Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3 extreme camera is ready to cut its own arm off

Sup brah? Headed out to the canyon later? "Affirmative man! Gonna get mah climb on over some sweet rocks, then gonna party down with mah bros and slug a couple of brewskis at that kegger later." But bro! You're gonna need a wicked tough compact digital camera capable of handling both extreme conditions and extreme partying -- something like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3.

Oh yes, fans of fast living: the all-new FT3 from Panasonic is a friend to anybody who needs their tech tough. This robust camera is waterproof to 12m, shockproof to 2m (that means it'll withstand a 2m fall), freezeproof to -10 degrees C, and is dustproof to boot.

That burly build is due to rubber padding and reinforced glass around the FT3, and an airtight body so water can't sneak in if you take it diving. The lens unit is protected by folded optics which should stop it from shattering irreparably if you drop this camera by accident.

We don't want to make any claims about the FT3's actual ruggedness until we've had a chance to give it our full review treatment, and maybe throw it off a roof or two, but from the image above it certainly looks like it could take a punch, so this might be preferable to other glass-jawed snappers if you're one of those outdoors-y types.

Happily though, the FT3 isn't a one-trick pony. As well as being able to withstand being thrown off a waterfall, or dropped in a pint, this camera is packing a 28mm wide-angle lens with a 4.6x optical zoom and a 12.1-megapixel sensor. It has built-in GPS too, so you can track where your photos were taken. There's also a compass, altimeter and a barometer, and the FT3 can shoot video in 1,920x1,080-pixel Full HD.

Like other Panasonic cameras announced today, the FT3 has a 3D photo mode, which produces a 3D image out of 20 different shots, which you can then view on compatible 3D tellies.

The FT3 will be available in blue or red from this March. No word on pricing yet, but we'll let you know, and get a full review up as soon as possible.