to buy a go pro or a reliable cover for an iphone 14?

[MikeHoncho]

Go Pros do not take great photos.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

While I did pick up a GoPro 10 last year, the DJI Osmo Action 3 Diving Combo sure is tempting @ $450 (tax included).

 

[Blackcrusader]

Firstly, I don't dive regularly, but wish to capture diving moments in good resolution. I have an iphone 14 pro max, but I've never owned my own go pro. Now I wish to either buy a reliable cover which goes up to 40 metres diving, or a go pro which I know will produce quality images.
which do you suggest that I buy? I've heard mixed reviews on reliability, for example - the screen reacting defectively when under some pressure, or questions such as "would you risk ruining your phone?" So, any recommendations welcomeee

My 2 cents. I would never take a phone for diving. That's me. I have both the Olympus TG6 and an older Hero 4 go pro. The new Go Pro's do take great video and decent photos but cannot do macro, hence myTG6.
If you are not going to doing macro then a Go Pro would be OK if you just want vacation memories and not trying to be the next Nat Geo level photographer lol. I use my TG6 this way just vacation shots but I do get good photos as I also have lighting.
After using my PT 059 Olympus housing it has little leaks. That's great cause the camera is also water proof to 15m. I've not changed the Oring since I bought it new. I will send to the service center in Taiwan where they will pressure test the housing and replace o-ring for NT$500. IF there is anything else they would let me know with a quotation first.

PS I only use the go pro and tg6 for my diving trips.

 

[lexvil]

I’ve yet to use a phone as a dive camera but that is the trend, it makes sense really let someone else make the camera and just put efforts into case design.

I use a sealife dc 2000 now but they seem to be fully the transition to phone cases , real cameras are becoming more rare on dry land so I assume this is the future for the average person diving.

 

[Green Frog]

When I saw that UW cases were available for the iPhone, I was very interested, but the price for one of them approaches the cost of the Go Pro or the SeaLife and as others have said would put my costly (and indispensable) iPhone at risk, and it would still be a cell phone being used as a camera. Since the Go Pro is primarily intended to take videos and doesn’t “specialize” in still shots, I am leaning toward the SeaLife... it’s a compact snapshot camera that just happens to be totally waterproof. I know the OP didn’t mention this as an option, but this has been my decision to try to deal with the current state of underwater imagery. I have been offered a fairly attractive price on one at one of my nearby LDS, so with luck I’ll be able to give a product report here soon.

PS Back in the last Century when UW Photography was done with 35 mm film cameras, I had the yellow plastic amphibious Minolta camera. It would only work to about 8-10 meters at best or I would have kept it as my all purpose camera. It looks like the SeaLife will take its place with less limitations.

 

[lexvil]

When I saw that UW cases were available for the iPhone, I was very interested, but the price for one of them approaches the cost of the Go Pro or the SeaLife and as others have said would put my costly (and indispensable) iPhone at risk, and it would still be a cell phone being used as a camera. Since the Go Pro is primarily intended to take videos and doesn’t “specialize” in still shots, I am leaning toward the SeaLife... it’s a compact snapshot camera that just happens to be totally waterproof. I know the OP didn’t mention this as an option, but this has been my decision to try to deal with the current state of underwater imagery. I have been offered a fairly attractive price on one at one of my nearby LDS, so with luck I’ll be able to give a product report here soon.

PS Back in the last Century when UW Photography was done with 35 mm film cameras, I had the yellow plastic amphibious Minolta camera. It would only work to about 8-10 meters at best or I would have kept it as my all purpose camera. It looks like the SeaLife will take its place with less limitations.

The olden days

not going back. I haven’t heard many good things about the new Sealife but I also don’t know anyone using one so I look forward to your results. I rarely do video and when I do it usually a max of 30 seconds so I’ve never joined the GoPro cult, it works for many but just hasn’t been of interest to me. While I would hate to replace my phone before I’m ready, I’m not 100% sure losing it would be a bad thing

 

[rmorgan]

I have used a DiveVolk Seatouch 4 housing on maybe 20 dives. It is a passive (non-bluetooth, no electronics) product with a membrane which affords complete touchscreen capability. I've wanted to be able to use a phone underwater, especially after having mediocre results with a Vaquita (battery life, terrible minimum focus distance, pathetic macro attempt, and now, of course, bankruptcy) and, years ago, a GoPro. I did try a Sea Life iPhone housing, but it had many negatives: bluetooth required, exceedingly fiddly to prepare it for use, intrusion alarm has a mind of its own). I ordered and returned a DiveVolk without getting it wet because the membrane was hard to get my mind around. Matthias Lebo's good reviews on YouTube, and dissatisfaction with the Sea Life, led me back to the DiveVolk, which is inexpensive @ $199. I've found no reports of a membrane failure, and given the water resistance of the newer iPhones, think that if there was some intrusion, I'd have a decent chance of getting to the surface in an orderly fashion. If not--insurance, if you're using a primary phone. For an occasional user like our OP, the absence of any serious learning curve, batteries to be charged, pump to be remembered, etc., combined with the superior imaging abilities of the iPhones (especially those which shoot raw images), the DiveVolk is worth considering. Linking a couple of images here. Macro ; Panorama

 

[Shabaday]

I had the Sea Life 3.0 and was extremely disappointed in the images....I have a Volk Seatouch 4 that I am looking to try out soon

 

[Mercracing]

I have the SeaLife Sport Diver for my iPhone 14 pro. I’ve used it on maybe a half dozen dives. I’m very happy with it. It’s taken decent pictures and videos for me. If I care enough, i’ll “edit” the colors with a different app and that really sharpens them up.

 

[STEMI]

@rmorgan I love those shots. Where were you in Fiji when you got the shots of the Manta and the Grey reef sharks?