4 Best Underwater Camera for Snorkeling

By Naila Syifa
Updated Jan 2024

When it comes to snorkeling, having a good underwater camera is essential to capture those beautiful moments underwater. A good underwater camera should be waterproof, durable, easy to use, and deliver high-quality images and videos.

With many options in the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one that suits your needs. So, let's explore some of the best underwater cameras for snorkeling and find out which one is the most suitable for you!

On our list

#1 Best for Beginner Divers: Olympus Tough TG-6

#2 Best for Experienced Divers: SeaLife Micro 3.0

#3 Best for Solo Divers: Insta360 X3

#4 Best for Budget: Akaso V50 Elite

Specs	Olympus Tough TG-6	SeaLife Micro 3.0	Insta360 X3	Akaso V50 Elite
	Buy on Amazon	Buy on Amazon	Buy on Amazon	Buy on Amazon
Price	$499.99	$599.95	$449.99	$139.99
Dimensions	113 x 66 x 32.4 mm	107 x 74 x 54 mm	114 x 46 x 33.1 mm	60 x 41 x 32 mm
Weight	253 g	329 g	180 g	78 g
Video	4K	4K	5.7K	4K
Photo	12 MP	16 MP	72 MP	20 MP
Waterproof	Up to 15m	Up to 60m	Up to 10m	-
Waterproof with Case	Up to 45m	-	Up to 50m	Up to 40m
Battery	1350 mAh	2000 mAh	1800 mAh	1050 mAh
Temperature	-10°C to 40° C	-5°C to 50°C	-20°C to 40°C	-5°C to 45°C

#1 Best for Beginner Divers: Olympus Tough TG-6

Olympus Tough TG-6

If you're a beginner diver, you probably won't dive too deep. The Olympus Tough TG-6 is perfect for shallow dives with an IPX8 waterproof rating which can go as deep as 15m (50ft) without a housing, and up to 45m with a separate underwater case.

It is also perfect if you snorkel only occasionally, as the Olympus Tough TG-6 is also suitable for other uses such as hiking, skiing, and cycling, owing to its tough construction with dustproof, shockproof (2.1m), crushproof (100kgf), and freezeproof (-10°C) capabilities.

It has an F2.0 lens that delivers a 4K/12 MP resolution with clear and sharp details even in low light conditions. For snorkeling, you can choose among 5 Underwater Shooting Modes according to your preference, including Underwater Macro, Underwater Microscope, Underwater Wide, Underwater Snapshot, and Underwater HDR.

Macro Mode for close-up shooting of small subjects

There are also 3 Underwater White Balance options you can choose from to suit the depth and water conditions: Shallow (<3m), Mid-Range (3-15m), and Deep (>15m).

If you want to further improve the quality of your footage, you can attach additional accessories to the camera, such as the fisheye converter lens to capture wider angles or a teleconverter lens to zoom in on your subjects.

Olympus Tough TG-6

Best for Beginner Divers

✓ Waterproof up to 15m (45m with case)
✓ Dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof
✓ 4K Video, 12 MP Photo
✓ 5 Underwater Modes + 3 Underwater WB

Buy on Amazon

#2 Best for Experienced Divers: SeaLife Micro 3.0

SeaLife Micro 3.0

The SeaLife Micro 3.0 is a fully sealed camera designed specially for underwater uses, so it is perfect if you're an experienced diver who dives frequently and at greater depths. Without housing, it can withstand depths of up to 60m (200ft) and has a long battery life of 3 hours.

The SeaLife Micro 3.0 features a 16 MP Sony CMOS sensor and a wide-angle lens with a 100-degree field of view, capable of capturing high-quality images and videos with vivid colors and sharp details. You can shoot a 4K UHD video, a 16 MP photo, or even an 8 MP still image while recording a video.

SeaLife Micro 3.0

One big advantage of the SeaLife Micro 3.0 is its three large Piano Key buttons that are easy to locate and can be used even with gloves on, making filming easy deep underwater. It also offers 3 underwater modes (Dive, Snorkel, and Underwater Light) and 3 underwater color correction filters or white balance modes (Underwater Deep, Green, and Shallow) to suit different diving conditions.

However, keep in mind that the SeaLife Micro 3.0 does not have a built-in flash, so you will need to purchase an external Sea Dragon underwater lighting accessory to ensure great footage in low-light conditions, especially if you plan on snorkeling at deeper depths.

SeaLife Micro 3.0

Best for Experienced Divers

✓ Waterproof up to 60m
✓ Easy Piano Key controls
✓ 4K Video, 16 MP Photo
✓ 3 Underwater Modes + 3 Underwater WB

Buy on Amazon

#3 Best for Solo Divers: Insta360 X3

Insta360 X3

If you snorkel all by yourself or with strangers that you don't want to bother asking to take your photo, the Insta360 X3 is perfect for you. It stands out with its 360-degree camera that can capture everything around it, resulting in 360 footage at 5.7K resolution that you can reframe to create regular videos with different angles and perspectives, including your POV, a third-person view of yourself, and more.

The Insta360 X3 is waterproof up to 10m (33ft), but you can further extend its capabilities with the Dive Case accessory that allows you to dive deeper up to 50m (164ft), making it a great underwater camera for both beginners and more experienced divers.

Insta360 X3

To unlock the full potential of the Insta360 X3, you can also pair it with the Invisible Selfie Stick, which provides a convenient grip while diving underwater and also keeps seamless footage without the selfie stick on your frame.

The Insta360 also comes with the Insta360 app and Insta360 Studio which you can use to edit, add filters, and adjust the color balance of your footage easily. AquaVision 2.0 is especially useful for underwater scenarios, as it gets rid of the blue haze and turns water crystal clear, resulting in stunning footage. You can also explore a large collection of AI-powered editing templates to create cinematic videos in just a few clicks.

Insta360 X3

Best for Solo Divers

✓ Waterproof up to 10m (50m with case)
✓ 360 Footage and Reframing
✓ 5.7K Video, 72 MP Photo
✓ Invisible Selfie Stick

Buy on Amazon

#4 Best for Budget: Akaso V50 Elite

Akaso V50 Elite

Most quality underwater cameras are highly priced, but the Akaso V50 Elite is a great budget option that doesn't sacrifice much in terms of quality. At $139.99, the Akaso V50 Elite delivers high-quality 4K/60fps videos and 20 MP photos. It covers a wide 170° angle with 3 angle options you can choose from: Wide, Medium, and Narrow.

The Akaso V50 Elite itself is not waterproof, but it can be used up to 40m underwater when used with the Waterproof Case. The Waterproof Case is included in the package, so you don't need to worry about any additional cost.

Akaso V50 Elite

The Akaso V50 Elite is designed to be compact and lightweight, measuring only 60 x 41 x 32 mm and weighing only 78 g. This is perfect for snorkeling, as it won't weigh you down or get in the way.

If you snorkel only occasionally, the Akaso V50 Elite is also useful for other outdoor activities, including skiing, surfing, and biking. It has an advanced Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) 2.0 to keep your footage steady and comes with various mounting accessories included, such as a helmet mount and bicycle stand.

Akaso V50 Elite

Best for Budget

✓ Waterproof up to 40m with case
✓ Compact and lightweight
✓ 4K Video, 20 MP Photo
✓ 170° wide angle lens

Buy on Amazon

Best Underwater Camera for Snorkeling