He hopes that the latest camera technology installed at three Sydney beaches will stop him having to retrieve more bodies in the future.

Four cameras based at Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama were installed this month.  They are capable of zooming in for 3km on areas as far as away as Clovelly Point.

The cameras are controlled from the Bondi lifeguard tower, allowing the full-time force of Bondi lifeguards to monitor nearby beaches year round.

Bronte and Tamarama have lifeguards on duty for up to nine months of the year.

In July, a surfer, father of two and well-known publisher  Matthew Richell drowned after he was swept onto the rocks at Tamarama. Mr Carroll was first on scene.

"I spent 10 minutes trying to resuscitate him, I wish I could have saved his life," he said. "I'm a new father too, it makes you realise how valuable life is."

He believes the new technology will allow life-savers to react faster to life-threatening situations.

Potential danger along the coast line is not restricted to swimmers and surfers. In the past two months, two rock fisherman have drowned, a man was rescued from a Bondi cliff, divers have been caught in rips, and suicide attempts continue to occur off the city's eastern coastline.

The cameras will be able to monitor all of these situations, head lifeguard Bruce Hopkins said.

As soon as a camera spots an incident on any of the three beaches, Bondi lifeguards can launch at jet-ski to the distressed person within a minute, said Mr Hopkins.

As Fairfax Media was shown the technology, a rescue was underway at Tamarama Beach. As swells battered them, two swimmers were struggling in the strong current, taking them out of the bay.

The cameras were able to zoom into the incident  a kilometre away with pinpoint clarity. The swimmers were rescued without complication, but it's an example of lifeguards will be able to review best-practice methods for future rescues, said Mr Hopkins.

Mr Hopkins said that the cameras were partly inspired by the Bondi Rescue TV series.

"We thought if they can record everything we do, why can't we? The technology is amazing."

On a busy day this summer, Bondi Beach is likely to get up to 50,000 beachgoers on its shores while Tamarama and Bronte can expect up to 15,000.

With the large crowds come increased reports of theft. The cameras will be instrumental in tracking down offenders, said Mr Hopkins.

They have a rolling recording capacity of 10 days to allow life guards to track down the time, beach and day that items were stolen and pass on the vision to police.

"While the cameras are an essential communication tool, it's never going to be the be all and end all," said Waverley Mayor Sally Betts.

Councillor Betts believes that lifeguards are still the most important part of the operation.

"At the end of the day you still need a lifeguard jumping on a board to bring people to safety," she said.

Several Bondi lifeguards said that they would like to see more lifesavers taken on to cope with the bumper crowds expected this summer.