I'm not a great videographer but my camera bag for years has contained a SANYO Xacti digital video camera, which records straight to SD cards and fits comfortably in the palm of my hand. I've brought it all over the world and even keep it in my bike jersey pocket for capturing small clips of my bicycle club when we're on the road. The small size and shape keeps it conveniently within reach.

The one place I can't go with it though is under-water and that's a shame because the now-fleeting summertime is ripe with opportunities for subaquatic shooting.

Next summer I'll be prepared because SANYO has introduced the Xacti E2, a camera that can capture MPEG-4 video at 640x480. It can also capture 8-megapixel images while operating at a depth of up to five feet. You won't be able to go scuba diving with it, but you will be able to capture your kids frolicking in the surf.

This Xacti model features a 5x optical zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD display and digital image stabilization. The company also produces a variety of models that offer recording up to HD's 1080 resolution.