V3 got its hands on the HXWA10, a high-end camcorder capable of recording in 1080p and taking 16-megapixel images. It can also be submerged in up to three metres of water.

The camcorder has a pistol grip design, which makes it suitable to use with one hand. There is a 2.7in LED screen to see what's being captured, and this has a fair amount of rotation although it is not a full 360 degrees.

The HXWA10 is beautifully crafted, but the placement of buttons and storage could be better. The majority of controls, such as the menu and navigation buttons, have been placed on the inside cover, which means that the unit has to be turned sideways to use them. This is not ideal when a quick adjustment needs to be made during filming.

Additionally, the SD card is housed underneath the battery, which means that the device has to be switched off to transfer videos or photos.

There are a multitude of video recording options ranging from full HD 1,920x1,080 to 960x540. Content is stored as MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 and recording quality is decent. It's also possible to play content through HD TVs using the HDMI port.

Still images can be taken at a maximum of 16-megapixels, and the back-illuminated sensor  improves capture in low-level lighting conditions.

Panasonic has incorporated a 12x zoom, but only 5x is optical, meaning that images are magnified electronically. It works well, although photos will get a tad grainy when used to the maximum.

One of the best features is the ability to use the device underwater. Panasonic claims that the HX-WA10 is capable of functioning in up to three metres of water for up to 60 minutes.

We tested this claim in a makeshift pool and the camcorder survived. The rubber-sealed covers protected the memory card, battery compartment and HDMI/USB sockets, making it perfect for beach holidays or use in heavy rain.

Another nifty feature is the iA button, which automatically assesses the best setting depending on the environment. The device also has face recognition software helping to provide the best exposure and focus.

Battery life could do with a bit of a boost, however, and the flashing red LED is the only way to tell when power is running out. Onboard memory is minimal, so an SD card will be needed to take high-quality photos and video.

The Panasonic HX-WA10 costs just under £250, and is worth the investment if you regularly need a waterproof camcorder.