for those things, but I appreciate the ability to take it fearlessly into rainy or snowy weather. Small and light are things that make a camera portable, but they don't contribute anything to your ability to make an image without camera shake. Enter Nikon's vibration reduction system. I made a point of checking image sharpness with hand-held shots taken of the moon when it was low on the horizon and other distant light sources on profoundly dark nights. I found the results to be very satisfactory when I took the simple additional step of bracing myself against something solid and stationary before shooting. I particularly like the 16MP resolution and Nikon's ED lens elements, which make it possible to have high quality enlargements from a small point-and-shoot camera. Two critiques: 1) Nikon advertises the camera as shock resistant after having conducted drop tests at a height of 5 feet onto 2" plyboard. The camera does seem to be sturdily built and the access door for the battery and SD card seems to be strong and appears to lock simply and securely. However, Nikon's documentation makes it clear that their tests were conducted under specific circumstances and that dropping the camera may result in loss of its water-tight integrity as well as other functionality. I'm just sayin'. :-) 2) Although many people don't bother to read owners' manuals anymore, it would have been nice if Nikon had included a paper version of the manual rather than just a Quick Start Guide and a pdf that you put on your computer. The camera does offer a number of features that you might not otherwise become aware of or know how to access/operate without the manual, and most of us aren't going to be carrying our laptop or our tablet into the woods all the time. Overall, a very nice little all-weather camera that delivers beautiful images and is well worth the money.

I am super picky about cameras and viewed a lot of footage on YouTube from the average user who took this camera on trips. I always felt the average person is a far better judge of a product than a business is (except consumer reports of course). I took this camera on it's first use during a Caribbean 7-day cruise. With constant pictures (max size / quality), average amount of flashes used, and HD video repeatedly being taken; I averaged two batteries per day - starting around 7am and recording / picturing up until 11pm daily. The second battery was about 1/4 left by 11pm. For underwater use - the quality was unbelievable. I took it on a couple snorkeling dives and had it recording (HD Video on underwater mode) before jumping into the water. Shock-absorbing quality was awesome as it got a very hard workout during the dives, jumping, and knocking around. The video recording excellent sound in and out of water without the out-of-water sound being distorted at all (no shaking needed to clear anything out). Waterproofing held up to 30 feet diving and not a single drop was seen inside during anytime I swapped out batteries or memory cards. Nighttime video was always very good still during the multiple stage shows and trips around the ship. Picture taking was quick and not delayed heavy as with previous CoolPix models that I have used. Power-up was also quick and made it very easy to use this camera when a picture was needed right now and not 15 seconds from now. I've used the camera a great deal since the cruise (couple months ago now) and still not a single problem has occurred. I am VERY happy with this camera and couldn't believe it actually turned out to be as good as the product description led itself out to be!

I bought the Nikon AW100 to replace a first generation Olympus Tough series camera which had developed a leak and died after a number of years of service. I have several cameras and my use for a "rugged" camera is solely for our annual Jersey shore vacation. Before "rugged" cameras I was loosing a point & shoot yearly to a rogue wave or some other mishap on the beach. Reviews of the AW100 were generally positive and I leave aspects like picture quality and features to other reviewers. I suspect the camera may be fine or even great for many users, but it failed me badly for the particular purpose for which I had bought it - to use it in the surf at the Jersey shore. And my comments pertain to only that one aspect of the camera. The issue is condensation on the inside of both the lens and the LCD screen when the camera is in cool water. Setting the stage, the Atlantic in NJ in August varies between 60 & 72 degrees (lets say 65), and the daytime air temp typically between 80 and 90, or a bit higher, and humidity is usually in the mid to high 80's. So there is a fair degree of separation between air and water temps, as well as humidity to deal with. As soon as I'd take the camera into the surf the lens would fog up on the inside (condensation) and pictures and video appeared as if shot through the densest fog imaginable. And of course auto focusing through that foggy lens was hit or miss at best - but that's neither here nor there, because the pictures were useless anyway. Once I noticed the problem I began just wading into the surf, attempting not to submerse the "waterproof" camera. But even this failed as mere droplet splashes from the surf would fog the lens. And this happened every day of our vacation, no matter what tricks I tried - and I tried many. I detailed this to Amazon and they promptly sent a second AW100 to my home. Upon returning home I tested both the original and new AW100's. In water that is close to air temperature (like a pond or swimming pool) both cameras worked fine - no fogging. However, cooling some water in a bowl to around 65 degrees caused both cameras to fog, and the air temp was only in the low 80's that day. One very puzzling thing to me is that the AW100 manual cites the condensation issue, says it's NOT a malfunction, and tells you how to clear it. And that's true - the camera is not broken or leaking, and the lens will clear in time (5 min avg). BUT, all pictures taken while in that fogged state are totally useless; and once you return to the water you're back to fogged up again immediately. To me it IS a malfunction when a waterproof camera cannot take a picture in or around cool water. And, as mentioned before, I have had another waterproof camera (Olympus Tough 1030 SW) which did fine at the Jersey shore for a number of years. Hence I know that fogging in 65 degree water does not need to happen - my Olympus Tough never once fogged, even in very similar conditions. Was it metal body vs. plastic body? I have no idea, I just know that the Olympus never fogged and the AW100 fogged almost immediately upon contact with cool water. I have returned both the original and replacement AW100's. Fortunately I have until next summer before needing to worry about another waterproof camera. I'll see what's available then, paying particular attention to the condensation issue. I give only one star, but depending upon your needs the AW100 may warrant a higher rating. It flunks the Jersey shore test badly, but if your needs are for the backyard pool and/or the Caribbean it may perform just fine. That said, if you get one I suggest you do a water test immediatly. And make sure the water is as cool as you're likely to encounter. Don't base it upon lukewarm bathtub water or your fish tank or even the fact that it's water tight. Because it is water tight - yet it still builds up condensation on the inside of the lens when there's a fair degree of difference between air and water temps.

I have had this camera for just shy of two years as of this writing. I initially bought a refurbished unit here off of Amazon because it was $100 cheaper. The camera I received looked new and in box. I have had many Sony Cybershots only to have their lenses fail on me, we had a Canon and could never get a clear picture with it. We bought a Nikon d60 DSLR and loved the freedom and features, but found it to be too bulky for most of our activities. This Coolpix was the answer, and being waterproof it was great with kids around. I love having photos tagged with GPS. The image quality is better than any point-and-shoot that I have owned. It is fun to take the camera to the beach and act like you forgot it is around you neck when going in the water; other people look at you expecting to see you freak out, but then they freak out when you just start taking more pictures. We went to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and had a great time. We got pictures and video of our dogs swimming from under the water. One thing the strikes me with this camera is that it is the only camera that I haven't babied and protected - yet it still looks new and works perfectly. The battery life is short when the GPS is tracking your locations. I only turn that feature on for trips and things that I want to geotag. Getting extra batteries doesn't cost much and makes it possible to always have a charge. My D60 has an amazing battery that I almost never have to charge, so that was one surprise with this camera. I don't find the menu to be difficult for the most part. There are times I can't find some features, but they aren't usually features that I use a lot. The maps are not very in depth, just land and water. It is nice to be able to see markers where all the pictures were taken. I do like that there is internal memory and that it can copy to a memory card. This is useful when I've forgotten to put a card in the camera. I just wish the memory had been larger. I have never had any trouble with this camera; with leaking or anything else. There are times when I am on the wrong settings and I get blurry pictures, but that is more user error than a camera issue. I'd like to get a second for my wife.

After much research, and some misgivings, I opted to purchase this camera for a month long trip to Hawaii. After reading all the horror stories I was a little leery, but this camera performed very well. I spent 14 days snorkeling, and 1 day scuba diving (to 25 ft), and took the camera with me all of those times. I also had it in the water taking pictures of surfers and kiteboarders, so in all, the camera was in the water about 20 days. It takes great pictures and has a mind-boggling array of features if one is inclined to use them, but it takes really good pictures just on the auto setting. I did use the underwater setting all the times I used it underwater. The main problem I had with the camera was that it did fog up inside the lens when I changed locations - primarily from shade to hot sun. The first time this happened I was in a very dry area and opened the case, it only took about 3 minutes to loose the fog. The other times is was near or in the water - all high humidity areas - and did not open the case. These times it took longer, 10-15min to loose the fog. Being in a very high humidity area it would have been difficult to avoid any moisture inside the camera, but this is my only complaint about the camera. In the future I think I will bring a silicone packet to put in the camera when the battery is charging to get rid of internal moisture. I was very careful to soak the camera in fresh water after each saltwater day, as well as to keep the seal area clean. The day I took the camera scuba diving it worked well, but I would not take it any deeper than I did (25'), as I could see the screen on the back of the camera caving in from the pressure. I am very happy I bought this camera, love the fact I don't have to worry about getting it wet, and would definitely recommend it to others!