Although endoscopy techniques have undergone impressive development in recent years, there remains a need for better visualization in specific circumstances, e.g. detection of flat colorectal lesions. Less threatening and much less painful alternatives to conventional colonoscopy are also of a particular interest for patients. Many techniques are under investigation, but chromoendoscopy is a technique with proven clinical usefulness. Instead of real-time endoscopic imaging methods, such as narrow band imaging (NBI) and Fuji intelligent chromo endoscopy (FICE), also self-propelled colonoscopy devices Aer-O-Scope and Invendoscope are briefly discussed. Ideal endoscopy should have the ability to screen large mucosal areas, together with providing high diagnostic accuracy, and also need to be patient friendly. It is very probable that future success in clinical application will appertain to the combination several techniques.