There"s so much you can do with an underwater video camera. If you enjoy snorkeling or diving, you can use the camera to show your friends and family the beautiful tropical fish, colorful coral reefs, and other underwater treasures you encountered on your vacation.

But that isn"t all. Videotape the children (and adults) swimming at the ocean, lake or pool. This could help them improve their swimming techniques or record their very first swim. Or you could plant your underwater video camera on the bottom of your pool and enjoy all the underwater swimming and games played on the VCR.

You could put this camera in your aquarium and see the fish and water life from another view on your television across the room.

Many people use underwater video cameras for fishing, ice fishing and boating. Think of this: You can actually see the type and quantity of fish below the water surface or find out what the conditions are like beneath your boat. Are there weeds, rocks, or sand? You could also inspect damaged propellers. All you have to do is attach your underwater video camera to your boat hook or fishing pole.

Your underwater video camera should connect to most camcorders TVs, VCRs, portable monitors and LCD screens with AV inputs.

You can also record everything on your computer with an underwater video camera. All you need is something called a Grabbee Video Grabber. Then you connect the camera to your lap top and record.

How far can you see using an underwater video camera? About 10% farther than a diver can. Water clarity plays more of a role than the depth and available light. Typical viewing distance of an underwater video camera will range from 3 feet (very poor visibility) to 50 or 60 feet (excellent visibility).

You should have a choice of a color camera or black and white. In the past black and white cameras were much more light sensitive and were a better camera to use underwater. This is not the case any longer. Today"s color video cameras are very light sensitive and can produce a very nice image in low light. So price is really the major consideration when choosing a black and white or a color camera.

During the day most underwater video cameras will operate on natural light to about 100 feet in most water conditions. Beyond 100 feet or at night you will need to use the auxiliary lights.