🌊 How deep do they really go?
This is the first thing to check, and the one that causes the most unpleasant surprises. An Open Water Diver is certified to 18 m, an Advanced Open Water Diver to 30 m, and the recreational limit is 40 m. The manufacturer's depth rating has to cover your dives, otherwise a housing is mandatory.
| Model | Without housing | With housing |
|---|
| DJI Osmo Action 6 | 20 m | 60 m |
| OM SYSTEM Tough TG-7 | 15 m | 45 m (PT-059 housing) |
| SeaLife Micro 3.0 | 60 m | No housing needed |
| GoPro MISSION 1 | 20 m | 60 m (MISSION 1 housing) |
| GoPro HERO13 Black | 10 m | 60 m (Protective Housing) |
| Insta360 Ace Pro 2 | 12 m | 60 m (Dive Case) |
| AKASO EK7000 | Housing required | 30 m (housing included) |
Depth ratings as published by the manufacturers. Housings are sold separately, except for the AKASO EK7000.
🏆 The 7 cameras in detail
#1
🤿 20 m without a housing
DJI Osmo Action 6
It goes to 20 m with no accessory, which covers an Open Water dive: in this selection only the pricier GoPro MISSION 1 does the same. With DJI's waterproof case it reaches 60 m. Its large 1/1.1-inch sensor with a variable aperture (f/2.0 to f/4.0) is an advantage when the light fades.
✅ Pros
- · Waterproof to 20 m bare, 60 m in its case
- · Large 1/1.1-inch sensor, f/2.0 to f/4.0 aperture
- · Video up to 8K at 30 fps
- · 64 GB of built-in storage (50 GB usable)
- · Up to 240 minutes of battery life claimed
❌ Cons
- · No flash: plan for a video light at depth
- · No optical zoom
20 m bare60 m housed8K1/1.1" sensor149 g
Check price on Amazon →#2
📷 Stills and macro
OM SYSTEM Tough TG-7
The only true stills camera in this selection. It shoots RAW and has a built-in flash, a 4x optical zoom and macro modes that focus as close as 1 cm, ideal for nudibranchs and other small critters. Waterproof to 15 m on its own, it goes to 45 m in the manufacturer's PT-059 housing. The listing we link is the red version.
✅ Pros
- · RAW files, built-in flash, 4x optical zoom
- · Macro and microscope modes, focus down to 1 cm
- · Bright f/2.0 lens at the wide end
- · Shockproof from 2.1 m, freezeproof to −10 °C
- · GPS and field sensors
❌ Cons
- · 12 MP sensor, video limited to 4K at 30 fps
- · PT-059 housing sold separately to go past 15 m
15 m bare45 m housedRAW1 cm macro249 g
Check price on Amazon →#3
🔒 Sealed, 60 m
SeaLife Micro 3.0
A camera designed only for divers. It is permanently sealed: no door, no O-ring to grease, so no risk of flooding it by closing it badly. Rated to 60 m, it is operated with three wide buttons that work with gloves – useful in cold water – and offers underwater colour modes.
✅ Pros
- · Rated to 60 m, permanently sealed
- · Three large buttons, usable with gloves
- · Underwater colour-correction modes
- · RAW stills, 16 MP Sony sensor, 4K video at 30 fps
- · 64 GB built in, more than 3 hours of battery life
❌ Cons
- · No built-in flash: pair it with a light
- · Memory and battery are not replaceable
- · Heavier and less versatile out of the water
60 mSealedRAW64 GB329 g
Check price on Amazon →#4
🌑 1-inch sensor
GoPro MISSION 1
GoPro's new range, launched in 2026. It doubles the depth of the HERO cameras with 20 m without a housing, and its 1-inch sensor is the largest in this selection, which helps as light drops with depth. It records 8K at 30 fps and 50 MP stills. Its 60 m housing is specific to the MISSION 1 range: the HERO housing does not fit.
✅ Pros
- · Waterproof to 20 m bare, 60 m in its housing
- · 1-inch sensor, the largest here
- · 8K video at 30 fps, 50 MP stills
- · 2150 mAh Enduro 2 battery: more than 3 hours claimed in 4K30
❌ Cons
- · The most expensive action camera in this selection
- · Also the heaviest: 207 g
- · No flash: plan for a video light at depth
20 m bare60 m housed8K301" sensor207 g
Check price on Amazon →#5
🎬 The video benchmark
GoPro HERO13 Black
The action camera you see most on dive boats, with the largest choice of compatible mounts, filters and lights. It records 5.3K at 60 fps and accepts HB-Series lenses, including a macro lens. Mind the limit: without a housing it stops at 10 m. The listing we link is the Forest Green colour.
✅ Pros
- · 5.3K video at 60 fps, 27 MP stills
- · HB-Series lenses, including a macro lens
- · Removable 1900 mAh Enduro battery
- · Built-in GPS
- · Very wide choice of dive accessories
❌ Cons
- · Waterproof to only 10 m without a housing
- · Protective Housing (60 m) sold separately
10 m bare60 m housed5.3K6027 MP159 g
Check price on Amazon →#6
🖥️ Flip screen
Insta360 Ace Pro 2
An alternative to the GoPro with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, 8K video at 30 fps and a 2.5-inch flip touchscreen that makes framing easier. Waterproof to 12 m on its own, it goes to 60 m in Insta360's Dive Case. The listing we link is the dual-battery bundle.
✅ Pros
- · 8K video at 30 fps, 4K up to 120 fps
- · 1/1.3-inch sensor, stills up to 50 MP
- · 2.5-inch flip touchscreen
- · 1800 mAh battery, 180 minutes claimed
❌ Cons
- · Waterproof to only 12 m without a housing
- · Heavier than a HERO13 Black (182 g vs 159 g)
12 m bare60 m housed8K2.5" screen182 g
Check price on Amazon →#7
💷 Tight budget
AKASO EK7000
The cheapest way to bring back your first footage. The camera records 4K at 30 fps with a 170° wide angle and is used underwater inside its included housing. AKASO states 30 m for it.
✅ Pros
- · Waterproof housing and accessories included
- · 4K video at 30 fps, 170° wide angle
- · Wi-Fi and mobile app
- · Fine for snorkelling and first dives
❌ Cons
- · Waterproof only inside its housing
- · Remote control is splash-resistant only
- · Image quality falls behind in low light
30 m housed4K30170°Wi-Fi
Check price on Amazon →🧭 How to choose
1. Start from your depth
Snorkelling, freediving and try dives: every model works, even without a housing, except the AKASO EK7000. Diving to 18 m: only the DJI Osmo Action 6, the GoPro MISSION 1 and the SeaLife Micro 3.0 go there with no accessory. Deeper than that, you need either the SeaLife or a housing rated for 45 to 60 m.
2. Stills or video?
For wide-angle video, an action camera is enough and mounts anywhere. For sharp close-up photos you need a flash or a light, a macro mode and ideally RAW files: that is the territory of the OM SYSTEM TG-7 and the SeaLife Micro 3.0.
3. Plan for light
Water absorbs red first, then orange and yellow. Without a light, images turn blue or green within a few metres – and in green, low-visibility UK water the light goes even sooner. An underwater white-balance mode helps near the surface; deeper down, a video light changes everything. Count it in your budget.
4. Think about handling
Underwater, with thick gloves or dry gloves, touchscreens are of little use: buttons are what count. Also check battery life and storage so you can do two dives without opening the camera on the boat.
5. Safety first
A camera grabs your attention. Keep an eye on your depth, your gas and your buddy: that is the job of your dive computer, which stays the priority instrument. If you are new to diving, wait until your buoyancy is under control before taking a camera down.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Which camera should I choose for scuba diving?
It depends on your depth and on what you want to bring back. To film down to 20 m with no accessory, two action cameras here do it without a housing: the DJI Osmo Action 6 and the GoPro MISSION 1. For stills and macro, the OM SYSTEM Tough TG-7 offers RAW, a built-in flash and focusing down to 1 cm. To dive to 60 m without ever opening a housing, the SeaLife Micro 3.0 is permanently sealed.
Can you scuba dive with a GoPro without a housing?
Yes, but not deep with a HERO: the GoPro HERO13 Black is waterproof to 10 m without a housing, which is enough for snorkelling and a try dive, not for a typical scuba dive. The GoPro MISSION 1 goes to 20 m without a housing. Beyond that, each has its own protective housing rated to 60 m.
How deep does a “waterproof” camera really work?
As deep as the manufacturer states, no more: 10 m for the GoPro HERO13 Black, 12 m for the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, 15 m for the OM SYSTEM TG-7, 20 m for the DJI Osmo Action 6 and the GoPro MISSION 1, and 60 m for the SeaLife Micro 3.0. In their housings, all except the SeaLife, which does not need one, reach 45 to 60 m.
Why are underwater photos blue or green?
Water absorbs warm colours: red disappears within the first few metres, then orange and yellow. To get colours back you need either lighting (a video light or a flash), an underwater white-balance mode, or a red filter. The deeper you go, the more a light becomes essential.
Do I need a camera or an action cam to dive?
An action camera is simpler for wide-angle video. A compact camera like the TG-7 is better for close-up photos: optical zoom, built-in flash, macro modes and RAW files that you can correct afterwards.
How do I avoid fog and leaks in a housing?
Close the housing in a cool, dry place, check that the O-ring is clean with no hair or grain of sand, and test it empty in a tub of water before the first dive. Rinse it in fresh water after every outing, buttons included.