Nikon's adventure-ready Coolpix AW120 and S32 snap shots on land and at sea
Nikon's got a pair of baby bumps in store for us this year on the adventure cam front. The Coolpix AW120, which replaces last year's AW110 and the S32, which serves as 2014's answer to the S31. Both are rated for underwater use, but the similarities end there. If you've got $350 to spare, the AW120 is the camera to focus on. It's waterproof to 59 feet (18 meters), shockproof to 6.6 feet (2 meters) and freeze-proof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 degrees Celsius). There's an f/2.8-4.9, 24-120mm (5x) optical zoom lens, a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 6.9 fps continuous shooting mode and 1080/30p and 60i video capture. You also get a 3-inch OLED display, built in GPS and WiFi, letting you upload pics and vids from below as soon as you come up for air.
Meanwhile, the $130 S32 carries a much more affordable price tag, albeit with a less impressive list of specs. It's waterproof to 33 feet (10 meters), shockproof to five feet (1.5 meters) and freeze-proof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 degrees Celsius). It has an f/3.3-5.9, 30-90mm (3x) optical zoom lens, a 13.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and a 2.7-inch QVGA LCD. The S32 is also capable of capturing 1080/30p video, and it comes along with a variety of scene modes and effects (Nikon's pushing this as the family/beginner-friendly offering). The AW120, which is also compatible with a new chest harness (for hands-free shots), will ship next month in black, blue, camouflage and orange. The Coolpix S32 will also be available next month, with white and blue finishes.