Waterproof camera housings are a fantastic piece of photographic equipment that allows you to keep your camera dry in the rain and especially underwater. These housings are available for both entry-level digital cameras and more professional models, and should be a priority when buying camera equipment.
In moist cases both single lens reflex cameras, or SLR cameras, and compact cameras can be fitted with waterproof camera housing. Some models are made specifically for certain cameras, while others are more generic and can be fitted to several different kinds of cameras to make them waterproof.
Compact camera waterproof housings are quite cheap and have the added advantage that in most cases, they are fitted with a special refractor that increases the angle of your lens underwater, allowing you to take wild-angle pictures that would otherwise not be possible with such a camera.
Most compact cameras have a nice zoom lens, so this extra wide angle lens on the waterproof camera housing allows you to take a more ample type of pictures. The lens is also removable in a pinch, without having to open the case, so you can do this underwater.
The material of choice for compact camera underwater casing is a special hard plastic resin. Waterproof camera housing for SLRs is usually intended to withstand greater pressure, and is normally built of anodized aluminium, with hardened edges and seals for extra protection.
Some of the most important SLR waterproof camera housing features that you should look for are that the lens cover does not distort the light, and that all the features of your SLR are accessible once that it’s in the housing. High-end SLR housings also allow you to change lenses while underwater.
It’s fundamental to be in the know on the water depth that you can take your waterproof housing to without water leaking to the camera, and generally to have a clear idea of the casing’s features and capabilities.
If you want to try your hand at underwater photography, you need to ensure that your expensive equipment will be protected. Waterproof camera housing is one of the steps towards this, but make sure that you also understand how to care for your equipment before and after submerging it.
Do also bear in mind that not all camera makes enjoy the same availability of underwater housing. There is a lot of availability for Canon and Nikon models, but for other manufacturers, this is not guaranteed and you’ll have to shop around for the right waterproof camera housing.
WaterproofCameraWorld.com is the premier resource for waterproof cameras on the Net, with guides on matters such as on waterproof camera festures, as well as on taking the best pictures underwater, and cleaning the camera – click the links above to find out more!