Say Che-ez
WITH A NAME like Che-ez!, it is easy to mistake this new digital camera for a toy. The bright yellow plastic casing doesn't help either in instilling a sense of seriousness in this obviously fun-loving device.
Then again, looks can be deceiving. While the Che-ez! line of digital cameras has always been extremely affordable - some at several hundred dollars and even cheaper than some toys - and offered few features, the new H2O breaks with tradition and brings to market an extremely attractive value proposition.
The H2O is probably the first affordable digital camera that you can take diving. Yes, the Sony UX60 was launched last month that can be submerged almost two metres, but you can take the H2O as deep as 30 metres - only don't test this out unless you have scuba gear on! Instead of developing a radical design and customising the product for one-handed operation like the Sony, the H2O basically takes an average digital camera and puts it inside a waterproof casing. The result is you don't get all the convenience offered by the UX60, but still all the features, albeit in a bulky and cumbersome package.
As such, the Che-ez! H2O doesn't come with all the fancy software features and pre-configured scene shooting modes of the Sony. Nor does it come with a snazzy design for one-handed operation.
The H2O does come with up to 2.1 mega-pixels in image resolution and runs on a couple of AA batteries. Like the Sony, the H2O comes with a built-in flash, but unlike the Sony, the H2O comes with a digital zoom so you won't scare away the fish. The H2O also features a 1.5-inch LCD or you can connect it to a PC or television set to view your holiday snaps.
Perhaps the best thing about the Che-ez! H2O is its price. At $1,400, the H2O is priced like your average entry-level digital camera.
PROS:
Waterproof up to 30 metres, affordable
CONS:
Requires a bulky shell for use underwater
