Micro 4/3 Olympus TG-1 iHS - Serious Compact? For some, yes.

[Crsnydertx]

Here's the latest offering from the Olympus "Tough" series:

Olympus launches Tough TG-1 iHS higher-spec rugged, waterproof camera: Digital Photography Review

While it's just a point-and-shoot, it has some features that appeal to me, most notably GPS and compass capabilities for instant geotagging of photos. I'm an oil spill response consultant, and being able to take decent quality geotagged photos in rough environments is an important aspect of what we do. A rugged waterproof camera with good picture quality and a moderate price tag is very appealing.

Oh, and taking it to the beach to record the experiences of the grandkids without worrying about salt spray...priceless!

Not for everyone, but I'm "serious" about it...

 

[Ripleysbaby]

I still use a battered Oly 1030. Yes it's old and slow, but still gets the shot in places other
cameras fear to tread. I agree, these are serious cameras.

 

[bartjeej]

I'm very interested in this development. I've followed the rugged cameras for years, it's great to finally see some more IQ-related features pop up. I'd like for more manual control and raw abilities, and a (much) higher capacity battery. Other than that I could see myself being very happy about it!

 

[andy_g]

It's very serious as long as you really need a rugged camera!
I've an old Pentax W80 and I'm happy with it but this new Oly seems to be a further step ahead!
I like the possibility to mount a fisheye too. They are very useful when shooting or filming sport action.