Pentax's waterproof 5-megapixel camera
Pentax Optio WP
The product: Divers and snorkelers take note; with its new Optio WP digital camera, Pentax throws a new stat into the usual mix of zoom range and megapixel count: waterproof rating. The 5-megapixel Optio WP is a Class 8 electronic device, which means that it's good to go as long as you keep it 3 feet or less underwater.

Unlike many waterproof digital photography systems, the Optio WP doesn't use an external plastic housing; Pentax has given the Optio WP a completely internal 3X optical zoom lens and filled every crevice on the camera with rubber. Its full stats include:

• 5-megapixel CCD
• 3X internal optical zoom lens
• 38mm-to-114mm focal range (35mm-camera equivalent)
• Class 8 waterproof rating--operational up to 3 feet underwater
• 2-inch LCD screen
• Captures 320x240 movies at 30fps
• 20 preset shooting modes
• Voice-memo function

The price: The Pentax Optio WP is scheduled to ship in March for $399.

The prospects: A waterproof camera isn't necessarily a must for every digital photographer. Still, anyone fond of submersible shooting will likely appreciate that the Optio WP doesn't require an external waterproof housing module, especially since those add-ons are often unwieldy and expensive. Pentax clearly has a niche market in mind for the Optio WP, one for which the WP's middling feature set won't compromise the usefulness of its underwater abilities.

By Rob Dubbin, assistant editor, CNET Reviews