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Top 5 Point and Shoot Scuba Diving Cameras 2015

Updated on March 6, 2015

The Best Point and Shoot Digital Cameras: Take Home some Amazing Memories

I'm an avid scuba diver and I love to take pictures! I like to show my friends and family the pictures and videos from my amazing dives, as well as have lots of fun remembering my fabulous underwater memories. A few years ago, underwater cameras were very expensive but these days, almost any scuba diver can afford a Scuba Diving Camera. You have three basic choices:

1. A waterproof camera, such as the Olympus Stylus Tough Series. Most of these underwater cameras are rated to about 10m, but then you can buy a housing so you can go much deeper. When your housing has a little leak, or you get some water on the camera when you're taking it out of the case, you'll have no stress! And of course, these type of cameras are perfect for at the beach, or just snorkeling around, with or without the housing.

2. A point and shoot digital camera, with waterproof housing. The Canon Powershot Series makes an excellent, popular choice. Canon Cameras have an excellent reputation for high quality photos, durability and excellent, easy to use and maintain housings. Chances are you'll see at least one on any dive boat!

3. An underwater camera specifically designed for scuba diving, such as the Sealife Series. These cameras for scuba diving come with all the settings you need to make your underwater pictures spectacular.

I enjoy photography, but I'm not a professional who does if for a living so I prefer the Sealife brand. These point and shoot cameras are made especially for scuba divers, and have all the settings you could possibly need, but aren't too confusing to use. Plus, maintenance, which is very necessary to keep your camera dry and safe is very easy for these brands. But, if you're looking for something to use on land as well, perhaps a Canon along with a specially made housing for scuba diving would be your best choice. It's really up to you!

Canon S95: one of the best Scuba Diving Cameras of 2015

This is one of the top choices you'll see on scuba diving boats. It's small, economical, easy to use and works as well on land as underwater. It takes decent pictures, and it's perfect for the beginner. More advanced photographers will want to move up to next level for sure.

Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD
Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD
This is an award winner in the pocket-sized digital camera category. This 10 MP camera is an economical choice that packs a lot of features into a nice package. And there are no less than 4 housings available for this one, so you have your pick of knobs, controls and features and varying depth ratings.
 

Waterproof Housing for Canon S95-Camera

Very easy to use, with accessible buttons for all the major features on the camera. Plus, it's color-coded, so you'll still be able to figure out which buttons to press under stress or in low-visibility conditions. Maintenance for this one is relatively easy as well and it has a reputation for being quite durable and able to take a beating, while still maintaining waterproofness.

Sealife DC 1200 Underwater Digital Camera - One of the best underwater scuba cameras for 2015 and beyond

An interesting choice: a camera made specifically for scuba-diving! This is one of the few underwater digital cameras that can be taken down to depth and yet doesn't require a separate housing. The people I've met who've had them have been very happy and like the quality of their pictures. The only drawback is that you'll probably want to have a separate camera (or smartphone) to take pictures on land during your vacation.

Sealife Digital Cameras

Sealife Scuba Diving Cameras
Sealife Scuba Diving Cameras
Sealife 12 Megapixel 5X Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD screen Underwater/Land Camera
Sealife 12 Megapixel 5X Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD screen Underwater/Land Camera
This is one of the few cameras on the market that is specifically designed for scuba diving. It's very economical and has excellent reviews, both for underwater and on land. It's light, compact and sturdy and comes with the housing included in the package. It comes with 4 general settings for underwater, and 12 settings on land, so some adjustment is possible, but it's not overwhelming for beginners.
 

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Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 Waterproof Digital Camera

OM SYSTEM OLYMPUS Stylus Tough-8000 12 MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)
OM SYSTEM OLYMPUS Stylus Tough-8000 12 MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Black)
This economical 12 MP camera is ultralight, weighing in at only 7.4 ounces including card and battery, but it can really take a beating. It can withstand a drop of over 6 feet and is rated to 33 feet of water. It's perfect for snorkeling or shallow, resort dives. While this camera takes excellent pictures, it truly is just a point and shoot since lots of the things more advanced photographers are looking for such as shutter speed adjustment are not possible. Combine this one with a case for worry free scuba diving. Even if the case leaks, your camera should still be secure.
 

Ultra Compact Housing for the Olympus Stylus Tough 8000

Durable, but in a sleek package that's easy to take with you on your dive. It provides extra protection and security for your already waterproof camera and allows it to be brought down to greater depths. This is one of the most popular scuba diving housings that you'll see on a dive boat

GoPro Hero: Perfect for Scuba Diving

A recent entry onto the market, GoPro is making huge inroads in the area of point and shoot scuba diving cameras. A massively tough camera, built to withstand almost any environment in a tiny, lightweight package that shoots very high quality shots. When combined with the case that comes with the camera, the GoPro Hero is good for up to 40m, which is the recommended limit for recreational scuba diving, so it is probably all you will ever need in the way of scuba diving cameras.

Some of the things I like best about this camera are the beautiful video capability, wide-angle lense and the ability to accessorize it with things like a chest or helmet strap or a selfie stick. Try out the GoPro Hero for your next scuba diving trip and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

GoPro Scuba Diving Cameras
GoPro Scuba Diving Cameras

What's your Top Choice for Point and Shoot Scuba Diving Camera?

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Canon Powershot G11: my top choice for Canon Scuba Diving Camera - A step above Point and Shoot for the more Advanced Photographer

USED Canon PowerShot G11 Digital Camera
USED Canon PowerShot G11 Digital Camera
This high-quality camera nicely fits the niche between the mainstream point and shoots and the DSLR's. It's basically like a DSLR camera, but it's almost pocket-sized. It's perfect for the scuba diver looking for a nice camera that allows plenty of adjustment, but is not looking to spend a lot of money.
 

Canon Powershot G11 Underwater Housing

Extremely durable, I've heard of very few of these every leaking. Of course, you need to read the manual carefully for instructions on how to maintain waterproofness, but you'll be happy with this camera and case for years and hundreds of dives. It's one of my top recommendations for a waterproof camera case for a beginning underwater photographer.

Video Shot Using the Canon G11

(Total, including the housing)

How much to spend on a Diving Camera?

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