Nikon Coolpix AW120 real-world samples gallery

I don't think my expectations are unreasonable, and I don't expect SLR images from a point and shoot such as this. However, my Canon A570 IS from many years ago has better photo quality!

It seems that image quality has actually been declining in consumer oriented point and shoot cameras in the last few years.

@ DStudio, even my blind grandmother could tell those jpg's are utter garbage. They are basically smartphone quality and only look reasonable at browser size. The full size images are just pathetic and Nikon should feel embarrassed. Even at low ISO detail is smeared into oblivion. It fails in and out of the water, but this is is pretty much the case with every single UW camera based on crapulent tiny 1/2.33" sensors and second rate optics combined with fourth rate jpg engines.

All we need if for Sony to release an UW version of the RX100 and they'll own the market.

I'm pretty sure your blind grandmother couldn't care less.

But I suspect your grandmother with good vision (perhaps wearing glasses) would say it's impressive how good it looks - "even close up." "It never looked this good in 4x6 (or rather 3 1/2 x5) prints!" Perhaps the blindness of a child of the digital age is at play.

The bottom line is the Olympus and Ricoh have the better lens. Then just choose which features and JPEG engine you want. The Nikon lens isn't performing well wide open - quite noticeable near the borders. The Canon lens is so much slower I'm not sure it's even a fair comparison - they're apparently embarrassed to even advertise their lens speed!

I got this camera and returned it after one week.
Pictures are actually atrocious.
It was a replacement for my Powershot D10, which died after 5 years. The AW120 generates large files with no detail, I miss the D10. I don't care about brands. The new Canon has also this crappy periscopic objective, and it's even slower.
I know that we should not expect much from these tiny waterproof cameras, but can't we expect a 2014 camera to be, at least, as good as a 2011 camera ? WiFi and GPS are gadgets, but IQ just sucks, even under bright sunlight !!!