CAN A SMARTPHONE REPLACE AN UNDERWATER CAMERA?
Thinking of Taking Your Smartphone Underwater?
Using a smartphone is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to get started in underwater image-making. At Backscatter, we set out to answer two key questions: Which smartphone housings perform the best, and can a phone truly replace a dedicated underwater camera? Watch our video and read on for our answers and to discover our favorite underwater smartphone housings.
Smartphones provide an inexpensive, simple, travel-friendly entry point for divers looking to get into underwater photography. Check out our video review as we breakdown each of our favorite smartphone housings
Putting The Housings To The Test
Each housing in this review was thoroughly tested through days of actual underwater use. We evaluated every aspect—from phone compatibility, installation and setup, ergonomics, app performance, and available accessories to determine how each housing actually performs in the field. See our findings and how we ranked the top underwater smartphone housings below.
This isn’t just a simple unboxing review; team Backscatter spent days diving each housing, testing everything we could to create an in-depth guide for aspiring smartphone shooters.
It's the Housing, Not the Phone
This review places its focus squarely on underwater smartphone housings rather than getting into the specs of specific phone models. The housing itself has the greatest impact on performance underwater, largely because of the companion app and available accessories. The app controls key features such as wide and telephoto lens choice, camera settings, and color correction—the more feature-rich the app, usually means better overall image quality. Accessories are equally important: color filters, wide-angle and macro lenses can dramatically improve color, sharpness, and clarity.But a housing’s role isn't just about capturing great images—it’s about ensuring the phone survives the dive. To that end, housings vary greatly in their protective features. Some of the models we tested include vacuum systems for pre-dive leak checks or integrated moisture alarms, providing the confidence needed to protect the device that holds your essential banking and personal data.
