Canon PowerShot SD890 IS 
$350 
This 10-megapixel sweetheart with 5X zoom looks smart and shoots even smarter. Menus need improvement.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX500 $400
High-quality build and a handy, useful touchscreen balance out a weak flash on this 10.1-megapixel pocket pal.
Olympus Stylus 1030 SW $400 
Crack image quality and stylish design, but the housing is too plasticky to quarantee durability in the field.
Whether you're maxin' at a pool party, snorkeling a reef, hiking a dusty trail, or making a movie of your daughter's toe-shoe recital, the Optio W60 has you covered. Super-rugged and waterproof to 13 feet, this easy-to-handle, 10-megapixel aqua-shooter with 5X optical zoom makes for a surprisingly good all-around compact with stylish design. Both submariners and landlubbers will find the 28-mm wide-angle zoom a boon to their picture-making repertoire, and the W60 outperforms cameras that cost considerably more.