Hummm, I suppose this isn't a real help but if you don't want to make a huge investment there is a black and white underwater camera and monitor on sale for $99.00 in the recent Harbor Freight flyer. I have seen it there several times. Better quality and color are readily available at much increased prices from other companies. Until last year, there were several posters who delighted us with their videos of fish and frogs above and below the surface of the water. I miss seeing them. Sandy

The camera I mentioned takes video as well. A lot of video too. I take videos of my daughter all the time, and upload them onto private youtube for her great grandma to see. It has a ton of settings on this dial you turn. http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/W170/W170A.HTM# That link should show the photo of the back view of the camera where the dial is. My camera is red. They have an option for automatic shooting where you dont play with any settings besides zoom/flash. Then they have a setting one one up where you can change a few more settings. Then a more advanced setting where a lot of settings can be changed. The link says its $300, but it isnt. I bought mine through Wal Mart on sale in Feb. I dont see them there anymore though. You can buy them online though. The camera has a child or adult face detection mode, smile shutter (neat where it will automatically take photos everytime someone smiles). The smile shutter can also be adjusted for the level of smile needed to snap the shot. It also has Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, and Twilight using a Tripod. Those are more of the settings on the camera. Either the twilight or the backlight option can make a photo taken in pure darkness, light like taken in the day. Standard Scene modes include Beach, High Sensitivity, Landscape, Snow, Soft Snap, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Fireworks, Smile Shutter, and Underwater. The Sony W170 Menu system gives you access to Twilight, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, and Underwater. The others are on the Mode dial. I laughed so hard using the creative effects to photos after you shoot using any of 10 editing functions, including: Trimming, Red-Eye adjustment, Soft Focus filter, Unsharp Mask, Cross filter, Partial Color filter, Fish-eye filter, Retro, Radial Blur and Happy Face (really funny). The Happy Face effect uses photo retouching to put a smile on faces, with smile levels adjustable from 1 to 5. Danielle

Pesky, Unless you know a lot about cameras and how to use them, I would save your money. I have an older SLR with a couple different lenses and have never really used it. Then I got a step down from an SLR for work (needed the zoom) but it's so bulky and not the easiest camera to keep with you for those spur of the moment experiences. The SX260 in my opinion has the best of several worlds. It has the zoom, it takes great videos and has a strong flash for dark rooms. It's loaded with a lot of popular feature but contrary to the SLR's it is more user friendly. The only thing it's missing that I wish it had was a wide angle shot which many cameras come with. The SX260 only offers stitching. I also like that the battery is a rechargeable. Hope this helps.

Sorry Mindstrong, you don't know what you are talking about---but I do. The majority of the "big dogs" use Canon. LOL!!!! What "big dogs" do you know? Apparently, they are not as big as you think they are. LOL!! Many National Geographic photographers still shoot with FILM cameras, which are much different than DIGITAL cameras--and they shoot in chrome. And, the ones who shoot digital, shoot with Canon. The archival aspects of the present digital process prevent many photographers from using digital when they don't have astringent deadlines. Sad to say, but, National Geographic photographers are not" cutting edge" by any means. Most are very traditional, which means, NIKON. No "trash talking" here. When the staffs of The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe and every other major newspaper use Canon, you know Canons are the best, otherwise, why would they risk shooting with inferior hardware, like the horrible Nikon system? The difference between Nikons and Canon is well documented in professional circles. Ask any "real" professional and they will tell you that Nikon sold-out to the amateur ranks many years ago, that Canons are the best. Most magazine photographers are contract photographers or freelancers and 80 percent of them use Canon. I know what I'm talking about: I'm one of them. Canon digitals are the best in the consumer market too!