🤿 Underwater Photography: Action Camera or Full Setup? Choosing the Right Gear for Your Dive Adventures

Oct 27

🌊 Capturing the Magic Beneath the Waves

Strengths & Weaknesses at a Glance: Action Camera vs Full Frame Underwater Camera

The first time you drop below the surface, the noise of the world disappears. The water envelops you, sound softens, and the only thing that matters is the slow rhythm of your breath and the movement of life all around you. Rays of sunlight pierce the blue, dancing over corals, revealing turtles drifting effortlessly and schools of fish flashing like liquid silver. For many of us, that first dive is unforgettable — and the natural instinct is to capture it.

Underwater photography gives divers the power to share the beauty, color, and emotion of the ocean world — moments that vanish the instant you look away. Whether it’s the intricate patterns on a nudibranch, a manta ray sweeping overhead, or the quiet intelligence in a cuttlefish’s eye, these are scenes that remind us why we dive in the first place.

But beneath that desire to document the underwater world comes a big decision:
👉 What’s the right camera for you?

Should you start small with an action camera like a GoPro — simple, portable, and surprisingly capable — or dive straight into the deep end with a full-frame setup built for professionals?

Choosing the right gear isn’t just about price tags or megapixels; it’s about how you dive, what inspires you, and how much creative control you want to have over your images. For some, a palm-sized camera clipped to a BCD strap is all they need. For others, it’s the start of a lifelong journey into light, lenses, and learning how to translate the underwater world into art.

In this guide, I’ll take you through that journey — from my first GoPro dive in Bali to the full-frame setup I shoot with today. We’ll look at the pros and cons of different systems, explore lighting options, and break down what really makes an underwater photo stand out. Whether you’re a beginner capturing your first turtle or a diver dreaming of magazine-worthy images, this guide will help you make the right choice for your next adventure.

🪸 Where Every Photographer Begins

For most divers, the journey into underwater photography starts small — often with curiosity, a borrowed camera, or a spark of inspiration from a friend’s footage. It’s not about getting the perfect shot yet; it’s about capturing the feeling of being underwater, the color, the movement, and the calm.

Action cameras like the GoPro have made that first step more accessible than ever. They’re small, tough, and ready to dive at a moment’s notice — perfect for travelers, liveaboard adventurers, or anyone who wants to relive their dives long after surfacing. For many, it’s the beginning of a creative addiction — the moment where diving and storytelling collide.

🎥 Action Cameras — Small, Simple, and Surprisingly Powerful

For most divers, the first step into underwater photography starts with something small enough to fit in your palm — the humble action camera. Whether it’s a GoPro HERO13 Black, DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, or Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition, these compact powerhouses have completely transformed how we capture and share our dives.

For me, it all began in Amed, Bali.
I was drifting over a gentle coral slope when my dive buddy suddenly stopped mid-descent. A green turtle had settled under a coral bommie, perfectly still, framed by shafts of morning sunlight. My friend pulled out his GoPro and began filming. I hovered nearby, watching the scene unfold — the turtle blinking slowly, anthias darting through beams of light, the moment perfectly calm and timeless.

Later that evening, over dinner, he showed me the footage — smooth, vibrant, and alive with color. I was astounded. I couldn’t believe such crisp, cinematic footage had come from something that small. When I got back from the dive trip, I didn’t even hesitate — I rushed out and bought my own GoPro. That decision changed everything. I was completely hooked.

Action cameras let you focus on the dive, not the dials. There’s no bulky housing or complex setup — just clip it on, hit record, and capture the magic of the moment.

⚙️ GoPro HERO13 Black

The gold standard for underwater adventure cameras, the HERO13 Black delivers stunning 5.3K video, rich color, and Emmy Award-winning HyperSmooth 6.0 stabilization. It’s tough, reliable, and backed by a vast range of accessories and housings.

Pros: Proven reliability, superb image stabilization, huge accessory ecosystem.
Cons: Small sensor limits low-light performance, slight fisheye distortion underwater.

💡 Tip: Pair your GoPro with a red filter and tray-mounted video lights to bring reef colors vividly back to life.

⚙️ DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

DJI’s flagship Action 5 Pro has become a serious contender for divers. Its larger sensor captures excellent dynamic range and detail, while color science leans naturally warm — ideal for coral scenes. The intuitive interface, dual screens, and long battery life make it a pleasure to dive with.

Pros: Outstanding low-light performance, great color accuracy, strong battery life.
Cons: Slightly fewer third-party underwater accessories compared to GoPro.

💡 Tip: Its low-light capability makes it perfect for wreck dives, dawn dives, or deeper reef explorations.

⚙️ Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition

For divers who love creativity, the Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition opens up an entirely new world of possibilities. It captures immersive 360° footage that can be reframed later — ideal for reef panoramas, buddy shots, or storytelling content.

Pros: 360° capture and reframing flexibility, exceptional stabilization, unique perspectives.
Cons: Editing takes time, larger housing, less effective in low-light conditions.

💡 Tip: Use the Insta360 Dive Case for clarity at depth and plan your compositions knowing you can reframe later in post.

Quick cost comparison of different type of underwater camera system

🧭 What They All Have in Common

All three of these cameras share the same core strengths:

Lightweight and travel-ready: They fit in a pocket, clip easily to your gear, and are ideal for liveaboards or remote island hopping.
Simple to use: No complex setup, minimal maintenance — just mount, press record, and dive.
Versatile above and below water: Capture coral gardens one day, mountain hikes or motorbike rides the next. These cameras transition effortlessly between scuba, snorkeling, travel, and topside adventures.
Perfect for storytelling: Whether you’re filming a passing manta, documenting a drift dive, or creating content for social media, action cameras make it effortless to relive your dives.

⚠️ Of course, they share the same limitations — small sensors struggle in low light, and limited manual control restricts fine tuning. But for most divers, they hit the sweet spot between convenience, creativity, and cost.

💡 Final Tip: Don’t underestimate lighting. Even one small video light can transform your footage, revealing colors and details that would otherwise disappear into the blue.

📷 Full Camera Setups — The Big Leap

There comes a moment for many divers when the thrill of a quick clip or snapshot isn’t enough anymore. You start to crave control — to fine-tune light, focus, and composition until your photos look the way the ocean feels. That’s when most of us take the big step from action cameras into the world of interchangeable-lens systems.

For me, that shift happened naturally.
After falling in love with underwater photography through my GoPro, I upgraded to a Sony RX100 — a compact powerhouse that opened up a new world of manual control. Suddenly, I could adjust shutter speed, ISO, and aperture underwater. My images instantly improved, and I began to understand how light behaves beneath the surface.

But it wasn’t long before I wanted more versatility. My next step was the Sony A6400, my first mirrorless camera. It was a revelation — faster autofocus, richer dynamic range, and the freedom to choose lenses. With a macro lens, I could capture the intricate detail of a pygmy seahorse or the iridescence of a nudibranch. With a wide-angle lens, I could frame entire reef scenes or shoot schools of fish sweeping past coral walls.

My current full frame rig - Sony A7RV, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WWL-1B, 2 x Sea&Sea Ys-D3 mkII strobes - it’s a beast!

Then came the real leap: the Sony A7RV full-frame system, housed in a Nauticam housing and paired with Sea & Sea YS-D3 strobes. The first time I saw those files on my computer, I knew I’d crossed into new territory. The clarity, color depth, and crispness were on another level — but so were the logistics.

Once you step into the world of full-frame underwater photography, you quickly realize it’s not just about the camera anymore. You start thinking in systems:

Housings that protect your setup and provide access to every control.
Ports and domes, matched precisely to each lens to prevent distortion or vignetting.
Wet lenses, extension rings, and focus gears that fine-tune how the camera sees underwater.

Even simple things like trip planning become more strategic. You can’t just throw a GoPro in your carry-on anymore — you’re weighing strobes, arms, clamps, chargers, O-rings, and desiccant packs. You’re planning each dive before it happens: Will it be macro today or wide-angle? Do I pack the 100mm lens or the 16–35mm dome?

It’s a commitment — in weight, time, and mental space — but it’s also where photography becomes deeply intentional. You start thinking not just about taking photos, but creating them. Every dive becomes an exercise in composition, anticipation, and control.

And when everything comes together — when your strobes fire just right, the light is balanced, and your subject holds still for a heartbeat — it’s pure magic.

🎞️ Best For:

Passionate photographers seeking professional-level results
Divers comfortable managing complex gear and pre-dive planning
Those shooting for exhibitions, publications, or personal artistic satisfaction

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t rush the jump. Each stage of your journey builds skills — composition with a GoPro, exposure control with a compact, lighting mastery with a mirrorless. When you finally move to full-frame, you’ll be ready not just to handle the gear, but to think like a photographer before you even hit the water.

🪸 Finding Your Balance

Of course, not every diver needs to—or wants to—travel with a full-frame rig and a suitcase full of ports, domes, and strobes. For most, there’s a sweet spot between creative control and convenience. Compact and mirrorless systems offer that perfect middle ground — the freedom to experiment with manual settings and lighting without the bulk or cost of a professional setup.

These systems let you grow your skills, refine your style, and still keep things light enough for travel. They’re ideal for divers who want to elevate their photography while staying focused on what matters most — enjoying the dive.

⚖️ The Middle Ground — Compact and Mirrorless Systems

My old compact set up with Nauticam CMC-1 (Magnifying wet-lens)

If you’re starting to outgrow an action camera but aren’t ready to carry a full-frame setup through airports and onto dive boats, there’s a sweet spot in between. Compact and mirrorless systems deliver professional-quality results in smaller, more manageable packages — making them the perfect bridge between simplicity and sophistication.

This middle ground is exactly where I found my rhythm after my early GoPro days.
My first real upgrade was the Sony RX100, a compact camera that completely changed how I approached underwater photography. Suddenly, I had manual control — I could adjust shutter speed, ISO, and aperture, shoot in RAW, and fine-tune color balance after the dive. It was still light, travel-friendly, and easy to use, but the results were on a whole new level.

Then came the Sony A6400, my first mirrorless system — and that’s when things really clicked. I could switch between lenses, experiment with different focal lengths, and get fast, accurate autofocus even when shooting tiny subjects like shrimp or gobies. It struck the perfect balance between performance and portability — powerful enough for professional-looking images, but small enough that I didn’t need a dedicated luggage allowance just for camera gear.

📸 Compact Cameras — Big Results, Small Size

Compact cameras like the Sony RX100, Canon G7X, and Olympus TG-7 are popular with traveling divers for good reason. They deliver excellent image quality, full manual control, and great color science, all inside small housings. Many can shoot macro and wide-angle with wet lenses, giving flexibility across dive sites without changing ports.

Pros: Lightweight, affordable, versatile, and easy to travel with.
Cons: Smaller sensors limit depth of field and low-light performance.

💡 Tip: For most recreational divers, a compact camera with a single strobe or video light can produce stunning results. It’s the perfect “step-up” setup.

📷 Mirrorless Cameras — The Ideal Transition

Mirrorless systems like the Sony A6400, Canon R50, OM System OM-5, or Nikon Z50 have become the go-to choice for divers who want professional control without the weight of a full-frame rig. Interchangeable lenses and advanced autofocus make them incredibly versatile — shoot macro one day, then switch to a wide dome for reef scenes the next.

They’re also more travel-friendly, with smaller housings, lighter ports, and fewer bulk restrictions for liveaboards or remote island hops. You still need to think about your port selection, lens compatibility, and lighting, but it’s a much easier balance to manage.

Pros: Excellent image quality, interchangeable lenses, professional control in a smaller system.
Cons: Costs add up with accessories, and buoyancy management is still important.

My previous APC-S Sony a6400 system- as you can tell I am a Nauticam fan!

💡 Tip: If you’re upgrading from an action camera, start by investing in lighting first. Even the best mirrorless camera won’t perform without good light underwater. A pair of video lights or a single strobe can transform your results — and those are accessories you’ll carry forward no matter how advanced your setup becomes.

🌏 The Traveler’s Sweet Spot

Compact and mirrorless setups are ideal for divers who love to explore. You can fit everything — housing, strobes, trays, batteries, and lenses — into a single carry-on or small pelican case. They’re rugged enough for liveaboards and tropical expeditions, yet agile enough for casual reef dives and shore entries.

For many photographers, this middle ground is where they’ll stay — because it’s flexible, reliable, and fun. You can travel light, shoot seriously, and still spend your surface intervals enjoying the dive destination instead of re-assembling domes and sync cables.

💰 Cost vs Capability — What Are You Really Paying For?

When you first start looking at underwater photography gear, it’s easy to assume that the more expensive the setup, the better your photos will be. But that’s not always the case. What you’re really paying for isn’t just image quality — it’s control, flexibility, and consistency.

A GoPro can capture incredible footage on a sunny dive in Bali. A compact camera can produce magazine-worthy stills when the light is right. A full-frame setup, though, lets you manage every variable — lighting, focus, depth of field — in almost any condition. The question isn’t “Which is best?” but rather “Which best fits how you dive and what you want to capture?”

📸 The Real Costs Behind the Camera

The camera body is only part of the story. Once you step beyond an action cam, every upgrade introduces new layers of cost and consideration:

Housings: Precision-engineered, depth-rated, and often more expensive than the camera itself. Aluminum housings like Nauticam or Isotta provide unmatched reliability and ergonomics but come at a premium.
Ports and Domes: Each lens requires a specific port setup — and swapping between macro and wide-angle means more equipment (and more packing weight).
Strobes and Video Lights: Essential for color and sharpness underwater, good lighting often costs as much as the camera — and you’ll need arms, clamps, and fiber optic cables too.
Travel and Maintenance: Once you’re carrying 15–20 kg of gear, airline luggage limits and desiccant packs become part of your planning. O-ring cleaning, vacuum seals, and silica gel aren’t optional — they’re habits.

💡 Pro Tip: Always budget at least 50–70% of your camera’s cost again for accessories. It’s those extras that make professional underwater photography possible.

⚖️ Capability vs Convenience

A full-frame rig will give you incredible image quality, but it demands commitment. Each dive starts before you hit the water — planning the lens, the port, the subject, and even how you’ll enter and exit the water safely with a large rig. Compact and mirrorless setups, by contrast, offer spontaneity — you can grab them and go.

Ask yourself:

Do I want a system I can travel light with?
Do I enjoy the process of setup, planning, and post-processing?
Or do I just want to relive the feeling of the dive through video and snapshots?

There’s no wrong answer — just different paths for different divers.

🌊 The Hidden Currency: Time and Effort

As your setup grows, so does your time investment. Shooting RAW, syncing strobes, color grading — it all takes patience. But it’s a rewarding process. Every stage — from rinsing housings to editing your final shot — deepens your connection to the ocean.

You stop being just a diver with a camera and start becoming a visual storyteller — capturing moments that others might swim right past.

💡 Final Thought:
Spend wisely — not just in dollars, but in passion. Buy the gear that matches how you dive, not what you think you “should” have. The best camera isn’t the most expensive one — it’s the one that makes you excited to get back in the water.

💡 Let There Be Light — The Art and Science of Illumination Underwater

If there’s one thing that separates a good underwater photo from a great one, it’s lighting. You can have the best camera in the world, but without proper light, every image will fade to blue.

Water absorbs light and color rapidly — reds and oranges vanish within the first few meters, leaving cooler tones behind. That’s why even the clearest tropical reef looks dull without artificial light. Once you introduce strobes or video lights, the reef comes alive again — corals glow, fish shimmer, and every detail pops.

⚡ Strobes — Freezing the Moment

Strobes are the powerhouse of still photography underwater. They emit a quick, intense flash of light that freezes motion, restores color, and defines texture. Whether you’re shooting a fast-moving turtle or a tiny goby, strobes help you capture crisp, vibrant results.

Your Sea & Sea YS-D3 strobes are a great example — powerful, reliable, and flexible for both wide-angle and macro setups. Proper strobe positioning is an art: too close, and you’ll get backscatter; too far, and you’ll lose detail. The key is learning to balance natural and artificial light — using your strobes not to overpower, but to complement.

Best for: Still photography, macro and wide-angle subjects, color accuracy, and crisp detail.
Tip: Angle strobes slightly outward to minimize backscatter, and always check your histogram for exposure consistency.

🎥 Video Lights — Painting With Continuous Light

Unlike strobes, video lights provide a constant beam of illumination — ideal for capturing smooth, natural footage. They’re essential for GoPros, action cameras, and compact systems, as they help restore color in real time.

Modern LED lights are incredibly powerful for their size. Dual 6,000-lumen lights can turn a night dive into a cinematic experience. They’re also perfect for still shooters who prefer to see exactly how light interacts with a subject before hitting the shutter.

Best for: Continuous lighting for video, focusing assistance, and night dives.
Tip: Use red filters or lower intensity near sensitive subjects to avoid startling marine life.

🎯 Snoots — The Precision Tools

For macro photographers, snoots are where creativity meets control. A snoot narrows your strobe’s beam into a pinpoint spotlight, isolating a subject against a dark background. It’s perfect for making small critters — like nudibranchs or frogfish — stand out dramatically.

It takes patience, but the results can be stunning. Think of snoots as the underwater equivalent of a stage spotlight: they draw attention exactly where you want it.

Best for: Macro photography, creative compositions, and black-background portraits.
Tip: Use a focus light or laser-aiming system to help align your snoot in dim conditions.

🔦 The Lighting Evolution

Just like cameras, lighting setups grow with you. Most divers start with a single video light or strobe, then progress to dual lighting arms, diffusers, and color filters. As your skill develops, you learn to “read” light — balancing your exposure triangle between ISO, aperture, and flash intensity to create your own underwater style.

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re starting out, invest in lighting before upgrading your camera. A good light source can make an entry-level compact perform like a professional system — but even the best camera can’t fix a poorly lit scene.

🌊 Light as Storytelling

Lighting isn’t just technical — it’s emotional. The way you use it defines the mood of your shot:

A side-lit reef evokes drama.
A softly diffused coral garden feels tranquil.
A snooted macro portrait feels intimate and mysterious.

Once you master light, you stop just documenting dives and start crafting images with intention. It’s where underwater photography transcends gear — and becomes art.

🧭 Planning Your Shots — Thinking Like an Underwater Photographer

Once you’ve mastered your gear and lighting, the real magic begins — thinking like a photographer underwater. It’s no longer just about what’s in front of you; it’s about how you interpret it. The ocean is dynamic, unpredictable, and full of fleeting moments — a manta’s glide, a nudibranch inching across coral, a turtle surfacing through beams of light. Great underwater photographers learn to anticipate these moments before they happen.

🪸 Pre-Dive Planning — Setting Intentions

Before every dive, ask yourself: What story do I want to tell today?
That simple question shapes everything — your lens choice, lighting setup, dive plan, and even buoyancy control.

Wide-Angle Dive: If your goal is to capture reef scenes, wrecks, or big animals, plan your lighting accordingly. Choose a dome port, a wide lens, and position your strobes wider apart to evenly illuminate large scenes.
Macro Dive: If you’re heading to a muck site or coral slope, switch to your macro port, pack your snoot, and be patient — it’s all about slowing down, observing, and letting the small world reveal itself.
Natural Light Dive: Sometimes, less is more. Shallow coral gardens or snorkeling sessions at midday can produce beautiful, natural light patterns without any strobes.

When you plan ahead, you dive with purpose — and your shots will reflect that intention.

👁️ Composing the Scene

Underwater composition follows the same artistic rules as topside — but with a few twists.

Get close — then get closer. Water reduces clarity, contrast, and color. The closer you are, the more vivid your image.
Shoot upward. Framing your subject against open water or sunbeams gives depth, drama, and life to your shot.
Mind your background. Avoid cluttered coral or busy backdrops. Move a little — sometimes a better composition is just a fin kick away.
Balance the light. Position your strobes or lights so they shape the scene rather than flatten it. Think of your beams as brushes, not torches.

💡 Tip: Picture the shot before you take it. The best photographers visualize an image in their head long before pressing the shutter.

🐢 Patience, Buoyancy, and Respect

Good underwater photography takes more than equipment — it takes patience and precision. Hovering still enough to capture a blenny’s yawn or a shrimp’s reflection requires calm breathing and fine buoyancy control.

Always remember: the reef comes first. Avoid touching coral or disturbing marine life for the sake of a shot. The best photographers blend into their surroundings — quiet, observant, and respectful. When you move slowly and stay aware, marine life will trust you enough to let you in close.

📖 Telling a Story, Not Just Taking a Picture

Every photo is a moment, but every series of photos can tell a story — of a dive site, an encounter, or a species.
Think about how your images connect:

The approach shot shows environment.
The close-up shows behavior.
The detail shot reveals texture and life.

Together, they form a narrative. That’s what turns your gallery into a journey — one that brings viewers beneath the waves with you.

💡 Pro Tip: Keep a dive shot list for each trip — not as a restriction, but as inspiration. It helps you stay focused and ensures you come back with a balanced collection of images.

🌊 The Photographer’s Mindset

The best underwater photographers aren’t just technicians — they’re storytellers, naturalists, and artists.
They plan, anticipate, and adapt. They’re students of light, current, and creature behavior. Every dive becomes a study in rhythm — waiting for the perfect pause between fin kicks or the exact second a fish turns toward the lens.

And perhaps the most important part? Enjoying the dive.
Sometimes, you’ll surface without “the shot” you imagined — but you’ll have lived a moment few people ever get to see. That’s the heart of underwater photography: a balance between capturing the ocean and being part of it.

🌅 Final Thoughts — It’s Not Just About the Camera

Underwater photography is a journey — not a race. From that first GoPro dive in Amed, Bali, to handling a full-frame system with strobes and domes, every stage teaches you something new about the ocean, and about yourself.

Each step — from action cam to compact, mirrorless to full-frame — brings new skills, new challenges, and new rewards. But what truly matters isn’t the gear in your hands; it’s the eye behind the mask.

Because great underwater photography isn’t about pixels, ports, or price tags — it’s about connection.
Connection to the moment. To the creature in front of you. To the feeling of being weightless and alive beneath the waves.

Whether you’re capturing the shimmer of a reef, the curiosity of an octopus, or the quiet grace of a manta, every image becomes part of a story — your story — told through light, patience, and passion.

So wherever you are on your underwater photography journey, remember: the best camera is the one that gets you excited to dive again.

❓ FAQ — Choosing the Right Setup for You

Q: I’m just getting started. What’s the best setup for a beginner?
A: Start simple — an action camera like the GoPro HERO13 Black or DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is ideal. They’re compact, durable, and easy to use. Add a tray and a small video light, and you’ll be amazed at how far you can go.

Q: When should I upgrade to a compact or mirrorless system?
A: Once you start craving more control — over focus, exposure, or creative framing — a compact or mirrorless setup is the logical next step. It’s a great balance of power and portability.

Q: Is a full-frame system worth the investment?
A: Only if you’re ready for the commitment. Full-frame rigs are heavy, expensive, and require careful planning, but the image quality and flexibility are unmatched. They’re perfect for divers who shoot regularly and love the technical side of photography.

Q: What’s more important — camera or lighting?
A: Lighting. Every time. Even the best camera can’t capture what isn’t lit properly. A good pair of strobes or video lights will improve your results far more than upgrading your camera body.

Q: How do I choose between strobes and video lights?
A: For still photography, go with strobes — they freeze motion and preserve sharpness. For video or mixed use, high-lumen video lights give a natural look and real-time color. Many photographers eventually use both.

Q: Any packing tips for traveling with camera gear?
A: Always carry your housing and camera body in hand luggage. Use padded cases, and store O-rings and desiccant packs separately. Label everything and bring backups for clamps, arms, and batteries — island shops won’t always have spares!

🌊 In the End…

Every underwater photographer starts somewhere — with a spark, a single image, or a borrowed camera.
For you, that moment might be watching a turtle under a coral bommie. For someone else, it might be their first night dive or the flash of a passing manta.

What matters is that you start — and that you keep diving, experimenting, and sharing the ocean’s beauty with others. Because every time you press the shutter underwater, you’re helping tell the story of our blue planet.

Steve Poole