The possibility to shoot videos underwater was up until recently something reserved to professional videographers, who were equipped with specially modified (and generally, extremely expensive) equipment, able to withstand the destructive action of water on all electronic devices. However, it would seem that, from now on, pretty much anyone will be able to record their underwater adventures, as long as they get two important items: either one of Canon's VIXIA HF20 and VIXIA HF200 flash memory camcorders, and the company's just announced WP-V1 Waterproof Case.

According to Canon, the new WP-V1 case acts as some sort of “wet-suit” for its camcorders, which means that users won't have any trouble at all controlling their video recording devices, even when inserted in this case. Furthermore, the device provides a very high level of endurance to the underwater environment, since users can dive as deep as 130 feet (40 meters) and still shoot high-definition videos without their camera being affected in any way.

"Canon is excited to offer consumers a go-anywhere option in the camcorder market," said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. "By broadening our accessory offerings, Canon can now service an expanded audience of those who need water-resistant products for their work or recreational use."

Now, if you're excited about the possibility of recording such videos while swimming underwater, you should also consider getting one of the two camcorders mentioned above, the VIXIA HF20 or VIXIA HF200, so here's a quick reminder of what each has to offer. Hence, the VIXIA HF20 delivers the option of recording to a 32GB internal Flash drive or SDHC card slot, while the VIXIA HF200 records to an SDHC memory card only. Additional features include a 3.89-megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor, newly designed Genuine Canon 15x HD Video Lens, Genuine Canon Face Detection, Video Snapshot and Dual Shot Modes, and an Advanced Auto Exposure system.

The new Canon WP-V1 Waterproof Case will arrive in stores in May (just in time for the holiday season) for an estimated retail price of $599, which is indeed pretty steep, but it's most likely worth it, especially for those people who're simply in love with the idea of shooting videos underwater.


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