Pentax Optio43WR

You can't quite take this camera scuba diving, but you can come close. The Pentax Optio43WR is almost completely water-resistant. In fact, the manufacturer says it can even be dunked to a depth of 3 feet.

In addition to its water resistance, this camera has 4 megapixels of resolution, a 3X optical zoom lens, and the ability to record VGA video. You can download files into your laptop via the USB cable without any special drivers.

We especially liked the fast power-up capability. Because the lens does not have to extend, the camera is ready to take pictures less than a second after you press the On button. We were not happy, however, with the slowness of the zoom.

The camera excelled in our durability tests. After our freeze test, the camera reported that the AA batteries were depleted. After a few minutes of warmup, however, the camera was up again and snapping. The camera did fine in the other tests.

Whether you're at a soaking-wet soccer field or hanging out at the beach, this truly durable camera will be ready to capture the moment in no time at all.