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We've all done it -- flipped through SkyMall to distract our minds during a ground delay -- and imagined just how much better our lives would be with the Pop-up hot dog toaster, how our aging pooches would love us more if we only got them the deluxe doggy stairs to fur up the bed without stressing their aging hips, and wished there was a way to overnight the The Only Digital Camera Swim Mask (Street: $99) by Liquid Image from Hammacher Schlemmer to our tropical resort to document our epic snorkel adventures -- if we'd only had the foresight to pack along this safety yellow dive mask that looks like something a fashionable Borg drone would pack for a beach holiday. (Of course, being on a flight destined for the tropics and not a regional sales meeting on the high plains in February also helps.) Lucky for me, a review sample arrived just days ahead of a well-deserved escape to the warm turquoise waters of Bermuda. Is the Only Digital Camera Swim Mask all that and a bag of chips -- or is it a red herring? That all depends on what you're looking for . . .

In the hands (Or on the face, as it were . . .)

The mask packs a fixed-focus 5.0 megapixel still camera that will also shoot 640 x 480 video at 20 frames per second, without sound. It is powered by 2 AAA batteries that sit in a compartment on the left side of the mask (there is also a right side compartment, for symmetry, which can be used for storage for any items smaller than 2 AAA batteries - spare microSD card, for example) , and has built-in memory to capture about 30 stills or up to 52 seconds of video. Fortunately, there is a microSD slot for expanding the memory to capture more data. A mini-USB port allows for direct-from-snorkel-mask downloads from either the microSD or internal memory. Images can also be deleted via USB tethering.

It is important to note that this is a snorkel-only mask. The depth rating is only fifteen feet. Because of the integrated camera, it is slightly bulkier than a regular dive mask -- but once it is on and you're in the water, it is barely different from a plain two-panel mask. The biggest difference from a regular mask are the crosshairs painted onto the glass for targeting your shots. Yes, it's a digital camera, but no, there's no LCD screen for framing or review. Just line up the crosshairs and press the shutter button by your right temple. A tiny beep indicates still image capture. That same button will also begin video capture, if you've toggled into video mode. You swap between video and still capture mode by tapping the on/off button. An LED shines into the top of the right eye window -- red is still, blue is video. The red light re-lights in still image capture to indicate the buffer is clear, while the blue light blinks to indicate video recording. In very bright sunlight conditions in clear water, it can be challenging to "read" the colored lights at the edge of your vision to confirm mode and status.

Inside the brow of the mask is a small monochrome LCD indicating the number of images captured, battery life, and video or still mode. That's it. There's no playback preview, no settings to be adjusted, or anything else. The LCD is only visible when you're not wearing the mask -- when the mask is on the face, it is pressed up against your forehead. It truly is a point-and-shoot-and-snorkel mask!

In the field (Or in the water, as it was . . .)

We were lucky enough to be able to give this snorkelcam a wet test in the crystal-clear waters of Bermuda - much nicer than an indoor pool at the local Y, if you ask me. The shallow waters of the sandbars off Pompano Bay Beach Club were filled with friendly and photogenic tropical fish ready to ham it up for the camera. You couldn't ask for better conditions for shallow water underwater photography. The gasket-sealed shutter button has a satisfying amount of resistance and springback to it. Really, it's just a matter of lining up the crosshairs and firing away. The first couple of times pushing the shutter button on the mask feels a little funny, since there's no obvious camera, but it sinks in after a few shots. Close focus is half a meter, so sometime fish can actually be too close to capture sharply (see slide #6, for example).

Video is easier -- but be sure to add extra memory to the miniSD slot beforehand to increase capture time. The best way to confirm that video capture has begun is to start above water with the mask in your hands. Then it's just a matter of swimming and snorkeling normally without having to handle the mask in the water. Then crop some of the beginning of the video out in any video editing program. Keep in mind that when you're looking upwards or even straight ahead in the water it is possible that the camera will be above the waterline, even if your eyes aren't, as the video shows a couple of times.

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