The 7 Best Underwater Cameras for Snorkeling in 2022

What is the the best underwater camera for snorkeling?

Here are my top picks for the best underwater camera for snorkeling this year. From beginners to serious enthusiasts, you’ll find a camera that’s suitable for your experience level and budget.

1. SeaLife Micro 3.0

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The SeaLife Micro 3.0 is a fully sealed waterproof camera that can go down to depths of 200 feet (60m). It's a great choice for beginners and experienced snorkelers alike.

The camera has a wide-angle lens and can shoot HD video. It also has built-in red light for night diving and an external flash connector.

Features

• Permanently sealed
• 200 feet (60m) depth
• 4K video
• 100º wide angle lens
• Built in 64GB memory card
• 16 MP sensor
• Easy to use for photos and video

Price‍

$599.00

Best for

‍Those looking for a great camera versatile enough for photos and video but are not after the top of the line pixel for pixel image quality.

Purchase a SeaLife Micro 3.0

2. SeaLife RM-4K Ultra Compact Underwater Camera

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The SeaLife RM-4K Ultra Compact Camera is a small camera that uses a Panasonic CMOS sensor to shoot beautiful underwater video. The camera is best suited for divers and snorkelers alike as it has a 140º wide angle lens. With built in color corrections and ergonomics that make this camera easy to use with gloves, it's a favorite for beginners.

Features

• Permanently sealed
• 200ft (60m) depth
• 14 MP sensor
• 4K Video in 30fps
• 140º fisheye lens
• Built-in Color Correction
• Pressure Lock Thumb Screw System
• Integrated Wifi
• 2" LCD screen

Price‍

$349.00

Best for

‍Those looking to get started with underwater photography with an easy to use camera.

Purchase a SeaLife RM-4K Ultra Compact Camera

3. Olympus Tough TG-6 Camera

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The Olympus TG-6 is an underwater camera that is best suited for advanced snorkelers and divers that love macro photography. It's a very tough camera that can go down to depths of 50 feet (15m) and is shockproof up to 7 ft (2.1 m). The TG-06 also has a built-in LED light for low light conditions and an f/20 aperture lens that captures clear underwater photos and videos.

Features

• Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, crushproof
• 50 feet (15m) depth
• Bright f/2.0 fast lens
• Anti-reflective coating glass around sensor (reduces flare and ghosting)
• 12MP high-speed image sensor for improved low-light performance and noise reduction
• Improved LCD: 1.04 million dots
• Microscope mode available in program and aperture priority mode
• Dual Quad Core TruePic™ VIII image processor
• Image file format: RAW, JPEG and RAW+JPEG
• 4K and high speed video
• Field sensor system w/GPS
• Manometer, compass and temperature sensor
• 3" LCD screen

Price

‍$449.99

Best for

‍Those looking to do a little more macro photography.

Purchase an Olympus TG-6 Camera

Purchase an Olympus TG-6 Camera and Housing Bundle

4. Canon G7X Mark III

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The Canon G7X Mark III is a portable camera that focuses quickly for sharp photos and 4k video. The camera is best suited for advanced snorkelers as it has a 20 MP sensor and DIGIC image processor that can delivery great macro and slow motion videos The camera also has an optical zoom of 24-100mm f/1.8-2.8 complete with image stabilization. That's perfect for capturing clear underwater photos and videos.

While the camera body itself is not waterproof, it pairs perfectly with waterproof housings:

Features

• 20 MP sensor with DIGIC 8 image processor
• 20fps burst mode
• 70 shot RAW buffer
• Ultra-fast electronic shutter for shooting wide open aperture in daylight – 1/25,600s
• 4K video 30fps and 1080p 120fps
• Slow motion video (120fps in 1080p)
• 4.2x optical zoom (24-100mm f/1.8-2.8) with optical image stabilizer.
• Built-in Bluetooth and WiFi
• Panorama capability

Price‍

$749.00

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Best for

‍Those looking for value in a 4K ready camera with a robust set of features.

‍Purchase a Canon G7X Mark III Camera

Purchase a Canon G7X Mark III Camera and Housing Bundle

Purchase a Canon G7X Mark III Camera and Pro Housing Bundle

5. Sony RX100 VA

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The Sony RX100 VA is a high end camera with great autofocus. This means it will perform well when photographing fast moving creatures. This is a competitor to the Canon G70X Mark III Camera, and also has a 20 MP sensor and slow motion capability. Paired with its autofocus, the tracking system makes this camera a good choice for filming video.

Features

• 20.1-megapixel 1-inch Exmor RS BSI CMOS sensor
• 315-point phase detection autofocus system: focuses in 0.05-sec
• AF-A autofocus mode in addition to AF-S and AF-C
• New BIONZ X image processor and front-end LSi (faster camera operation and image processing speed)
• ISO range 125 - 12800
• 24 fps RAW burst with AF tracking for up to 150 photos. Wow!
• Anti Distortion Shutter minimizes rolling shutter effect when recording video
• ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar® T* 24-70mm, f/1.8 - 2.8 Lens with 10 elements in 9 groups and a 0.17 ft (5 cm) minimum focusing distance
• Adjustable LCD screen - 2.95 inches (3.0type) (4:3) / 1,228,800 dots
• 100% coverage viewfinder
• WiFI and NFC connectivity

‍Price‍

$999.99

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Best for

‍Those that want a high-end camera to high quality video by leveraging its autofocus tracking system.

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Purchase a Sony RX100 VA Camera

Purchase an Ikelite Sony RX100 VA Underwater Housing

6. GoPro Hero 10

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For those that are looking for versatility and simple operation, we can't count out the GoPro Hero 10. The 10th generation has come a long way, and it's got amazing image stabilization. It's a great little action camera with an impressive set of features that can go with you on any trip, underwater or otherwise. If you're looking to capture moments without worrying about precise camera settings, this is an excellent choice, and for good reason.

Features

• Waterproof up to 33 ft (no need for a housing)
• 5.3K 60fps and 4k 120fps video
• TimeWarp 3.0—stabilization for super-smooth time lapse videos
• HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization
• 8x slow motion video at 2.7K
• 1080p live stream capability
• Touch screen display
• Voice control
• GPS enabled
• Access to third party mounts and accessories
• Includes a 32GB micro SD card
  

Price

‍$399.99

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Best for

‍Anyone with a "set it and forget it" attitude who's looking for high quality video capabilities and a variety of mounting options.

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Purchase a GoPro Hero 10

7. Canon R5

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The Canon R5 is a beast of a camera that is made for serious photographers. It's a mirrorless camera with a 45 MP full frame sensor and can shoot up to 20 frames per second using the electronic shutter. With such an incredible sensor, it is capable of shooting 8K video and photos up to an incredible size of 8192 x 5464px. Known for its super fast autofocus system and 5 axis in-body image stabilization, this is the best underwater camera that's hard to beat.

Features

• 45 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor
• 8K 30fps raw and 4K 120fps internal video
• DIGIC X image processor
• 12fps mechanical shutter, 20fps electronic shutter
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF (5940 focus points) with 100% coverage and Animal Eye AF
• 5 axis in-body stabilization (IBIS)—up to eight stops of shake compensation
• ISO range 100 - 25600 (expandable to 102400)
• Dual memory card slots (one CFexpress/SD UHS-II, one SD UHS-II)
• 3.2" LCD touch screen

Price

‍$3899.00

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Best for

‍Serious, intermediate to advanced photographers who are set on capturing the highest quality photos and videos underwater.

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Purchase a Canon R5

Purchase an Ikelite Canon R5 Underwater Housing

What is an underwater camera?

Otherwise referred to as a submersible camera, an underwater camera is an image capturing device that functions underwater. It can be used to capture photos and videos of swimming, diving, snorkeling.

Summary

If you're looking for the best underwater camera to take on your next underwater snorkeling trip, any one of these cameras would be a great choice. Whether you're looking for high quality video, simple operation, or serious photography capabilities, there's an option on this list that will suit your needs and budget. So dive in and start capturing those amazing underwater moments!