HF20 AND WP-V1 -- CANON COMES UP WITH A WATER-PROOF CAMCORDER

Nearly every other diver on my boat had some sort of photography rig. And not just simple lexan underwater cases, but imposing contraptions with powerful strobes and sturdy handles. I was a little bit intimidated gripping a small plastic mass.

But once I got underwater and watched many of the divers struggling with their rigs, catching protuberances on errant kelp fronds, I felt a little better about wielding this simple Canon setup. As a point-and-shoot (and shoot and shoot) piece of equipment, the whole rig is simple, capable, durable, and—especially compared to similar underwater gear of just a couple years back—cheap enough that it won't be a tragedy when it gets lost at sea. The street price of the HF20 (an AVCHD camcorder with 32GB of flash memory) is $800; the WP-V1 can be found for around $400.