By Susan Haverland
I have seen ads for masks with built-in cameras from the brand DiveVue and others. Is a built-in camera a good idea for snorkeling, and if so, are there preferred brands? Thanks.
By Susan Haverland
I have seen ads for masks with built-in cameras from the brand DiveVue and others. Is a built-in camera a good idea for snorkeling, and if so, are there preferred brands? Thanks.
Hi Susan, for snorkelers, having a camera positioned at the top of your mask is not great, in part because the camera will come in and out of the water all of the time because you are floating on the surface, and at times there will be a lot of sun glare.
And generally you want to try to get your camera as close to your subject as you can, which is better accomplished with the length of your arms. It is also much easier to frame your subject with your arms, instead of your head. The image quality is generally very low from those masks with built-in cameras, as well. Read our snorkeling cameras page for help with choosing a good camera.
Another big issue is that it’s not a good idea to choose a mask because it has a camera in it. The chance of it fitting well is low. Instead you should choose a mask because it is the right fit, and does not leak. Normally that means trying on many different masks to find the right one. Read our mask fitting tips here.
We hope this helps.