The 5 Best Diving Cameras You’ll Want to Explore With
Underwater photography may initially strike you as a hobby that might break the bank a bit… And guess what, you’re right!
This, for those who are fairly new to the diving world, is a gear-intensive hobby and the options that encapsulate deep-sea diving are almost endless. Cameras aren’t the only piece of kit you’ll need either, as you also have to think about lighting, ports, housing (for the camera) lenses and other niche accessories.
This definitely isn’t a cheap investment.
Despite this, choosing a camera to take with you on your underwater explorations doesn’t have to be stressful and expensively boring! It’s important to know what sort of equipment is on the market, and arguably more importantly, you’ll want to know which cameras are going to be the best value for your money. So, I’ve put this list together, and hopefully it will simplify the difficulties that surround buying underwater cameras and their equipment!
Canon S120
Reason: Best quality for price
Image courtesy of Canon.
Starting with the most price and quality-friendly camera, the S120 combines incredible imaging and an easy-to-use wireless sharing function at a very reasonable price. It’s also the only camera on my list that falls below £400. It comes equipped with a punchy 12.1 megapixel high-sensitivity CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 6 image processor. What does this mean? Basically it’ll give you a really natural, rich-looking colour and incredibly clarity, even in deeper, low-lit area of the ocean. This is probably the best choice for the first-time buyers and people on a budget.
Nikon D810
Reason: Image quality and speed
The D810 is one step above the Canon in terms of range and image quality. It’s also capable of performing at very high speeds and precision, which makes it easier to snap up those photos of the quicker fish you’ll be stalking!
A 36.3-megapixel camera won’t look too bad either, combining it with a full-frame sensor and Nikon’s EXPEED 4 image processing function, this camera really does pack a punch. For those who want a bit more bite for their money, this is definitely one to look out for.
GoPro Hero
4 Reason: Price, wide-angle focus
Go Pros have been around for a while now, and every time one is released, it’s met with an immense amount of praise. As it stands, the Go Pro Hero 4 Black is currently your best option on the market. It features ‘SuperView’, an exclusive video mode that captures an incredible wide-angle perspective, perfect for capturing large frames of you exploration footage. The main selling point for the Go Pro series is that they’re phenomenal at capturing wide-angle shots, and they’re pretty strong! So, if it’s exceptional video footage you’re after, then this is definitely the camera for you!
Canon EOS Mark III
Reason: It’s the best you can buy
The Mark III ranks among the finest underwater cameras you can currently buy. This is a camera designed for photographers who know how to shoot. Injected with a 22MP frame CMOS sensor, it’s built to deliver high-quality videos with the added benefit of noise reduction at high ISO levels. Definitely the best example of quality craftsmanship.
Sony NEX A6000
Reason: Incredibly fast autofocus
Dubbed ‘the fastest autofocus camera in the world’ the NEX 6000 is without a doubt one of the best cameras for capturing sea wildlife in motion. Its APS-C size sensor offers 1.6 times the area of a standard 4/3 sensor, and around 13 times more of a 1/2.3 sensors of typical compact cameras. In short, this is a phenomenal camera for those swift fish you can’t keep track on!
Are there any cameras you’ve come across that I may have missed? Do let me know in the comments below! And if you’re looking to book your own diving session, have a look on what we have to offer on our site!