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Nikon seals up rugged Coolpix AW130 for deeper dives

Want a point-and-shoot camera you can take down 30 meters without buying a special housing? Nikon has you covered.

Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice

Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.

Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials

More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.

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Joshua Goldman

Feb. 9, 2015 8:00 p.m. PT

2 min read

Last year, Nikon released the Coolpix AW120, a rugged point-and-shoot that could survive underwater down to 59 feet (18 m), handle drops from up to 6.6 feet (2 m), and continue to operate in temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius). The new AW130 goes even further (or is that deeper?) with a maximum diving depth of 100 feet (30 m).

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It's a bit more shockproof, too, at 2.1 meters (7 ft), but it's the waterproofing without the need for an additional housing that makes the difference between Nikon and the competition.

Otherwise it seems to be almost identical to the AW120, featuring a a 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 5x f2.8-4.9 24-120mm lens, 3-inch high-res OLED display, and built-in Wi-Fi and GPS. The AW130 has NFC, too, making for an easier wireless connection between an Android device and the camera.

Joining the AW130 in Nikon's rugged Coolpix lineup is the S33. It's pretty much identical to its predecessor as well, the Coolpix S32, featuring a 13-megapixel CMOS sensor and 3x f3.3-5.9 30-90mm lens and waterproof up to 33 feet (10 m) and shockproof up to 5 feet (1.5 m).

Designed more for family use, the chunky build makes it easy for wet hands to hold on to, while the interface and features are completely stripped down and simplified.

The updated model has a new Miniature Movie mode for movie clips with a tilt-shift-lens effect, as well as some filters and effects that can be applied to photos after you've shot them.

The Nikon Coolpix AW130 arrives in March in yellow, blue and black versions for around $350. The S33 will be available in March, too, in white and blue models for about $150. Pricing wasn't available for the UK and Australia, but the price for the AW130 converts to £230 and AU$450, while the S33 is about £100 and AU$200.