Video or photographic transects are commonly employed by coral reef monitoring programs as a quick and efficient method of surveying benthic habitats. Due to recent advances in technology, several large-scale monitoring programs have switched from using standard-definition video to using high-definition video or digital point-and-shoot cameras to conduct benthic surveys. In this study we assessed and compared the efficacy of high-definition video with that of digital still images to determine which method would be the most appropriate replacement for standard-definition video for the Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project in Florida. Transects from nine sites, spanning three reef types, were surveyed using all three methods. A mixed model ANOVA was used to determine whether significant differences existed in percent cover estimates provided by the three technologies. No significant differences (p > 0.05) in cover were detected for any benthic group between the three camera types, supporting the notion that either high-definition video or still images provided a suitable replacement for standard-definition video. Although both technologies improved image resolution and agreement between observers in the identification of benthic fauna, still images offered additional advantages over high-definition video, including increased consistency in the number of frames acquired per transect, decreased costs, and reduced processing time. In light of the parameters of our monitoring program and the demonstrated efficacy of using still cameras to survey underwater transects, we found digital point-and-shoot cameras to be the preferred technology for future surveys.