The ability to capture the beauty beneath the ocean's surface enables divers, freedivers, and snorkelers to relive their underwater experiences time and time again. However, taking pictures and videos in the water requires specialized equipment that goes beyond the capabilities of traditional cameras. Whether you are a scuba diver exploring the wonders of the deep or a snorkeler taking in the vibrant life in shallow reefs, choosing the right underwater photography gear is crucial to ensure quality and memorable shots. After all, a blurry, spotty image basically defies the point of taking photos in the first place.
In this guide, we will break down the factors involved in selecting the best underwater photography gear based on your photography goals, including the best photography bundles available to equip you with everything you need to take high-quality underwater photos and videos.
Determine Your Photography Goals
The first step in choosing underwater photography gear is to identify the type of photos you want to capture. Are you interested in photographing the vivid colors of coral reefs, capturing the movements of marine life, or perhaps taking underwater portraits of fellow divers? Each scenario may require different equipment, so having a clear goal will help you narrow down your options.
Snorkeling in the Shallows: If you are a shallow water snorkeller planning to photograph coral and playful fish, look for a waterproof smartphone case with a depth rating of 50 feet (15 meters). If you’re only planning on sticking to the shallows, then you may be able to use a case that still allows you access to your phone’s touchscreen. You’ll also want to consider some type of hand grip for control, as you’ll likely be splitting focus between taking photos and navigating around reefs.
Shallow Dives or Freediving: Venturing deeper, you’ll require underwater housing to ensure your smartphone is protected from pressure changes when you’re diving and to help prevent any leakage. Underwater housings will extend your depth range up to 130 feet (40 meters). When doing shallow dives or freediving, you’ll likely be capturing coral reefs or marine animals that live near the surface.
Technical or Deep Diving: For deep dives and the demanding environments of technical diving, a rugged underwater smartphone housing is the ultimate choice, with the ability to withstand extreme pressure. These housings won’t give you access to your touchscreen, but you’ll still have the ability to control your camera via an app using the side buttons of your phone. When doing a deep dive, you will likely be taking photos of seascapes, like rock formations or caves, or using macro photography to capture small and intricate details of marine life, such as nudibranchs or tiny shrimp that inhabit the deep.
Dive Lights
Proper lighting is essential for underwater photography, as the water absorbs and scatters light differently than air. You’ll require dive lights to illuminate your subjects and capture vibrant colors, especially if you’re diving below 30 meters. Adjustable intensity and beam angles are beneficial, allowing you to adapt to different shooting conditions and control the amount of light in your photos. Water absorbs light quickly, making artificial illumination crucial. Choose your dive lights based on your needs:
For wide-angle photos or videos, continuous lights are recommended to illuminate large scenes and combat backscatter (tiny particles in the water). For macro photography, focusable LED lights provide controlled beams for illuminating intricate details of smaller marine life. And for snorkeling, you may not need a light at all.
Filter Packs
Water absorbs certain colors, leading to a loss of vibrancy and clarity in your underwater photos. The longer wavelengths, such as reds and oranges, are absorbed more quickly than shorter wavelengths, like blues and greens. That is why photos underwater will have a blue or green hue to them. Underwater camera filters are designed to compensate for this color loss by enhancing warm colors and restoring a more natural balance to underwater images. For tropical environments with blue water, red filters can bring back warm tones, while magenta filters are best for greener waters. For shallower depths under 25 feet (7.5 meters), a pink filter is generally all you need.
Dive Cases for Smartphones
For those who prefer a more lightweight and portable camera option, smartphone underwater photography is a popular choice. With the technology we have today, you can capture professional-level photos and videos without needing an expensive underwater camera. When selecting a dive case for your smartphone, consider the depth rating to ensure it can handle the pressures of your intended dives. Some cases are designed for shallow snorkeling and allow touchscreen functionality, while others provide a sealed environment for deeper dives, sacrificing touch capabilities but utilizing tools like smartphone apps to allow you to control the camera.
The Best Underwater Photography Bundles
Now that you have an idea of what underwater photography gear you require, here are some of the top underwater photography bundles available:
Beginner:
ProShot Dive & Red Filter 3-Pack: For snorkelers or divers planning to stay relatively shallow and looking to capture photos of coral reefs or marine life, this bundle pack is the perfect place to start. It comes with the ProShot Dive universal iPhone case, which comes with a floating hand grip for added control and an underwater camera app. The red filter pack helps to balance the color tones in your photos and videos as you descend, making them more vibrant and true to their real color.
ProShot Dive Case & Dive Light & Red Filter 3-Pack: A step up from the previous option, this bundle also comes with a mountable dive light, helping to illuminate subjects underwater. Although the ProShot Dive Case is waterproof down to 130 feet (40 meters), everything will start looking dull after about 30 feet, even on a sunny day, so you will require a dive light if you want to capture clear pictures and videos below this depth. The red filter is ideal for blue water, while the magenta is best for green water.
Intermediate:
ProShot Dive Case, Camera Tray, & Red Filter 3-Pack: For those looking for an intermediate underwater photography set-up for shallow diving and snorkeling, this three-part set includes everything you need to upgrade your photography to the next level. Holding your phone still underwater can be challenging, plus the majority of your subjects will be moving, adding an extra layer of difficulty. This set comes with an Action Camera Tray, complete with flexible grips that give you a high level of control when capturing underwater content. This bundle also comes with the ProShot Dive Case and red filter pack.
ProShot Dive Case, Camera Tray, Dive Light, Red Filter 3-Pack: To take your intermediate photography goals even deeper, this bundle includes everything above plus the ProShot Underwater Dive Light, with adjustable brightness and the power of 20 light bulbs. Both the dive light and camera tray are compatible with the other ProShot accessories and the full range of GoPro mounts, so it’s highly versatile. The bundle also comes with other ProShot Dive Case accessories, like the wrist strap and floating hand grip, so you can customize your setup based on your usage needs.
Advanced:
ProShot Dive Case & SOLA 2500 Action Kit: This bundle is for divers who want to capture advanced-level photos and videos while using their smartphone, with the quality of a professional-level underwater camera. The bundle includes a ProShot Dive Universal iPhone Case and SOLA 2500 Dive Light Action Kit, with everything you could possibly need to capture vivid images and videos with wide illuminations for dark depths or caves. Plus, the mounting kit is flexible and provides ease of movement. You'll get the Action Camera Tray and the Sola Video 2500 Flood light, which is a dual light setup that is ideal for consistent video quality.
The Best Underwater Photography Gear
Choosing the best underwater photography gear involves thoughtful consideration of your goals, diving environment, and the specific features required for your desired shots. Whether you are diving deep or snorkeling in shallow waters, investing in the right equipment will enable you to elevate the quality of your underwater photography. If you’re unsure which underwater photography gear bundle is right for you, take our Gear Guide Quiz, which will match you to the most suitable options based on your needs.
