Bill,

I saw this one (the Sanyo model) at the Outdoor Retailer Show just a few weeks ago and was suitably impressed with its potential.

There was also an interesting new machine for watery environments from SeaLife http://www.sealife-cameras.com/cameras/ecoshot.html While I was at the two day water demo location, they kept driving over the ECOshot with a Nissan Pathfinder and then stuck it in the lake to shoot pictures. Pretty damn impressive demo.

Neither one of these are what I would call a serious photographers tool, but they will get great shots in what is more than adequate pixel resolution for very good enlargements.

The next step-up from here is a serious SLR with very high res and some sort of housing, like Bryan indicates. I've used a really tough bag for my digital SLR Nikon from EWA Marine for several years now and have had extremely good results when it is used in modest to intermediate water conditions.

I also have a full-tilt-boogie water housing for the same camera from Dale Kobetich the quirky underground housing maker from Orange County, California. The Kobetich housing is made for swimming in double overhead surf while shooting board riders, so it can really take a pounding and all the controls are first rate and totally bomber. Dale does not have a web site that I know of, email only.

This site has some interesting info as well as a list of the housing bulding outfits if you wish to go SLR digital.

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/surf-photography-for-beginners-equipment-techniques-and-tips/