Sony’s Cyber-shot TF1 camera is waterproof, shock-resistant, freeze proof, dust proof – maybe even kid proof.
Sony's Cyber-shot TF1 camera is waterproof, shock-resistant, freeze proof and dust proof – hand it over to a rambunctious toddler and you'll find it's also kid proof.
How it works
Don't worry if it's wet and windy on your trip: This pocket size point-and-shoot takes 16-megapixel stills and HD video in freezing-cold weather, 10 metres underwater and in a dusty desert. Whether you're perched on an exposed clifftop in a rainstorm or snorkelling, the large buttons and chunky grip make it easy to take steady, one-handed shots.
Pros and cons
Set it to Intelligent Auto mode and the camera does the thinking for you, sensing light conditions and optimizing exposures before you take the photo. The zoom function is limited (you need more than 4x magnification on an African safari), but underwater images are crisp and clear, the 360-degree, panoramic sweep function is easy to master, and it survives a few unintentional drops and an hour in the hands of my young son. Close-up portraits can be enhanced to give the subject whiter teeth, clearer skin and wider eyes, but the retouched shots weren't that different from the original.
Final verdict
Pack a more serious shooter for safaris, but this will do nicely for the bumps and bruises of active ski holidays and family time at the beach. $199.99; store.sony.ca