I have a PentaxOptiO camera which is a 6 megapixel one. You have seem some of the pictures that I have taken with it. (For example: http://web.mac.com/stokemaster/iWeb/Site/Jetty%20Water%20Shots.html) 

One problem with it is that is not still in a surfer friendly size. I need to wear a rash-guard with a pocket with it and leave it in the pocket and take it out.

Then I came across with a wrist-cam that is much easier to handle. You have seen many pictures I have taken on my WavLOG (link) posts. Last year I picked one up at HMB Surf Shop for about $180. It is a 3 MP submersible wrist camera.

After about a year of use, it is time for me to give a second review on it since my friend Cynthia asked me about.

Paddling Out:

I was afraid that it will get in the way of paddling. Due to its light weight, I did not have a problem. getting more tired while paddling. I have not hit the board with it, and it generally won't come off. With verclo belt it is easy to put on.

Operations:

While there is a finder, it is small and not easy to use. You will be surprised even when it looks calm out there, there is quite a bit of motion in the water. I will usually get off the board, prop my arm on my surfboard to hold it more steady.

Note that if you try to use the view finder and take pictures, you will end up taking a lot of sky. Just as you aim and shoot with your wrist, it tend to point the camera up when you push the button.

The battery consumption is quite fast, and I have to put a freshly charged 2 x AAA NiMH batteries just about every session. Another annoying fact is that it auto-shut off (I think you can turn that feature off but then risk losing battery life even sooner, probably won't last 30 minutes). I usually have a set of 4 batteries so that I can plug in the new pair as soon as I run out of the first pair, because if you turn the camera on with a dead battery when you arrive at the beach it is too late.

Quality of Images:

I did not have a lot of expectation on this. I still regard this a toy camera at this price range of less than $200. 

The sensitivity of the sensor is quite low, and during dawn patrol in winter or the spring, most pictures come out really dark, and the also the dynamic range is not quite high enough that pictures and color often look washed out. It will work definitely better under a bright daylight. Again go check on some old articles on my WavLog and see for your self.

Annoying Water Drop on the Lens

There is a ring that holds a glass "lens" on the water proof case. This causes a bit of recess in the glass part and it is small enough that when a water droplet gets in there then it will severely distort images. It is very difficult to control while you are in the water. I try to blow the droplet out, but then it fogs the glass. I think there is some chemical to put on the glass, but I am not going all that trouble. 

Video Feature

I tried it but it kept recording strange buzzing sound into the sound track. Don't expect any sound to some out of it. Other than that you could probably shot about 30 minutes worth of movie if you plug in larger SD card (256 Meg or more). 

Do this Trick

I set the power timeout to about 5 minutes and Paddling out is when you can actually shoot lot of pictures. Especially of other surfers catching waves. I usually push the power button on just before I paddle out each time. 

Also the fact that the you got the camera all the time means you can take picture as soon as you leave your car, approaching the beach, and when you just got out of the water. You can take a significantly better picture from the ground or just submerged down to hip or low chest level in the water.

Would I Recommend It?

Even with these drawbacks, I think I will recommend it to people who want to take back the memory of your sessions. Accepting the fact that it is kind of a toy, go have fun with it, and don't expect too much. Shoot lots of pictures and here and there you find shots you like. It is significantly more dramatic shooting someone just a feet and nose away in the water than from a ground with a big telephoto. That's only a surfer can do.

You are not going to make a magazine cover quality picture (unless it is something like you just shot the opening jaw of a big shark just before you got chewed up). 

More questions, be sure to post on this thread and I will answer them.