Waterproof cameras exist for the photographs you would never risk a phone on. The category spans cheap tough compacts to serious action cameras, and picking correctly is mostly about being honest about depth.
Water-ready cameras we track
GoPro HERO Action Camerafrom £169.99
DJI Osmo Action 4 - Standard Combofrom £209.00
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Standardfrom £305.00
Go Pro HERO13 Power Bundlefrom £364.99
DJI Osmo Action 6 Standard Combofrom £379.00
Live prices, reordered automatically as the feeds update.
How deep do you actually need?
| Activity | Depth needed | Suitable cameras |
|---|---|---|
| Pool, beach, rain, water fights | Under 3m | Any waterproof compact or action camera |
| Snorkelling | 3–10m | Most action cameras, tough compacts |
| Freediving, shallow diving | 10–20m | DJI Osmo Action 4 / 5 Pro |
| Scuba | 20m+ | Any of the above with a dive housing |
Our picks
Best overall: DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro
Waterproof to 20m with no housing, 47GB of internal storage and screens you can read in bright sun. Read the Osmo Action 5 Pro review.
Best value: DJI Osmo Action 4
18m waterproofing and a large sensor at a heavily reduced price — see the Osmo Action 4 review.
Best tough compact: Panasonic Lumix FT7
The only rugged compact here with a viewfinder, which matters enormously on bright water and snow. Read the Lumix FT7 review.
Cheapest for kids: Kodak PIXPRO WPZ2
Sealed, shockproof and inexpensive enough to hand over without anxiety. See the WPZ2 review.
Best for 360 underwater: GoPro Max 2
Capture the whole scene and reframe later, which is invaluable when you cannot easily aim underwater. Read the Max 2 review.
Four rules that stop cameras flooding
- Check the seal every single time. One grain of sand in the gasket is enough.
- Rinse in fresh water afterwards. Salt and chlorine degrade seals and corrode latches.
- Never open the door with wet hands or on a windy beach.
- Let it cool before opening. A warm camera taken into cold water can draw moisture inside when opened too soon.
Getting better underwater footage
Stay shallow, keep the sun behind you, and get much closer than feels natural — water reduces contrast fast, so anything more than a couple of metres away goes soft and blue. A red filter or a quick colour correction afterwards will transform your results.
