Round 1: Design/Durability
This rowdy trio of waterproof buccaneers was an eclectic force when it came down to the blueprints. On the slight end of the spectrum, the Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP was by far the most petite model we had the pleasure of playing with, but it was also the frailest. While the Olympus Tough 8000 could withstand a 6.6-foot drop to the pavement and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 could swallow a 5-foot gravitational ride, the Finepix Z33WP was not certified for any type of impact. Architecturally, the Finepix Z33WP was the most alluring because of its diminutive size and feathery weight. It also ships in neon pink and green for those who still cherish workout videos from the late 80's.
  
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 was the chunkiest of the three as far as dimensions, but its weight was not as hefty as the Olympus Tough 8000's. We tested both models by dropping each to the pavement from their specified height distances. The Olympus Tough 8000 emerged unscathed, save a few impact-driven scratches and dings, but the Lumix DMC-TS1 was never quite right, kind of like that weird uncle that was hit by lightning. After four 5-foot drops to a New York sidewalk, the Lumix DMC-TS1 began making a strange buzzing sound every time it attempted to Auto Focus. It never really went away, so we went with the Tough 8000 when it came to durability. The Lumix DMC-TS1 also powered off right after impact while the Tough 8000 was still raring to go. All three cameras withstood a three-hour chunk of time in the freezer at the coldest setting, so winter shooting would not be an issue.
We liked Panasonic's horizontal zoom toggle the best while the Olympus Tough 8000's dual-button setup was far from impressive. The worst was the Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP's zoom button configuration, but we'll address that in a minute. The Lumix DMC-TS1 and Tough 8000 both featured nearly identical button layouts and ports sealed with burly rubber gaskets while the Finepix Z33WP failed to pass for a typical underwater camera based on its looks alone. Despite these intriguing designs, no manufacturer has touched the Canon PowerShot D10, which is slated to be released very soon.
Winner Round 1: Olympus Tough 8000
Round 2: Interface
No members of this aquatic trio had an ideal interface configuration, but the Fujifilm Z33WP had the worst in the lot, hands down. The rubberized buttons were comfortable to press, but the setup seemed to be slapped on at the last minute, forcing us to continuously double-check our settings. Zooming, scrolling and accessing quick functions were all vexing propositions with the Finepix Z33WP's interface and we longed for a traditional 4-way directional pad. That's just what the doctor ordered for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 and Olympus Tough 8000. We found both interfaces to perform much better and the Tough 8000 even took things a step further with its tap-sensitive camera body. When engaged, we were able to tap the right side, bottom, left side and top of the Stylus, which was a major plus underwater. All three models had 2.7-inch LCDs, but the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1's cranked out the best picture quality.
  
Panasonic offered the best menu system out of the lot while Fujifilm's was the least intuitive. The cumbersome submenus and hidden options just wore on us after a while and we had the least amount of fun attempting to decode the Finepix Z33WP's clunky structure. Playback was even more embarrassing because images would move slower than molasses in the dead of January when we used the d-pad. There was also no histogram in Playback and image information was minimal. The Olympus Tough 8000 was a grade above the Fujifilm Z33WP, thanks to its intuitive Canon-like x-axis/y-axis Function menu and easy to follow main menu. Playback was a step in the right direction, allowing us to view thumbnails in a calendar and view a histogram accompanying each image. Panasonic's Q. Menu was the most convenient and options could be selected rapidly. Playback didn't offer much, but the Lumix DMC-TS1 had the best overall interface.
Winner Round 2: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Round 3: Features
The Feature Arena hosted our fiercest battle, but at the end of the day there could only be one victor. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 struck again, this time with AVCHD Lite high-definition video capability, complete with an HDMI jack. We got a chance to test the Lumix DMC-TS1's HD video mode in Miami and we were impressed with it then. This time around, there were no changes and the AVCHD Lite looked just as good as it did on South Beach. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 also has an Intelligent Auto mode, complete with Intelligent Contrast, which was a savior in the dynamic range department. Aside from multiple Scene modes, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 offered Starry Sky, allowing us to select up to a 60 second shutter speed for more serious low light shooting. Of course we couldn't use Starry Sky underwater, but the option was there on land when we needed it.
The Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP offered a semi-impressive fleet of features, including an Auto Scene Recognition mode and Night Tripod Scene mode. We could also shoot 640 x 480 standard-definition video, but the quality couldn't compare to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1's AVCHD Lite. We liked the Micro Thumbnail View in Playback, and the ability to dip down to a 64 ISO level was great for fine detail. Fujifilm didn't pack in many options for color, but neither did the Olympus Tough 8000. In fact, Olympus threw all their chips into the design aspect of the Tough 8000 and left us with very few shooting features altogether. Aside from a Shadow Adjust feature that produced a slight dynamic range improvement and a fairly impressive Panorama mode, Scene modes were the only exciting things to speak of. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 excelled in this realm, offering us a vast arsenal unmatched by its two opponents.
Winner Round 3: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Round 4: Hardware
Under the hood, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 and Olympus Tough 8000 both feature 12-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCDs while the Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP stuck with a 10-megapixel 1/2.3-inch chip. We loved the Lumix DMC-TS1's 28mm wide-angle lens and the 4.6x optical zoom was not too shabby. The Lumix DMC-TS1 also featured an Extra Zoom feature that allowed us to reach a 9x optical range, though images had to be captured at smaller resolutions. The Olympus Tough also had a 28mm wide-angle lens, but its optical zoom was capped at 3.6x. The Finepix Z33WP did not have a wide-angle lens and could only travel out to a 3x optical zoom, so the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 proved to be the most powerful force in this category.
From powering on to first shot, the Olympus Tough 8000 was the quickest of the bunch, clocking in at two seconds with the Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP trailing at 2.6 seconds and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 coasting in at over three seconds. All three cameras run on rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries and record JPEG image files. The Panasonic Lumic DMC-TS1 and Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP record to SD/SDHC cards while the Olympus Tough 8000 records solely to xD cards.
Winner Round 4: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Round 5: Image Quality
Now that there's heavy competition in the underwater imaging department, courtesy of Panasonic and Fujifilm, we were able to attain a more comprehensive understanding of where Olympus Stylus cameras fail and succeed. Overall, we weren't blown away by any of the three compacts we tested underwater and on land, but the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 exhibited the best overall performance. The Fujifilm Finepix came in at a close second, and sadly, the lumbering caboose came rattling down the tracks in the form of the Olympus Tough 8000.
It was a tight race, however. The Olympus Tough 8000 is definitely the best current Stylus of the lot. But when it came down to overall sharpness, detail and color, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 took the cake, with the Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP riding its coattails. The Finepix Z33WP displayed the most fringing while the Tough 8000 gave us barely any fringing to gripe about. Panasonic sat right in the middle. As far as sharpness and detail were concerned, the Lumix DMC-TS1 was our choice, and it also performed the best when the lights went down. All three cameras struggled in low light, but we were able to attain the best low light quality with the Lumix DMC-TS1, thanks to its flash.
Underwater Testing
Underwater Mode – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Underwater Mode – Olympus Tough 8000
Underwater Mode – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Each camera had a distinct Underwater mode designed to battle the murky lighting and soft nature of life under the sea, so we tested the effectiveness of each to see how easy it was to dive right in out of the box. The differences in White Balances across the board are quite prominent. The Olympus Tough 8000 displays the warmest color temperature while the Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP is by far the coolest. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 sits right smack dab in the middle again. Since an Underwater mode acts more like a full Auto mode, the varying ISO levels produced different results amongst all three cameras. The Finepix Z33WP is riddled with blue noise while the Tough 8000 is too soft overall. We liked Panasonic's performance the best here.
Program AE Mode – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Program AE Mode – Olympus Tough 8000
Program AE Mode – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
We jumped out of the Scene mode mentality and went with the lowest ISO settings and an Auto White Balance to attain the most detail we could possibly squeeze out of each sensor. It's a close call, and we can see that the Olympus Tough 8000 resists fringing better than the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 and Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP. However, the Lumix DMC-TS1 exhibits the greatest level of detail and best color palette. The Finepix Z33WP's rendition of this underwater dream is quite impressive as well, but lacks the color and super fine detail the Lumix DMC-TS1 brings to the table.
Low Light – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Low Light – Olympus Tough 8000
Low Light with Flash – Olympus Tough 8000
Low Light – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Since these compacts can be submerged even deeper than previous generation underwater cameras, low light starts to become a main concern. Without the flash, the Olympus Tough 8000 kicks some low light tail while the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 just can't hold a candle. We had to rely on the Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP's flash because without it, its image was even darker than the Lumix DMC-TS1's. However, the Lumix DMC-TS1 allowed us to achieve a better exposure with Exposure Compensation and Intelligent Auto mode. We recommend staying near the light with whatever underwater compact you happen to shoot with.
Out of the Water
Times Square – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Times Square – Olympus Tough 8000
Times Square – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
On land we were able to truly test the versatility of each compact, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 won again. Thanks to its Intelligent Contrast mode, we were able to achieve the best dynamic range out of all three contestants, along with the crispest detail and most vibrant color palette. The Olympus Tough 8000 and Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP had contrast issues, even with Shadow Adjust and Backlight Compensation, but their overall picture qualities are impressive. However, the Tough 8000 is still too soft while the Finepix Z33WP's palette looks a trifle washed out.
Books – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Books – Olympus Tough 8000
Books – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Sharpness and detail come to life in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 and Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP's renderings of the bookshelf, but we just couldn't get the Olympus Tough 8000 to cooperate. From what we could see on the LCD, the picture looked just as sharp as the other two cameras, but at full resolution we lose a lot of focus. Sadly, the Tough 8000 had to forfeit this round. The Lumix DMC-TS1 is the king of this castle thanks to a fiery color spectrum and stellar sharpness. The Finepix Z33WP's pronounced fringing and pale colors win it second place.
Macro – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Macro – Olympus Tough 8000
Macro – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Even up close the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 gave us the best macro performance of the lot. The Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP also made us happy at close range, but the Olympus Tough 8000 could not compare. First off, we had to deal with a low light issue, and we even tried the Tough 8000's Super Macro LED feature, which is what we see in this image. The LED is arresting and disturbing, and noise is all over the place. Our standard Macro shots with the Tough 8000 were not impressive at all, so the LED provided the best results, which were not really acceptable for our standards.
Low Light – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Low Light with Flash – Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP
Low Light – Olympus Tough 8000
Low Light with Flash – Olympus Tough 8000
Low Light – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Low Light with Flash – Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
All three compacts struggled with low light, but the Olympus Tough 8000 gave us the best exposure, just like its last underwater image. However, we hit the ceiling and couldn't travel any higher without taking advantage of the flash or skyrocketing the ISO. That's when it came to our attention that all three cameras were flash-dependent in low light. And who had the best low light flash performance? The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1, of course. As far as image quality was concerned, the Lumix DMC-TS1 wore the pants.
Winner Round 5: Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1
Final Verdict:
That Bahamas vacation is right around the corner, so it's time for a waterproof camera. But alas, which one will withstand heavy dosages of H2O!? Today there are a lot more models to choose from in this market, but the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 looks to be the best so far. The Lumix DMC-TS1 mopped the floor with its competition in almost every category. It had the best image quality, feature set and most impressive hardware out of the three. The Olympus Tough 8000 was the meanest, snarling bulldog in the pound, but its image quality and feature set lacked. The Fujifilm Finepix Z33WP was an attractive little warrior that withstood some impressive tests of strength, but its interface drove us up a wall and features were limited. There's also a significant price gap to deal with as well. The Lumix DMC-TS1 and Tough 8000 are 400 bucks while the Finepix Z33WP is half that tag. So, if small is the way to travel in your household, the Finepix Z33WP is the ticket. If you want to go all out in the waterproof department, we strongly suggest checking out the Lumix DMC-TS1 or waiting for the Canon PowerShot D10.
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