Sanyo has launched a new waterproof digital movie camera, the Xacti VPC-CA8.

The new VPC-CA8 boasts improvements over previous models with the addition of a "Face Chaser" function for better auto-focus on people and 8-megapixel CMOS sensor.

Boasting a Digital Image Stabilizer, the Sanyo Xacti CA8 can record video to SDHC card at 60fps with MPEG-4 AVCH/H.264 compression and also sports a 2.5-inch TFT LCD screen and 5x optical zoom lens.

The CA8 is JIS IPX5 and IPX8 certified, which means that it can be fully submerged underwater at depths of up to 1.5m and for up to an hour at a time.

Described as "the perfect go anywhere camera", the compact Xacti has a vertical "pistol grip" body and can be operated one-handed.

Other nifty features of note include a web-use filming mode, which means that footage can be uploaded directly on the internet without needing to be converted and, in certain shooting modes, the ability to capture still images with a simple shutter press, while filming.

Available in a metallic white, blue or orange finish, the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA8 will be available in the UK from the end of June 2008 for around £249.