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(Credit: Pentax)

There's been an explosion of waterproof and rugged cameras and camcorders this year, and Wednesday Pentax added one more to the list (though it's been making them since 2003). The Optio W80 is a water/dust/shock/freezeproof 12-megapixel camera with a 2.5-inch LCD selling for less than $300.

The W80 can apparently survive an impressive dunk: down to 16 feet for up to two hours. It'll also take a decent fall of up to 3.3 feet and keep working in temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

On top of its "proofing," the W80 has fairly good camera specs, too. The internal lens has a zoom range of 5x and is wide angle, too, at 28mm. It records 720p, HD-quality video at 30fps. It also has the expected convenience features such as face, smile, and blink detection; auto scene recognition; and a bunch of other automatic shooting options.

About the only thing missing is optical image stabilization; the W80 only has Pentax's digital Pixel Track SR, which though it's good, still degrades photo quality.

It's always nice when a company is willing to put up its products against its marketing claims. In this case, the strengths of Olympus' Tough series of digital cameras.

Earlier in 2009, Olympus stopped designating its series of shock- and waterproof cameras with a mere SW and started calling them Tough, since the cameras were also dustproof, crushproof, and freezeproof. To prove just how much punishment they can take, it turned over a bunch of Tough-series cameras to some kids and let them have at 'em in a series of tests, which Olympus made videos of and posted to YouTube.

The "best of" video is above while the nine individual trials--including Tricycleproof and Icecreamproof--are after the break.

If money's tight, but you don't want to miss out on spring photo opportunities, Pentax is offering up some instant savings on three of its compact cameras and its entry-level digital SLR.

Starting Friday through April 11, the company is knocking $20 off the prices of its basic compact, the Optio E70, and its lightweight ultracompact Optio P70, as well as the waterproof Optio W60. Or if you want more than a point-and-shoot, the K2000 dSLR kit with DA L 18-55mm lens and AF200FG flash has a $50 instant rebate, bringing the price down below $550.

I recently reviewed both the E70 and P70, which are $119.95 and $179.95 after rebate, respectively. They are solid cameras, though certainly not perfect. The E70 is definitely geared toward beginners or anyone wanting a very simple but still attractive compact camera. The P70 has a lot more features than the E70, including a 28mm wide-angle lens with a 4x zoom, and is a fun camera to slip in a handbag or back pocket before heading out.

However, neither are particularly fast performers. And if you need really sharp photos in low-light conditions, well, you probably shouldn't be shopping for a compact camera at these prices. Photo quality for both of these under bright light/outdoors (up to ISO 200 or ISO 400) is very good for the price, however.

Read the full reviews of the Pentax Optio P70 and the Optio E70.

Cameras that can withstand water and shocks once were unusual, but now are spreading across the industry. At the 2009 Photo Marketing Association in Las Vegas, manufacturers showed off these rugged shooters' features by immersing them in aquariums, hanging them from climbing walls, and encasing them in ice. Have a look at some of the waterproof offerings in the gallery below.

Photos: Rugged, waterproof cameras gain a beachhead

Olympus SP-550UZ

Olympus has a handful of new digital cameras on the way, including two models with some interesting features we haven't seen before.

The 7-megapixel Olympus SP-550UZ replaces the SP-510UZ as the company's premier ultrazoom camera. While the SP-510UZ had a powerful 12x zoom lens, its replacement goes even further. The SP-550UZ uses the most powerful zoom lens we've seen in a midrange camera, a 28mm-to-504mm-equivalent telephoto lens that offers an 18x magnification factor. The zoom power is impressive enough, but the 28mm-equivalent wide-angle shot makes the camera seem even more appealing. The SP-550UZ features Olympus' dual image-stabilization system that including a sensor-shifting optical image-stabilization mechanism. Of course, if you're going to zoom in the full 18x, you're probably going to want a tripod anyway.

Olympus Stylus 770SW

The Olympus Stylus 770SW takes the Stylus 720SW's waterproof, shock-resistant design and makes it even more durable. Beyond keeping its predecessor's dunkable and droppable characteristics, the 7-megapixel Stylus 770SW ups the ante by adding freezeproof and crushproof to its list of features. The camera can function in temps as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit and can handle as much as 220 pounds of force. The Stylus 770SW also features a built-in manometer that can measure how deep the camera is underwater, then writes that information to images' EXIF information. The manometer can also warn divers if they're straying past the camera's 10-meter underwater limit.

Also on the way is the Olympus Stylus 760. While it's not shockproof or waterproof like the 770SW, the 7-megapixel Stylus 760 retains the Stylus series' weather-resistant traits. You won't be able to swim with this camera, but it'll handle rain and snow with ease. While its 3x lens isn't nearly as powerful, it features the same digital image stabilization as the SP-550UZ.

Finally, Olympus is releasing four new FE-series point-and-shoot cameras. The FE-210, FE-230, and FE-240 are 7-megapixel cameras, while the FE-250 sports 8 megapixels. The FE-210 is the most inexpensive member of the FE-series and is the only model that takes AA batteries. The FE-230 is the slimmest FE camera, with an all-metal body measuring less than 0.7 inch thick. The FE-240 has the most powerful lens of the series, with a 5x optical zoom. The 8-megapixel FE-250 has both the highest resolution and the most sensitive sensor, able to reach up to ISO 3,200.

The Olympus Stylus 760 and FE-210, FE-230, FE-240, and FE-250 ship in February, and the Stylus 770SW and SP-550 hit stores in March. The Stylus 760 will retail for approximately $250. The FE-series cameras will range from $150 to $300 in $50 increments. The Stylus 770SW will have a suggested retail price of $380, and the SP-550UZ a suggested price of $500.

(Credit: Sunsen Electronic)

You've got to wonder what DHS investigators think of stuff like this. After all, it's not as if there are an overwhelming number of practical consumer applications for an underwater monitor kit like this one, which we saw on Red Ferret.

Manufactured in China, the "full-set" kit apparently includes a 7-inch LCD, a five-hour battery and a diving camera with night-vision range of 9 to 15 feet. The equipment can all be conveniently stored in a metal carrying case that--we hope--would be subject to careful inspection near ports, bridges or any other appropriate locations.

(Credit: Discovery Communications)

(Credit: Cosmo Net)

When we first saw this wrist camera, we thought it was a joke. Check out the picture on the far right: It looks as if we could have done just as well with any waterproof point-and-shoot and some Velcro.

Granted, Discovery's wrist cam does have some interesting features, such as the ability to shoot 32 10-second video clips as well as take photos. But we just can't get past the design.

The product literature says this "ultra-light" camera weighs "less than 12 ounces"--which means that, by today's standards, it isn't exactly a featherweight. Also, it "lays flat on the wrist and flips up to take the picture." (Doesn't all this seem decidedly low-tech?)

The camera itself looks like and old Kodak Instamatic from the '60s. All it needs is one of those rotating flash cubes on top.