How Rugged are Digital Cameras

I'd like to get a digital camera for outdoor use, but I don't know how
"ruuged" they are, particularly, how sucseptible they are to occasional
water spray or exposure to a few rain drops (not immersion, or constant
exposure to a down pour - more like a few drops hitting the camera while
putting it away). For some reason, most of my outdoors activity seems to
occur in the rain or drizzle, but I can control when I take pctures of
course, or take them in such a way as to minimize camera exposure to the
elements.

I know Olympus makes several weatherproof cameras, which look good, but
several non-weatherproof cameras have features that lead me to consider them
as well, if they are reasonably immune to the occasional rain drop.

Can anyone offer up their experience?

Thanks,

Jim Ray

An occasional drop or three of water or a few bumps shouldn't be a problem,
I camp and hike with digital cameras and also shoot my kids sports games (
often in the rain) and have never hurt one. These have been everything from
an ancient Kodak DC-50... look it up though a few point and hoots like a
Dimage 7 and Dimage X to my current Canon 300D. I keep them under an
umbrella held by my faithful assistant ( wife) or hide under an eave or
something while shooting in a steady rain but other than that I just try to
be careful and put them away if the damp drizzle turns into a downpour.

--

Mikey S.
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.mike721.com" target="_blank">http://www.mike721.com</a>


"Jim" <jimr.DeleteThis@mcfeelys.com> wrote in message
news:cpd9up020g9@enews4.newsguy.com...
 > I'd like to get a digital camera for outdoor use, but I don't know how
 > "ruuged" they are, particularly, how sucseptible they are to occasional
 > water spray or exposure to a few rain drops (not immersion, or constant
 > exposure to a down pour - more like a few drops hitting the camera while
 > putting it away). For some reason, most of my outdoors activity seems to
 > occur in the rain or drizzle, but I can control when I take pctures of
 > course, or take them in such a way as to minimize camera exposure to the
 > elements.
 >
 > I know Olympus makes several weatherproof cameras, which look good, but
 > several non-weatherproof cameras have features that lead me to consider
 > them
 > as well, if they are reasonably immune to the occasional rain drop.
 >
 > Can anyone offer up their experience?
 >
 > Thanks,
 >
 > Jim Ray
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->