When looking to buy waterproof cameras it is important to know everything you can to ensure you get the best product. As you can expect, not every camera can go under water for obvious reasons. However they make covers you can put over your camera that will make it waterproof, allowing you to snap amazing underwater photos. But if you are looking for more serious underwater work, then a cover may not cut it. For that you want to buy proper underwater cameras.
When you go to buy an underwater camera there are several things you should look into. Underwater cameras are not that cheap so you want to make sure you get one that you will be able to use for a long time to come and to help you with that is a list of things you should keep an eye out for.
1. Sealing. The most important aspect of any underwater camera is how well it is sealed so water does not get in. A good rule of thumb is the higher quality the camera, the better sealing and less likely for it to fail. You need to pay special attention around areas such as USB ports or the lenses if they can be removed.
2. Picture resolution. Most waterproof cameras share the same resolution as normal cameras, that being around 5 megapixels. Odds are you will probably want to stick with this as going lower really does not save you much money and getting a higher resolution generally is not worth it unless you are doing this professionally.
3. Appearance and size. This may seem simply aesthetic but when it comes to underwater cameras, how it looks and what size it is can actually be quite important. You need to make sure you get a camera that can easily be carried while swimming or diving. As well you could look into getting a camera with a bright color so you can spot it more easily underwater.
4. Features. The type of features available for cameras are always important, however the type of features on an underwater camera can change from normal ones. A good example is the flash, since being underwater is naturally darker, you need a more powerful flash to compensate. Other features that are important for underwater cameras would be auto focus and shutter speed.
5. Maintenance. Waterproof cameras require a lot more maintenance than traditional cameras as the waterproofing can be quite sensitive. Stuff like sand can really ruin your camera if you do not properly clean it after every dive. So you will want to look into cleaning kits and maybe see if some cameras are easier to clean than others.
6. Max depth. When it comes to underwater cameras there is a max depth at which you can use them. If you take them too far down the water pressure will break the sensitive components inside and maybe breach the water seal. So make sure you know your camera well and know how far down it is rated to go so you do not accidently break it.