Micro 4/3 A bit of intel from Olympus tech support

[Jock Elliott]

Thank you for contacting Olympus Technical Support,

NO. The E-M5 will not withstand total submersion no matter how brief.

The camera will surely fail in submersed.

The camera and lens are considered splash proof, However I feel that I need to tell you that the potential force that one could encounter in whitewater kayaking may even be a problem. The camera was not designed for that type of usage. It is designed for use in a light rain when there is no pressure or force behind the water.


Best Regards
Jim
Olympus Technical Support
Olympus America Inc.

 

[tonyturley]

LOL . . . I think I would be hesitant in carrying a camera as nice as an E-M5 on a kayak, even in a dry bag. Didn't work out too well for me when I tried it with an A7.

 

[Covey22]

Definitely a time for a waterproof small compact.

 

[kyteflyer]

If I was kayaking, I would be taking one of the Tough varieties. OK, not really a "serious" compact, but serious enough if you are that way inclined. Otherwise, the waterproof Nikon AW1

Then again, I will never be kayaking.

 

[Biro]

Yeah, if I were going kayaking, my Olympus TG-4 would be my choice. If you don't want to spend that much money for a single trip, try one of Oly's lesser Tough models. Oly's has some refurbished TG-3's and TG-870's on their site:

Reconditioned Cameras - Outlet | Olympus

Still too much? Check Amazon and eBay for leftover or refurbed Fuji XP-80's and XP-70's. This is for anyone else reading. Jock, you already know all this.