Digital P&S Advice Request

Good Evening!
I am asking this because my son-in-law (a really decent chap) asked for my help, and I don't know what to tell him.
He works in the oil fields and had a Pentax Optio 33 WR, which suited him perfectly. Sadly, that camera went, with his co-worker, to another job site, and the (unknown to me) camera that replaced it is, in his words, "terrible". It's replacement, the 43WR is also obsolete. 

His needs are:
1) Small- fits in a shirt pocket .. .preferably with a small strap, for grabbing it easily.
2) weather resistance ... better yet, waterproof. This is a camera which will get dropped in the mud.
3) the ability to turn the flash on and off, manually, as well as an "auto" setting for the flash.
4) needs to run on AA batteries... he often is in areas where recharging is not an option. He admits, that even in the office, he's bad at that. He can get AA's almost anywhere.
5) very little zoom range required ... and a zoom that's internal (no extendible parts) is best, for reason #2. However,
6) close focus distance is a must - he does a lot of close-up work, to show head office corroding valves, etc.
7) megapixels almost irrelevant ... his Option 33WR was just fine, at 3.2 mp. 99% of his photos will be emailed and only seen on a screen. Those that are printed will never exceed 5x7" in size.
8) very little shutter lag. I know, all P&S cameras have lag, but his little Optio was much better than most and he is spoiled enough to know that he wants another like it. The camera issued to him by his employer (also a Pentax P&S, model unknown) is far worse, in this regard, and it drives him up the wall! 


And that's it.  A tall order, actually.
So I'm asking you all ... if you know of a camera presently available that would fit these requirements, please let me know - on or off list. 

Many thanks.

David.
---

David Young,
Logan Lake, CANADA

Limited Edition Prints at: www.furnfeather.net
Personal Web-site at: www.main.furnfeather.net
Stock Photography at: http://tinyurl.com/2amll4



=========================================================
To Unsubscribe: Send email to leica-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in 
the Subject field. The acknowledgment that you then receive MUST be replied to 
per instructions. You may also log in to the Web interface to unsubscribe.

Other related posts: