Why aren't most digital cameras waterproof?

These days even cheap watches are waterproof down to considerable depth. One would think that it would be just as easy to waterproof cameras and camcorders.

There are too many moving parts and things that need to open and close. To make cameras cheap enough the number of openings and moving parts would need to be reduced. This would limit features and would be more expensive to engineer and manufacture. Water proof digital watches did not start out cheap. They only got cheap as the cost of the fabrication equipment and molds were written off. Volume is a key factor that drives the final cost. Low volumes mean high cost for new products. Digital camera are sold in no where near the numbers that watches are. I suppose that if some company wanted to drive the market place with a loss leader then that would force a change in the competition and thus what you want would be the the norm.

they do make waterpoof digital cameras, theyre just really expnsive. about $300

heres an example
http://www.h20camera.com/home?utm_source...

Normally, the answer to any question that begins with "Why...?" is "$$$$". Especially true in Consumer Electronics.