Buyers guide to underwater cameras

Underwater photography used to be for pros. You needed a dedicated waterproof camera or a pricey housing for your DSLR, or you were left playing in the shallows with a GoPro that simply couldn’t deliver quality shots in the ocean’s low-light conditions.

Thanks to massive gains in sensor quality, camera stabilisation and image recording, and with more buyers snapping up new products, the price of compact waterproof cameras capable of 4K video action has dropped to under $500.

The options have expanded tenfold – you can buy a housing to sink your GoPro down to 60m, pocket a dedicated underwater camera weighing as little as 329g, or stick your iPhone into a truly waterproof housing with dive computer functionality.

Numerous mounts are available to connect your camera to your body, bike, board or boat helm. You can even get a device that will livestream your camera’s underwater vision back to your boat  – helpful if you’ve fouled a prop, need to check out your hull, or want to film whatever’s taking your bait.

The hardest part about taking your photography to greater depths is working out what to buy. There are basically four choices: action cameras, dedicated rugged cameras that work in and out of the sea, smartphone housings, and professional housings for DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) or mirrorless cameras.

Popular, price-competitive and versatile for all kinds of sports, action cameras can be strapped to a selfie stick, the boat’s helm or your body, and tucked into sturdier underwater housings for deeper, high-pressure adventures.

An action camera can go anywhere  – fishing, boating, foiling, surfing or snorkelling  – in your hands and your kids’, with the latest models capturing equally impressive video and images on land and in the sea. And while this category might be synonymous with GoPro, hot on the heels of GoPro’s recently released Hero 12 are some very worthy rivals.

If you already own a DJI drone, then DJI’s Osmo Action 4 should be in your sights for the seamless integration it offers when it comes to DJI’s tools. But how does it compare with the GoPro Hero 12? Even if its 4K of video and 10 mega pixel images can’t compete with the 5.3K offered by the Hero 12 Black, DJI’s compact action shooter turns heads with the great imagery it captures in low light, thanks to its 1/1.3in sensor.

A feature that will thrill divers is the capability to take the Osmo Action 4 down to 18m without an additional waterproof case  – that’s significantly deeper than the GoPro Hero 12 Black (10m). Add a housing to the Osmo and you can sink it to 60m.

The downside for macro photographers is that the focus distance starts at 40cm (thanks to pixel size), so extreme close-ups are out. But for divers keen to shoot at depth, in low-light conditions, this action camera is a serious contender.

And the price is right, too: $465 camera only (digidirect.com.au) or $645 with an adventure combo kit (amazon.com.au).

People get very excited about the Hero 12’s huge 5.3K video resolution at 60fps (frames per second) but equally impressive is that it shoots 4K video at 120fps, and 1080p at 240fps for super-slow motion.

This equates to good video at depth, even if the Hero 12 is limited by a maximum depth of 10m and, some say, struggles in low-light conditions. GoPro is highlighting significant progress since the Hero 11 came out – including improved digital stabilisation, better battery life and the ability to support a wireless mic and log video.

Like the DJI Osmo Action 4, you can add an underwater housing to extend the Hero 12’s underwater range to 60m ($89.95), or buy just the camera for $579 (camerahouse.com.au). 

If you’re on a budget, or sharing a camera with your kids, this compact action camera ticks a lot of boxes, even if it doesn’t rate as well in online reviews against the GoPro Hero 12.

The Akaso Brave 8 is waterproof to 10m (or 60m with an additional housing), has dual screens, including a front-facing screen for taking selfies and recording blogs, and weighs just 115g with battery. It shoots 4K video at 60fps, with 48mp still images. The camera price includes 14 mounting accessories – and you can buy it at Woolworths for $499. 

The final action camera on this list happens to be the most expensive, at $656 (digidirect.com.au). It’s heavier, but adds no more metres to your dive depth (10m).

An add-on dive case also extends its depth to 60m and, like the DJI, it has a magnetic mounting system. But, since it was co-engineered with Leica, the Insta360 Ace Pro sports a 1/1.3in sensor and Leica lens, and records at rates similar to the other devices (8K/24fps, 4K/120fps, and 1080p/240fps).

Spherical cameras capture 360 degrees of vision, all the time, so you’re not pointing at either that turtle or your mate swimming – everything is in the same shot. Two cameras worth considering in this range are the Insta360 X4 and GoPro MAX. Insta360 X4

With more features than could possibly be listed here, the Insta360 X4 shoots 5.7K at 60fps (or 4K/100fps for cinematic slo-mo), and 72mp photos (that’s a lot of pixels). It’s waterproof to 10m, has superior battery life, and retails for $879 (camerapro.com.au).

If you’re a GoPro fan, check out the GoPro MAX 360, at $799 (camerapro.com.au).

It adds 360 Capture to GoPro HERO Capture and is compatible with all the accessories you might already own.

Let’s say you’ve snagged a prop or rudder but you’re not able to jump overboard to inspect, or maybe you’d like to see what’s biting and capture the strike – a new product from Australian business Seavu can help with that, as it turns vision from your underwater action camera into a livestream feed on your phone on the boat.

To use Seavu, you’ll need an action camera (GoPro, DJI or similar) and a waterproof case, then add the Seavu’s Seeker starter kit, which comes with a camera mount with built-in receiver, live-stream cable, transmitter and phone mount, for $499.

This Olympus camera is a rugged little beast with an optical zoom lens and super-macro microscope mode that gets snorkellers and shallow divers rather excited. It offers great detail at depths of up to 15m – better perhaps than any other camera listed above.

The camera only costs $633 (camera-warehouse.com.au), but add an Olympus PT-059 housing to extend its underwater range to 45m ($469, underwatercameras.com.au).

This dedicated tough camera dives to 60m without additional housing and blurs the line between pro and recreational use. It weighs in at a tiny 329g and gets compliments for its ease of use, thanks to big buttons that you can work with dive gloves on.

Aimed at serious divers, the SeaLife Micro 3.0 shoots to JPG and RAW, and records 4K at 30fps or 1080 at 120fps. You can also add bright lights for deep-water exploration. It’s priced from $1049 (underwater.com.au).

There are two types of boaties: those who’ve dropped their phone overboard and those who will, so it seems pretty strange to willingly take a phone diving. If you dare to do so, you’re going to want an underwater housing with incredible waterproof integrity, as well as an easy-to-use app to process your images and videos afterwards.

Two models feature well among online reviews  – the Oceanic+ Dive Housing ($979 from digitaldivers.com.au) and the more affordable SeaLife SportDiver ($589, divegearaustralia.com.au).

The Oceanic+ Dive Housing transforms an iPhone into an underwater camera via its own app, and provides a dive computer too. The maximum operative depth is 60m.

Whatever camera body you own or intend to buy, there will likely be a handful of housings to fit, along with countless accessories – but keep in mind that the price of a quality housing is going to rival the price of the camera itself.

Reputable big-name housing suppliers include Aquatica, Nauticam, Sea & Sea, and Australia’s own Salty housings, which we own and love for their durability. Machined from a single block of billet aluminium into a lightweight, smooth housing, Salty housings can be custom painted (saltysurfhousings.com).

Ikelite is another well-known brand. Its polycarbonate housings are among the most affordable on the market and waterproof to 60m. But if you dive, snorkel and get your camera wet regularly, you’ll probably see value in paying significantly more for premium aluminium housings from Nauticam, Aquatica or Salty, which offer additional features such as leak detection systems and vacuum seals.

Whatever you choose, make sure the housing accommodates all your camera’s controls and any accessories such as strobes and lights that you intend to use with it. Consider the available lens ports – a housing’s window to the world  – which you’ll typically buy separately to accommodate the specific lens you intend to use.

More than anything, a housing should feel good in your hands, like an extension of your arms as you dive, and buttons and settings should be easy to locate.

Prices are correct at time of writing, check supplier websites for current prices and availability.