U/W housings for IPhones?

[David Haas]

Here's a thread where I shared pics I've taken using first, my iPhone XR in a DiveVolk earlier Seatouch PRO 3 and the last couple years DiveVolk Seatouch 4 PRO Max housing and my iPhone 13 PRO Max.

Giving up on photography or downgrading?

Didn't really know where to post this but that's it... after 6 years of underwater photography, I do not enjoy it anymore :( Latest rig is a Sony A6500 + seafrogs housing + 4*25cm arms + 6 clamps + 2*Z330 + 2 small lights for night dives (on top of the strobes). 8inch dome and 10-18 for wide...

scubaboard.com

The iPhones for most people will deliver great pics using only a filter and or modest video light for night diving or close shooting in daylight.

Check it out !

David Haas

PS - The SeaReal App for iPhone color correction is awesome too!

 

[JoeTPhilly]

Nice photos. I have thought about getting an iPhone housing as I just want to take a few photos. However, I worry about dropping it or something. I guess I will have to wait until Find my iPhone works underwater...

 

[mattfish]

I have both the sportdiver and divevolk cases. They are both good cases, but the divevolk wins in my opinion. The biggest reason is that allowing the use of the touchscreen means that you can use the native camera app on the iPhone. I’m not sure what extra “special sauce” Apple has in their app, but the photos and videos come out much much better than using the sportdiver app to take photos/videos. On the same phone with the same lights, the images come out looking 2 or 3 generations better with the native camera app.

For the case itself, I find the divevolk easier to use too. No fiddly door with large o-ring, no batteries, no buttons either.

The membrane makes me a little nervous, but I have started keeping the unit in my thigh pocket by itself with the membrane against my leg when I’m not taking pics. It’s actually super handy since that frees up my hands and isn’t dangling down getting in the way.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Kraken Sports carries both housings and all the accessories. My LDS owners son is one of the owners of Kraken and he won't steer you wrong. Housings Archives - Kraken Sports

 

[Sean Holland]

I want to get an U/W housing for my Iphone 12 so I can take promotional U.W shots.
I only need photos good enough to post online, not fine art print quality.
Any advice?
Where to buy, what brand is best, what to stay away from, etc.
Thanx

Take a look at the DiveVolk! Woody Alpern, Cristina Zenato, myself and many others just used them in Cozumel, They are awesome and about half the cost. ($200) You can also use the touch screen so you can manipulate settings and turn video on and off and not use up your battery etc. You can also mount filters and lenses like wide angle etc. Give them a look online!

 

[David Haas]

For those reading and interested in the DiveVolk housing here's additional insights after my 3 years using their housings (Seatouch PRO 3 and now Seatouch 4 MAX.)

Since you "touch" the screen just like using your iPhone above water this gives access to ALL Apple shooting modes including Panorama, Time lapse, etc. All other housings using a Bluetooth App and batteries cannot access Apple's code (to my knowledge) making the DiveVolk creatively capable!

Shooting in the native camera App you can shoot in several "scene" modes like various B&W and other color options. BUT.......You can always revert back to the "normal" color option when editing with the Photos App.

As to the gel filled screen here's my ideas and insights:

1) Wrap a hair tie around the housing and use the black plastic card protector until in the water. One user I know made a nice little neoprene "sleeve" she simply slid her housing into as another option.

2) ALWAYS set the Brightness control to OFF and crank it up to see the screen in bright ambient tropical conditions.

3) ESPECIALLY turn on the "Assistive Touch" function before sealing your housing. This gives you a "floating button" to tap and lock the screen when swimming around not shooting, go HOME to use the text messaging function (way cool underwater) and more......You can even play your music underwater which transmits pretty good in your safety stop!

Having that moveable "floating button" means you don't press too hard at the very edges of the gel membrane.

Do those set ups and you're going to love diving and shooting with the DiveVolk housing

Last thing if you've read this far......

Most people don't realize iPhones whether 2 lenses or 3 on PRO models actually have 3 different SENSOR modules, one behind each lens.

The MAIN camera module 1.0X is usually the LARGEST sensor. On my iPhone 13 PRO Max the 1.0X at 26mm is the sensor size a Canon G16 compact camera! Hence it's the sharpest and largest sensor.....

I wouldn't hesitate to also use the Ultra Wide .5X lens module and get really close for nice wide scenics. Yes, your edges shooting the .5X Ultra Ultra wide lens through the housing's flat front window will have some skewed edges but big deal.....LOL.....

If you have an iPhone 13 or 14 using the 1.0X lens and having the MACRO turned on in Settings the iPhone will AUTOMATICALLY switch to an ULTRA MACRO mode (uses the .5X lens) so you really don't need to put a macro lens on in my opinion.

This is a reason to maybe only buy an iPhone 13 or 14 two lens model (1.0X and .5X). Many of my friends buy a dedicated iPhone to use as their underwater camera.

Even without a calling plan you can Air Drop pics to your main phone for editing and immediate sharing anywhere there's Wifi, etc. It doesn't get any easier than that

I've done 3 trips to Fiji, the Red Sea / Egypt and recently Roatan with nothing but my iPhone and never thought I gave up anything for my diving holiday image making.......

Hope this info helps!

David Haas

Here's my next trip if you want to join easy going fun folks: BALI 5.6.24 — SEASICK PRODUCTIONS

Also some pool practice shots!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

For those reading and interested in the DiveVolk housing here's additional insights after my 3 years using their housings (Seatouch PRO 3 and now Seatouch 4 MAX.)

Since you "touch" the screen just like using your iPhone above water this gives access to ALL Apple shooting modes including Panorama, Time lapse, etc. All other housings using a Bluetooth App and batteries cannot access Apple's code (to my knowledge) making the DiveVolk creatively capable!

Shooting in the native camera App you can shoot in several "scene" modes like various B&W and other color options. BUT.......You can always revert back to the "normal" color option when editing with the Photos App.

As to the gel filled screen here's my ideas and insights:

1) Wrap a hair tie around the housing and use the black plastic card protector until in the water. One user I know made a nice little neoprene "sleeve" she simply slid her housing into as another option.

2) ALWAYS set the Brightness control to OFF and crank it up to see the screen in bright ambient tropical conditions.

3) ESPECIALLY turn on the "Assistive Touch" function before sealing your housing. This gives you a "floating button" to tap and lock the screen when swimming around not shooting, go HOME to use the text messaging function (way cool underwater) and more......You can even play your music underwater which transmits pretty good in your safety stop!

Having that moveable "floating button" means you don't press too hard at the very edges of the gel membrane.

Do those set ups and you're going to love diving and shooting with the DiveVolk housing

Last thing if you've read this far......

Most people don't realize iPhones whether 2 lenses or 3 on PRO models actually have 3 different SENSOR modules, one behind each lens.

The MAIN camera module 1.0X is usually the LARGEST sensor. On my iPhone 13 PRO Max the 1.0X at 26mm is the sensor size a Canon G16 compact camera! Hence it's the sharpest and largest sensor.....

I wouldn't hesitate to also use the Ultra Wide .5X lens module and get really close for nice wide scenics. Yes, your edges shooting the .5X Ultra Ultra wide lens through the housing's flat front window will have some skewed edges but big deal.....LOL.....

If you have an iPhone 13 or 14 using the 1.0X lens and having the MACRO turned on in Settings the iPhone will AUTOMATICALLY switch to an ULTRA MACRO mode (uses the .5X lens) so you really don't need to put a macro lens on in my opinion.

This is a reason to maybe only buy an iPhone 13 or 14 two lens model (1.0X and .5X). Many of my friends buy a dedicated iPhone to use as their underwater camera.

Even without a calling plan you can Air Drop pics to your main phone for editing and immediate sharing anywhere there's Wifi, etc. It doesn't get any easier than that

I've done 3 trips to Fiji, the Red Sea / Egypt and recently Roatan with nothing but my iPhone and never thought I gave up anything for my diving holiday image making.......

Hope this info helps!

David Haas

Here's my next trip if you want to join easy going fun folks: BALI 5.6.24 — SEASICK PRODUCTIONS

Also some pool practice shots!

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Brilliant!

 

[rmorgan]

Good tips, David. Thanks! I do find the phone (14PM) least good on macro—the images are blocky or “chunky” and hard to manage in post. Have you encountered that?

 

[David Haas]

Good tips, David. Thanks! I do find the phone (14PM) least good on macro—the images are blocky or “chunky” and hard to manage in post. Have you encountered that?

The automatic shift to MACRO when pushing in close uses the .5X Ultrawide camera module and will have razor thin depth of field in focus. If shooting just ambient light that might also be a problem.

For shooting MACRO maybe add any light (even a small flashlight) which will allow the iPhone to focus faster maybe keeping shutter speed automatically higher too.

Keep experimenting!

 

[Grantt]

I have the Kraken housing for my TG-6 and my shop sells their phone housings. I've gotten to play with them a good bit helping students for U/W photography classes. I highly recommend the brand as a whole from their housings to their lights. great quality products.