An entry level waterproof camera at a clearance price. Good Guys still list it for $174 (you could try price match).
I just picked (the probably last) one up in Mandurah, WA. Many shops show "limited stock" when checking online, but that could be the display model. If you want a boxed one, call ahead and let them put it aside for you!
Here's a comparison:
http://snapsort.com/compare/Olympus-TG-320-vs-Panasonic-FT20
The Panasonic seems to win on paper.
Unfortunately my own personal experience is that Panasonic cameras tend to leak after a while. I used them for snorkelling and never exceed the rated depth.
My FT1 died just before the 1 year warranty was up, so I got it replaced by Panasonic with an FT2. That one died after less than 2 years. A post mortem examination showed that the rubber seal had given way in one corner, every metal part inside was rusty.
At the current price I take the risk, but I would never again spend around $400 on a waterproof camera of any brand. If you check reviews on Amazon all of them have user reports of failure, some more, some less, but none has a perfect record…
Yeah I have a ~$400 Lumix DMC-TS1 (still working fine after 4 years of occasional underwater use and 1 drop, never serviced - just did the mandatoy 10min clean in fresh water after underwater use). Just side-stepped to the Lumix TZ30GN for $165 (swapped underwater capability for 20x zoom/GPS). With so many cheap underwater camera options today (eg. ziplock bags) there's no reason to buy a premium underwater feature camera for occasional to rare use.
Let me completely bore you by telling you that I've decided to ditch the AVCHD format. From what I can tell, Lumix's implementation of MP4 delivers comparable quality to AVCHD, but with many more apps offering codec support (eg. I can edit the TZ30GN's 1080P MP4s in iMovie on an iPad… sweet!)
I've done alright with the FT1 - still going strong and got it not long after release so maybe 4 years? It's been dropped, crushed. Taken it snorkling, surfing and skiing and to the pool with chlorinated water. The manual is pretty explicit about giving it a good soak in fresh water after use and to inspect and replace the seals if they look dodgy - which I have not yet had to do. The battery is only just starting to go so I've had a good run. Only complaint that I have is that the microphone doesn't drain very well after a dump in the surf so the video sound is muffled until it clears.
I guess it is a matter of luck. Let's hope the new one lasts for a while :-)
When I returned my FT1 on warranty Panasonic claimed they did not find any leak and it must be my fault. I knew it was no user error, I had always checked for sand/hair when opening the lids, but how can anyone prove that? In the end they said "we are generous" and replaced it with the then current FT2 without admitting any fault in the FT1.
When the FT2 broke it was well out of warranty. Instead of asking for a repair quote I took it apart myself. The seal that had given way was neither of the two visible ones. It was the internal one that is between the front and the back half of the camera. I found rust on either side of that seal, which proves that it had been leaking in the corner that is furthest from the official openings. It probably was a production error, the seal in that spot was thinner than elsewhere, it probably had been stretched thin during assembly and over time shrunk a little more from ageing and that was that…
Prying the camera open was quite some work, the metal outer shell of the FT2 is glued to the plastic body and was destroyed in the process. Even Panasonic could not service this particular seal without damaging the camera. The 'yearly service' they recommended in the users manual would not have prevented the problem.
That's a bummer to get two that died on you. I guess that consumer electronics for you. My business grade HP laptop died one month after the 12 month warranty ran out. It worked fine the night before I drove 2.5 hours to attend two days of business meetings, presentation and workshops. Pressed the power button - dead as a dodo. I talked to the client for an hour and drove home.
Entry level?! Considering the typical camera these days is a smart phone, these are way above average cameras.
HD video and optical image stabilisation. Very nice user interface.
Well, entry level compared to the FT4 or FT5 (or if I was considering that price range the Nikon AW110 would be my favourite by far)…
Interestingly I searched officeworks site and it brought no result, but the link still works and I have stock near me! I did find they have the Sony Dsctx20 available for $70 - no stock in Vic though.
Looks very similar to yesterday's Olympus TG320