Use Your Mobile Phone While Scuba Diving!
Are you mad? I’m not taking my phone into the water! However, using your smartphone underwater may no longer be as crazy as once thought. While many of us take to the water to escape from ringing phones and pinging emails, there can be real advantages to taking your phone out diving with you.
Here is how. Try looking at your phone simply as a device with a very compact form factor, an excellent high-resolution camera accompanied by a large high-contrast screen. You may then realize that you have the perfect camera set-up. All you need is a waterproof housing made for scuba diving, filters, and perhaps some lights!
At a Glance: Using Your Mobile Phone as an Underwater Camera
Advantages
No need to invest in a separate camera
Your photos are available to be viewed and shared immediately
Many mobile phone cameras have specifications that rival high-end action cameras.
Your phone has a larger, better quality screen than any camera
Save your photos straight to a photo or logbook app
With a universal housing, you’ll get a new underwater camera every time you upgrade your phone!
Disadvantages
Storage space can be a consideration if your phone does not have a micro SD card slot
Phones with large screens can be power-hungry. If you take a lot of videos, your battery may not last for many dives
Not all phone functions are accessible via the housing
A leak can mean disaster for your phone
Top 3 Dive-Proof Mobile Phone Housings
To take your phone scuba diving with you, you will need a reliable housing. Not just a waterproof one! Take care as cheaply made cases may not hold up to their depth ratings in a strong current and might struggle to stand up to the bangs and prangs that are just part of going on a dive.
Here are three top-rated universal underwater housings that will let you turn your mobile phone into a helpful diving accessory.
SeaLife SportDiver Underwater Smartphone Housing
The SeaLife SportDiver Housing can accommodate an extensive range of phones. Both iPhones and Android are supported (you can check compatibility here). The housing is depth-rated to 40m and benefits from SeaLife’s dual leak alarm technology. There is also a Pro Set option which includes SeaLife’s 2500 Lumen Sea Dragon Photo-Video Light.
This housing uses many of the same buttons you may already be accustomed to from your old SeaLife camera. Except now they are used to control your phone! These connect to the phone via Bluetooth, which requires 2 x AAA batteries. The housing also has a dedicated space for a MoistureMuncher capsule to prevent your phone from steaming up between dives.
The SeaLife housing comes with a clip-on red filter and access to SeaLife’s camera app, which adds useful underwater photo functions such as white balance, exposure control, lens selection, tint, and RAW mode.
Price: USD 349.95 SportDiver Housing + Filter, USD 749.95 SportDiver Pro 2500 Set (inc. tray, grip & video light)
Kraken Sports Smart Housing Pro
Of the three housings in our article, this is the only one constructed from aluminium. It is depth rated to a whopping 80m! Kraken Sports have been making camera housings for a long time and was one of the first companies to offer universal mobile phone housings. For this reason, there are four versions of the housing available via their website.
The Kraken Sports Smart Housing has access to a dedicated camera app that provides all the essential underwater camera settings you could want. In addition, a depth and temperature sensor option is also available, which allows dive information to be recorded as part of the photo data.
We particularly like the Kraken Sports housing because it gives you the option of using macro and wide-angle wet lenses with it. For this, you will need to purchase Kraken Sport’s lens adapter, which will allow you to use any lens with a 52mm or 67mm thread!
Price: USD 325.00 KRH04/KRH06 Universal Smart Phone Housing, USD 429.00 KRH03/KRH05 Universal Smart Phone Housing Pro With Depth/Temp Sensor. USD 49.99 Lens Adapter For Smart Housing.
Diveroid Universal Pro & Mini
Diveroid became a success through Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Their all-integrated combination of a dive-proof mobile phone housing, dive computer, digital logbook, and underwater camera app attracted much attention.
The Diveroid Mini dive computer attaches to the housing and sends your dive data to the phone in real-time, visible on-screen as part of the camera app. The Mini also offers freediving functions and a handy boat calling feature for emergencies. In addition, all dive data and photos are automatically stored in the digital logbook app.
The Diveroid Universal Pro housing is made from sturdy polycarbonate and Gorilla glass. It is depth-rated to 60m and features a leak alarm, camera controls via Bluetooth, and vacuum seal technology. In addition, three different Lycan video light options are available via Diveroid’s website, which you can add to the rig.
Price: USD 428.00 Housing + Dive Computer. Light sets start at USD 186.00.
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Ready to Turn Your Phone into an Underwater Camera?
As technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, the quality of mobile phone cameras has become remarkable. Combined with a large high contrast screen which makes it easy to evaluate your photos, it makes sense to take advantage of this if you are looking to invest in a new underwater point & shoot camera set up.
With a universally fitting underwater phone housing, you will be able to use the latest camera upgrades for many years to come. In addition, dedicated underwater camera apps and accessories such as video lights and wet lenses will allow you to make your mobile phone part of the perfect U/W camera set-up.
So while “leaving the phone” behind may have always seemed like a good thing, maybe now is the time to rethink and take it out on a dive. There are still no phone calls, no emails underwater – just you, the fish, and now your phone camera!
Note: Ocean Pulse does not receive commissions on any of the products listed in this article, and we are not responsible for any damages that may occur from their use.
Would you ever scuba dive with your smartphone? Let us know in the comments!
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