New Gear: Canon PowerShot D30 Rugged Waterproof Camera

Waterproof rugged cameras have remained one of the strongest segments of the compact camera market, mostly because they can do things most smartphone cameras can’t. So, Canon decided to make the D30 really waterproof, surviving depths of 82-feet.

In addition to its sea legs, the D30 is also shockproof, surviving drops from up to 6.5 feet and freeze proof down to 14-degrees F. All that ruggedness protects a 12.1-megapixel high-sensitivity CMOS sensor, coupled with the Digic 4 processor. From the sound of it, Canon has focused on low-light capability, an area where cameras in this segment tend to struggle.

Other features include built-in GPS (an increasingly poplar addition to cameras in this segment), HD video recording with a dedicated record button, and an LCD screen that’s optimized for viewing in bright sunlight.

The camera body has also gotten a bit of a redesign and, to my eye, this is the best-looking Canon rugged camera to date. The D20 was cool, but didn’t feel particularly practical in your hand. This has that nice rubber grip and a no-nonsense shape that looks like it’ll fit easily into any pocket or pack.

It will hit the market in April for $329.