The Best Snorkeling Cameras
From Cheap To Not-So Cheap
This is the quick and easy buying guide to the best snorkeling cameras currently available in different prices ranges (and a few bargains on slightly olders cameras and housings). It should help. Finding info on good snorkeling cameras these days can be a pain because they keep coming out with new cameras almost every six months. So what people suggest in forums and on the web are often older models that are already gone, or their underwater housings are sold out (housings are now often made in short batches, since the companies don't plan on making the cameras for very long.) But I attempt to keep this list current.
I have lots more info on this site about what makes a snorkeling camera different than a diving camera, what I use, and what all your different snorkeling camera options are. But this page just cuts to the chase.
Note that I have not used all of these cameras (practically impossible with the pace of things). This list is based off research, reviews and my own views about what features are important for a snorkeilng camera.
There are many more expensive options available, but I focus on the best value of features for each price range, with a focus on image quality and compact physical size.
Best Snorkeling Cameras For Under $40
The Cheapest and Lowest Quality Snorkeling Camera
Who should buy this? People only going snorkeling once or twice who are not really concerned with the quality and just want some snap shots for memories.
Most people just buy disposable cameras. But they are not very good, and only have 27 exposures. So you have to buy several of them for a trip. Get the camera below instead.
Snap Sights SS01 - Reloadable Film Camera
This is not your normal cheap disposable snorkeling camera.
- It is reloadable/resuable. You can shoot many rolls of film on one trip without buying several disposable cameras.
- It has a high quality housing (divers use it down past 100 feet)
- It has a 28mm wide angle lens
- It has a built in flash that turns itself off when not needed.
Click here to read how to get the best results with this camera (throw away the film it comes with and use Kodak Sea Processing).
Remember that you pay for the camera, film and processing. If you plan on taking a lot of pictures and want to save money consider the next option.
Cheapest Digital Option - Low Quality
Who should buy this? Someone determined to get the cheapest digital option.
Snap Sights SS-1000 Digital Sports Utility Camera
I would go with the film option above before this. But if you really want a digital, this is currently your least expensive option. It suffers from shutter lag, poor low light performance, a hard to see LCD screen, and poor image quality (it is only a 1.3 MP camera, so don't plan on making prints beyond 3x5). And it's download software is often problematic.
But for some people it offers advantages over the film camera above.
- It has video.
- It has 16mb of internal memory, which means it can hold about 70-90 pictures, plus you can also buy a seperate micro SD card for up to 2mb of more storage.
- No film processing costs. This alone could make it much less expensive of an option compared to all the film and processing you may go through with the above camera.
Best Snorkeling Cameras For Under $200
This is a fully automatic digital camera in it's own housing that features decent quality pictures, but no vibration reduction and a slower lens.
Fuji Fujifilm XP10
This is a pretty neat little camera for such a low price. It is a "Tough" camera, meaning it is waterproof (to 13 feet), shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof. It is getting some pretty good reviews (read them on Amazon). Like all of this style of camera with a built in waterpoof housing, you have to be very careful with the door seals, and I have also read it has a short battery life. But reviews show it providing decent image quality and HD video. It is a 12 MP camera, has a 5x zoom. Just don't expect wonders at this price range.
You may also want to consider the Fuji XP30, a newer version of this camera that has Image Stabilization, a wide angle lens, 14mp, depth rating of 16 feet, and GPS, but it is more expensive.
Best Snorkeling Cameras For Under $400
These are automatic cameras with good quality pictures, and better high ISO performance.
Nikon Coolpix L22 with Ikelite Housing
This compact and inexpensive Nikon camera has 12mp, a zoom lens with a max width of 37mm, and a nice big 3" LCD screen. It also offers Image Stabilization. It kind of hurts to pay less for the camera than the housing, but the combined price is still pretty low for this capable little camera/housing combination.
Canon Powershot D10
This is one of the few cameras with a built in housing that I can easily recommend. It has a fast lens, and decent image quality and it is really designed to spend some time in the water (compared to the others in this class). Plus it has image stabilization. I have seen lots of excellent underwater pictures taken with one of these. So all and all an attractive option (although limited in it's ability to add accessory lenses, filters or flashes).
Read my full review of the Canon D10 here.
To see more of these types of cameras click here.
Canon SD960IS & Canon WP-DC32 Housing
Excellent picture quality with a 28mm wide angle lens, image stabilization, and a F2.8 lens. This is a very compact camera and housing.
Best Snorkeling Cameras For Under $640
Top of the line image quality (for a point and shoot), better high ISO performance, image stabilization, fast lens (at least F2.8), full manual controls and some shoot RAW format.
This is my Tippity Top Pick - Currently the best snorkeling camera available (in my humble opinion). It is what I used to get these recent Bonaire Canon S90 snorkeling pictures.
Canon S90 - with Canon WP-DC35
Or the new Canon S95 - with Canon WP-DC38
A superb little camera. Very compact. Fast F2.0 lens. 28mm wide zoom. 3" LCD. Very good high ISO performance (useable results up to 1600 ISO), image stabilization, full manual controls and able to shoot raw. It has standard video. And one of the really nice features about this camera is it's ability to adjust the white balance with one button push. This camera is also noted for it's manual control features when out of the water.
The new Canon S95 is virtually identical to the Canon S90, with the addition of HD video and stereo sound and it is physically a little bit smaller (which means it needs a different housing).
I suggest you buy the newer Canon S95, but if you can do without HD video, you can save some money getting the S90.
Read my full review of the Canon S90 for snorkeling here.
Canon G12 with Canon WP-DC34
This has the same sensor, photo quality and features as the S95 above, but a bigger, clunkier camera that has a physical view finder and an articulating LCD screen (both useful for using the camera out of the water, not so much in the water). I much prefer the more compact S90/S95 for snorkeling and it's pocketability when on trips. Plus the S90 has a faster lens by one stop.
Super Bargains
Occasionally we spot some screaming good deals on older or refurbished cameras and post them here.
Refurbished Nikon Coolpix S600 & Fantasea FS-600 housing at Adorama & B&H Photo - $207
10mp, 4x zoom, Image Stabilization, F2.7 Lens, 28mm Wide Angle Lens, 2.7" screen.
Well, that is all of my best snorkeling camera recommendations. I will try to keep this updated.
What do you think is the best snorkeling camera?
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