Find what you are looking for

or search by

Topics

Article
Article

Article

e-Book
e-Book

e-Book

Video
Video

Video

Campaigns
Campaigns

Campaigns

Architecture
Compact Cameras

Compact Cameras

Architecture
DSLRs

DSLRs

Architecture
Videography

Videography

Architecture
Astrophotography

Astrophotography

Architecture
Mirrorless Cameras

Mirrorless Cameras

Architecture
Architecture Photography

Architecture Photography

Architecture
Canon Technologies

Canon Technologies

Architecture
Low Light Photography

Low Light Photography

Architecture
Photographer Interviews

Photographer Interviews

Architecture
Landscape Photography

Landscape Photography

Architecture
Macro Photography

Macro Photography

Architecture
Sports Photography

Sports Photography

Architecture
Travel Photography

Travel Photography

Architecture
Underwater Photography

Underwater Photography

Architecture
Photography Concepts & Application

Photography Concepts & Application

Architecture
Street Photography

Street Photography

Architecture
Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Architecture
Lenses & Accessories

Lenses & Accessories

Architecture
Nature & Wildlife Photography

Nature & Wildlife Photography

Architecture
Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography

Architecture
Night Photography

Night Photography

Architecture
Pet Photography

Pet Photography

Architecture
Printing Solutions

Printing Solutions

Architecture
Product Reviews

Product Reviews

Architecture
Wedding Photography

Wedding Photography

Tips & Tutorials >> All Tips & Tutorials

Which Camera Should I Get for My Dive Trip?

2022-02-23
29
19.65 k
Interested in underwater photography and wondering how to choose a camera for your scuba diving needs? We compare the PowerShot G7 X Mark III and a generic action camera to find out their main differences and help you make a more informed choice.
In this article:

Which Camera Should I Get for My Dive Trip infographics

Get a rough idea of what the camera offers

There is no one camera that suits all. Understanding your needs will help you make a better decision when choosing a camera. Are you concerned with high image quality and resolution? Do you shoot more photos or videos? Will you dive at areas of a certain depth where flash is required to light up your surroundings? Consider these factors and then look for the camera that suits the requirements.

For example, a compact camera like the PowerShot G7 X Mark III has:

  • A 20-megapixel 1-inch type stacked image sensor: This is larger than the 1/2.3-inch type sensor on many action cameras and helps to capture better quality images even in conditions with little ambient light like what you get underwater. 
  • A native ISO speed of up to 12800: Offers more flexibility in low light conditions.
  • A convenient built-in flash: For better-lit images with minimal gear.
  • High-speed continuous shooting at up to 30 frames per second (RAW burst mode): To improve your chances of getting picture-perfect shots of fast-swimming sea creatures.
  • Up to 4K/30p cropless video recording: For taking high-resolution videos of your dives and the things you see around you.
  • Support for vertical videos: So you can directly capture videos in portrait orientation and share them on social media without having to first reorientate them in a third-party app.

 

For photography: Choose the camera that gives you more control

Look for features such as:

If your main purpose is to take photos underwater, you probably want more control over photo outcomes. That's the beauty of a camera like the PowerShot G7 X Mark III, which has full Manual as well as semi-automatic (Program, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority) exposure modes, allowing you to adjust the shutter speed and/or aperture in addition to ISO speed and exposure compensation. In comparison, most generic action cameras only allow you to control the latter two settings.

That's not all. Canon's cameras have a Custom White Balance feature that helps to accurately compensate for the "blueness" of underwater scenes by using a reference shot. (Learn more about why custom white balance is important for underwater photography here.) You can also manually adjust the brightness of the built-in flash. RAW format recording is supported, allowing you to recover details from shadows and highlights or even adjust colours and tones by post-processing the RAW files in software like Canon's free Digital Photo Professional.

Here are some examples of effects to try with manual/semi-manual exposure settings:
Creative Underwater Photography: Creating Motion Blur Against a Bright Blue Background
Here’s How You Can Achieve Black Backgrounds in Underwater Photography

Learn more about what you can do with a built-in flash in:
In Focus: Built-in Flash Techniques

 

Know which accessories to get

It really depends on what you are trying to shoot, and how serious are you in underwater photography to know which accessories you should be getting. An underwater housing protects your camera from getting wet; a strobe helps to light up your subject when it’s dark; and a diffuser softens the light from the flash to create a softer image. Sometimes it’s not about simply bringing your camera underwater and shooting away, but finding what kind of images you aim to capture, and honing your photography skills to achieve that (with accompanying accessories).


New to underwater photography? Here are some articles that will help you prepare for your first dive: 
10 Things to Bring for Your First Dive Trip
How to Prep Your Camera and Accessories for Your First Dive
10 Tips to Get You Started in Underwater Photography
4 To-dos for Spotting Underwater Critters Efficiently

 

Download a copy of the infographic here.

Related Articles

Share your photos on My Canon Story & stand a chance to be featured on our social media platforms