Four Easy-to-Use Underwater Cameras
Courtesy Garmin$399.99; garmin.com
Garmin VIRB Ultra 30
This GoPro-esque camera is small, durable and depth-rated to 130 feet in its included housing. It is very user-friendly, with separate switches for photo, video and menu navigation that make operation simple and intuitive. Even better, the 1.75-inch touchscreen display is accessible through the underwater housing, making it easy to change settings quickly. The VIRB Ultra 30 shoots 4K video, can capture slow motion when shooting in HD and has a built-in dive mode with a digital red filter.
Courtesy SeaLife$499 (32 GB), $549 (64 GB); sealife-cameras.com
Sealife Micro 2.0
The ergonomic design and large, clearly labeled piano keys make it easy for anyone to pick up this camera and go. Setup is effortless thanks to the straightforward menu, which features pre-set modes for land-, snorkeling- and dive-based shooting. Divers don’t need to worry about cleaning and inspecting O-rings because this camera is designed to be completely flood-proof down to 200 feet, with a nonremovable rechargeable battery and internal memory.
Jon Whittle$699; paralenz.com
Paralenz
This bullet-shaped action cam is depth-rated to a whopping 820 feet and is practically indestructible. It uses a clearly labeled, rotating-ring switch (and corresponding haptic feedback, or light vibration) to change modes and a large magnetic push switch to make selections and start capture. The camera boasts great battery performance and can automatically color grade video and images based on depth, so you don’t need a light or color filter to get accurate-looking 4K and HD footage.
Jon Whittle$299.95; tovatec.com
Tovatec Mera
This handy two-for-one device gives you both a fully functioning dive light and an HD video camera; it also cuts down the amount of gear you need to carry while diving. The two functions operate independently of each other, but can also be used simultaneously. The camera’s field of view matches the light’s 120-degree, wide-angle beam, which means anything that’s illuminated is also in frame. The light also features a spot-beam for general dive use.
