The welding camera WVS-12 delivers a sharp colour picture and enabled an optimal viewing of welding head, workpiece and the welding arc. The camera image can be controled before, during and after the welding process with a small operating panel. Brightness, zoom and sharpness can be adjusted very easily. 3 different user setups can be stored in a memory. Thereby the setup time significantly shortened or any welding defects can be detected faster. Automatic switching of the image brightness by an extern trigger is possible. The compact camera housing (60x60x140mm) with integrated water cooling interface protects the camera system from heat and dust. A protective glass on the front side protects the optics of the camera and can be changed easily.