SeaLife ships ruggedized ECOshot camera

SeaLife, normally a specialist in underwater photo gear, says it is now shipping the ECOshot, a camera meant for shooting in many diverse conditions. Whereas most of SeaLife's gear is meant solely for use underwater or in regular land shooting, the ECOshot is specially built to survive rough outdoor conditions as well. The ECOshot is said to be shock-proof in drops up to six feet; used underwater, it is depth-rated to 75 feet. Grip and protection are aided by rubber armor.

The actual shooting component uses a six-megapixel CCD sesnor, and supports SeaLife's custom flash systems for better underwater lighting. In addition to an existing Land/Sea exposure toggle and various other presets, the camera also brings in a new "Spy" mode, which takes shots automatically at intervals set between five seconds and five minutes. This is meant for capturing animals, whether above or below water, that would otherwise be difficult to find and approach.

Trekkers may appreciate the camera's dependence on two AA batteries, but it has just 14MB of internal memory, and only supports SD cards up to 1GB in size. SeaLife is selling the ECOshot for $230.