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Tough cameras

Olympus TOUGH TG-320

The clue is in the name of this affordable offering from Olympus (HK$1,720, inquiries: 21087188), which is water-, freeze- and shockproof, and has a resolution of up to 14 megapixels. One of the few compact cameras available that can charge solely through its USB slot - a handy feature that means you can leave that battery charger at home when you're travelling - the TG-320 has a lens protected by a hard glass barrier and double-seal and double-lock mechanisms that stop the SD card and battery from being damaged when underwater. It also has a novel 3-D underwater shooting mode.

Fujifilm FinePix XP150

With water-repellent optics down to 10 metres, along with freeze- and shockproof skills, Fujifilm's FinePix XP150 (HK$2,170, www.fujifilmshop.com.hk) comes with a highly sensitive global positioning system as well as an electronic compass and tracking. Also with a 5x, 28-140mm optical zoom lens, this camera's 14 megapixel sensor comes with image stabilisation to reduce camera shake - a vital consideration when you're active. Also capable of Full HD 1080p movie capture, the XP150 pushes its amphibious ambitions with a special underwater movie mode. Available in five colours.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4

Designed to withstand some serious optical antics, Panasonic's new Lumix DMC-TS4 (HK$3,690, PanaShop, Lung Cheung Mall, Kowloon) can be taken underwater to 13 metres, withstand being dropped from two metres and used in temperatures down to minus 10 degrees Celsius. It's just as tough under the surface, too, boasting 12.1 megapixel resolution, a 4.6x, 28-128mm optical zoom lens and a 68.5mm LCD screen. It can also tag your photos with data from its integrated GPS, compass, altimeter and barometer.

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