How to Choose: The Best Underwater Camera
Choosing an Underwater Camera: Contents
Here are a few factors that you need to take into consideration when shopping for an underwater camera.
Build Quality
Using a camera beneath the surface of the water isn’t something that should be taken lightly. Actually, there’s a high chance that you could accidentally drop the camera or bump it into coral reefs or rocks.
Your best bet is to pick a rugged underwater camera if you really want it to last. Many waterproof cameras are shockproof and freezeproof, so make sure that the one you’re going to buy has these extra layers of protection.
Waterproof Rating
Not all underwater cameras have the same level of waterproofness. If you’ll be using it for photo and video shooting at a shallow water depth, any level of waterproofness would be fine.
However, if you plan to dive with the camera, pick one that has a minimum depth rating of 100 feet.
Photo and Video Quality
Taking high-quality videos and photos under the water can be quite challenging, which is why you need to invest in a camera that makes the job a bit easier.
It would help if you ensured that the camera’s sensor could take decent low light images, considering it’s darker under the water. CMOS sensors are perfect for that. They can capture much more light than traditional sensors.
Moreover, your underwater camera video resolution should never be less than 1080p if you want your videos to be clear enough. A decent level of video stabilization for action videos would be highly appreciated too.
Zoom
If you want to take your underwater photo and video shooting, consider getting an underwater camera that supports optical zoom.
Optical zoom lets you get close to your subject without actually moving your hands, which can be quite useful when shooting marine creatures underwater.
In Summary
You’re likely going to be spending quite a bit on an underwater camera so make sure you do your research. There’s quite a few models available, all of which do the job well but to be certain of your choice ensure you ask questions about the topics we’ve discussed in our guide.
For more gadgets to use underwater check out our related guides below: