It feels really weird the first time you dunk your $400 Panasonic DSC TS3 digital camera in the water—especially for guys like me who grew up thinking that cameras and water should never mix. But after you’ve gotten a few in-water shots, you’re hooked. They are so cool. But I’ll confess: I made my ten-year-old daughter take the first several shots in the pool.

Quick Specs

• Waterproof to 40 feet and dustproof
• Shock resistant; withstands a drop of 6.6 feet (2 meters) without damage
• 4.6X Leica zoom lens starts at true wideangle (28-128mm equivalent)
• Built-in GPS, Compass, Altimeter, Barometer and Depth Indicator
• Close focus to 1.7 inches
• Captures Full HD 1920x1080 video 
• 2.7 inch LCD monitor
• 12.1-megapixel CCD sensor
• Available in orange, aqua, dark red and silver

The inner workings of the waterproof Panasonic Lumix DSC-TS3

Coolest Features

It’s tough. Waterproof to 12 meters (40 feet), dustproof and shock resistant: survives a 2 meter (6.6 feet) drop. That means the kids can use, you can toss it in your fishing tackle box, and you can carry it in a hip pocket and still sit down.

Waterproof to a depth of 40 feet - Self-portrait by Maya Sienkiewicz

It has built in Altimeter, Depth Indicator, Compass, Barometer and GPS, so it’s the perfect hiking and camping companion. 

Built-in GPS, Compass, Altimeter, Barometer and Depth Indicator make it the perfect hiking companion.

Unique in its class, the TS3 can capture 3D composite images which can be viewed on a Panasonic Viera HDTV. The 3D image format is compatible with MPO, so it can be played back on other MPO-compatible equipment.

You can add photo frames and special effects right in the camera.

Ideal For

This is the camera for adventurers (ski, snow, hike, climb), campers and other types who enjoy the great outdoors and want a fully featured, high quality camera. It’s also ideal for younger adults who may tend to be less careful with electronics because it’s nearly indestructible. 

The TS3 features multiple Scene Modes so you can shoot the same scene and get dramatically different results.

Take the TS3 sailing, to the beach, or snowmobiling—it goes where other cameras can’t.

It’s also well suited for folks who work in the construction trades and who need to document their work. The TS3 does not require any pampering or special treatment.