Canon PowerShot D10

The bright blue Canon PowerShot D10 splashed onto the market this past spring and is Canon's "first dip into waterproof territory," says Rik Fairlie of The New York Times. Nevertheless, this novice swimmer laps the competition with its winning combination of ruggedness and Canon's superior image quality. But don't look for the D10 to win any fashion awards. Experts describe it as bulbous, egg-shaped and quirky compared to sleeker underwater cameras on the market -- like the Panasonic Lumix DSC-TS1 (*Est. $335).

The D10's extra girth comes from its husky protective outer casing, which makes it one of the hardiest compact digital cameras. The camera is waterproof down to 33 feet so you can enjoy underwater photography, compared to 10 feet on the TS1. The D10 is also dustproof and shockproof, withstanding sandy beaches and drops up to four feet. Skiers, snowboarders and dog sledders will appreciate that the camera is freeze-proof to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. However, "at 6.7 ounces and a maximum thickness of 1.9 inches, the D10 will strain the average pocket," says Fairlie.

The large design of the Canon PowerShot D10 affords plenty of room for large buttons that are easy to read and press -- a plus when shooting underwater or wearing bulky winter gloves. The thick buttons are crafted to ward off water and debris, says Patrick Michael Brady of DigitalCamera-HQ.com, who adds that they sit "tightly in their seats" but are still easy to activate. The shutter button is the largest among the seven underwater cameras he tested. By comparison, the thinner profile and tiny buttons of the TS1 add up to more difficult handling in adverse conditions.