New Panasonic Waterproof Camera with GPS - FT3

Currently waiting for the new FT3 Panasonic compact to arrive. Was scheduled for March release but Japan's sunami problems must have delayed the launch date. It's currently scheduled for delivery during April by Amazon UK.

What makes this camera stand out for me? Well my go to camera at the moment is the excellent Panasonic GF1. True it doesn't have built in GPS but with my Sony GPS logger it still makes for the most compact travel camera with close to DSLR quality images. I was so impressed that I seriously considered selling all my Nikon DSLR kit.

Back to the FT3. As a potential replacement for my Nikon P6000 (GPS) camera it has pros and cons:

Pros: Smaller, lighter, hopefully quicker GPS satellite lock, waterproof, shockproof, full HD movie and 3D shooting, built in altimeter, compass and barometer.

Cons: One handed shooting not as secure, no data upload via ethernet cable, no ability to add lens attachments for super wide or telephoto.

It all comes down to how the camera is to be used. Now I have a GPS logger with the GF1 it is not a huge difference in size from the P6000 to take out for serious travel photography or survey work. So, the FT3 is a better choice to have in the backpack/pocket/briefcase for those moments when you see great photographic opportunities but that wasn't the primary mission. Looking forward to testing the FT3 out on a travel trip to Paris.