Article Summary:

US Retailer Backscatter has published the findings of its survey of the “Best Underwater Compact Cameras for 2012”. They feel that the GoPro HERO 2 is the best entry-level camera, the Olympus Tough TG-1 the best waterproof and the Sony RX1000 the best point and shoot. In their mirrorless category, they name the Olympus PEN series as the best entry-level cameras, and the OM-D E-M5 the best advanced.

Their ranking criteria included the provision for third-party wide-angle lenses, manual exposure control, histograms and/or highlight warnings, HD movie mode and custom white balance. The full report, results and rankings can be viewed on the Backscatter website.