Best Underwater Cameras for Beginners

The Best First Underwater Cameras - A Comparison

First Camera Comparison

GoPro Hero7 & 8 Black | Paralenz Dive Camera Plus | Olympus TG-6 | SeaLife DC2000

You’ve just completed your open water certification, you’re getting more and more comfortable in the water, and you think it’s time to invest in your first underwater camera to record your dive adventures. The question is, which camera is best for entry level photographers? At Bluewater Photo, we’re happy to share our expert advice. Here are our top beginner cameras and briefly lay out the pros and cons of each.

GoPro Hero7 / 8 Black

Best for Video

	PROS	CONS
	Ergonomic	No complete manual control settings (does come with Protune options)
	4k video at 60 FPS - great for slow motion playback	No viewfinder
	Hypersmooth Auto Stabilization	No zoom capabilities underwater
	Improved Auto White Balance	Requires wet macro lens for subject closer than 12 inches, macro capabilities still not effective as TG-6
	Low price point for camera and housing - $450
	Removable battery - 1220mAH lithium-ion
	Time lapse videos (TimeWarp)
	WiFi capabilities
	LCD touch screen
	Water resistant to 30 feet without housing; with housing (only $50) - rated to 196 feet

If your emphasis is video and not stills, the GoPro is a great choice. Read our Hero 8 review to see what improved over the Hero 7, and check out our specials page for amazing holiday sales on the GoPro.

Recommended Housings


	GoPro Super Suit Dive Housing	Isotta GoPro Hero7 Black Underwater Housing

Recsea WHG-Hero7 Underwater Housing

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Paralenz Dive Camera Plus

Easiest to Use | Best Tech Features

	PROS	CONS
	Ergonomic - as easy to use as a dive light - one button	Less of a budget price point - $699
	No housing required at depth - rated to 250m/820ft	No LCD screen for framing photos and video
	Sturdy build - aluminum body with titanium screws	No viewfinder
	Records water temperature and depth - provides dive profile for videos	Not effective for macro
	Dedicated mobile app to view profile	No manual control settings
	Extra long battery life	No RAW shooting
	Built in depth based color correction - no need for filters
	Works great in low light - 1/ 2.5” sensor by Sony
	140 degree angle of view - no fisheye distortion

The Paralenz is an amazing piece of technology. Much simpler to use than the GoPro, if you like coolness or ease of use, love data, or are a tech diver, the Paralenz may be for you.

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Olympus TG-6

Great Option for Stills with Good Video Quality

	PROS	CONS
	Best option for still photography	Larger size vs. GoPro and Paralenz
	Optical zoom ability	No viewfinder
	More sensitivity to light - ISO 100-12800	No manual control settings which limits creative wide-angle options
	4k video with super macro autofocus	$750 price point for camera and housing makes it the most expensive of the “starter” options
	4k timelapse video
	LCD screen
	Raw and JPEG shooting
	Action track sensors record location, temperature, direction and altitude data
	WiFi capabilities
	Works well with wide angle wet lenses - Kraken KRL-02, AOI UWL-04
	Only requires housing below 50 feet
	Housing ($300) rated to 147 feet/45 m

Hint: You can save money and get the Olympus TG-5

Recommended Housings


	Olympus PT-059 Housing	Nauticam NA-TG-5, TG-6 Housing

	Ikelite TG-5, TG-6 Housing	Isotta TG-5, TG-6 Housing

Recsea TG-5, TG-6 Housing

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SeaLife DC2000

Best Image Quality & Solid Wet Lens Options

	PROS	CONS
	1” 20MP Sony sensor - much larger than the TG-6 sensor	No zoom capabilities
	RAW and JPEG shooting	When shooting in RAW, frames per second is limited
	Full manual mode, great for wide-angle	No 4k video
	Good wide-angle wet lens available	$700 price point
	3” LCD display
	WiFi capabilities
	Camera includes housing rated to X feet
	60ft depth rating of camera better than the TG-6