Unboxing and First Thoughts
As a dive professional, it’s important that my equipment can withstand the rigors of the harsh underwater environment and perform, even at great depths. Because SeaLife’s SportDiver housing is safe to the maximum recreational dive depth of 130 feet (40 m), it certainly fits the bill.
Utilizing durable materials such as polycarbonate, aluminum, and stainless steel, this housing is up to the test of any underwater environment you throw at it. As well, an optical glass port provides top-notch image quality dive after dive.
The SeaLife SportDiver housing comes standard with a protective case, lanyard, red filter, manual vacuum pump, moisture packets, a spare o-ring, and o-ring grease. Including a spare o-ring is a huge plus for traveling divers who may not have access to camera stores—just another feature showcasing SeaLife’s attention to detail.
Its small yet durable form factor allows you to store it in most jacket-style BCD pockets when not in use, and it even has a power-save mode if you’re in between photo subjects. A manual vacuum pump seals the housing prior to diving and dual leak sensors with visible and audible alarms notify users if the seal has failed.
The specialized app, designed by SeaLife, is now available for both iPhone and Android smartphones, boasting the widest range of phones that work in one single underwater smartphone housing to date. The SeaLife SportDiver fits most Android smartphones and all iPhones from iPhone 8 through iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Hardware at a Glance
Clocking in at around two pounds with a smartphone installed, this housing weighs about the same as the average dive light and is far lighter than a DSLR camera in an underwater housing. Additionally, the housing is almost neutrally buoyant in the water and does not stress the wrists to carry.
A large shutter button and back buttons make using the controls a breeze, even while wearing thick dive gloves. The back of the housing is completely clear, allowing for a full view of the rear screen. A robust cam-lock sealing mechanism closes the waterproof door.
Colored LEDs within the housing notify users if the device is connected to the phone, as well as the status of the vacuum seal. As mentioned before, the manual vacuum seal and dual leak sensors work in unison to secure a waterproof seal while the housing is in use.
One small feature that’s particularly satisfying is the addition of rubber and spring mounts that hold the smartphone in place, which offers some shock protection to the phone. This would come in handy when powering through the surf on a shore dive, or even for securing the phone on a long, bumpy boat ride to the dive site.
Streamlined Software
SeaLife has spent several years testing and developing its dedicated camera app, SportDiver, with full functionality on both the iPhone and Android platforms. The hardware connects to the SportDiver app through bluetooth technology and boasts a 50-hour battery life using two AAA batteries. Application download and setup only takes a few minutes from turning your phone on until it’s ready to dive.
The SportDiver app is free to use and does not offer or require a subscription service. While diving, users can quickly toggle photo and video mode, as well as review pictures during the dive to ensure you get the shot.
On top of standard camera modes, the app features advanced settings, such as white balance, zoom, manual exposure, lens selection and raw shooting mode. Increasing user settings in advanced mode expands room for creativity and puts almost full control in the user’s hands.
Anyone with an older iPhone knows the woes of a rapidly dying phone battery, but luckily SeaLife created a feature to prevent fast battery drain. Its power-save mode dims the screen and turns off the camera while not in use. When any button is pressed, the camera will wake up immediately. There is also a battery level indicator for both the housing and your iPhone, which can be very helpful on long dive trips.
Photo & Video Quality
The versatility of SeaLife’s smartphone housing is a testament to what may be the future of underwater housings, allowing for multiple phones from different manufacturers all to fit into the same housing with similar functionality.
As camera technologies improve, divers can continue using their SeaLife SportDiver housing, all while improving their images with every new camera advancement in smartphones.
Taking mere minutes to set up, the SportDiver housing quickly turns any iPhone or Android into an underwater picture-taking machine. Using the lanyard to secure the case to dive gear ensures your camera makes it to the dive site.
The housing works equally well within a large range of phones, but the best images will result from your phone’s capabilities. Depending on which model of iPhone or Android, from iPhone 8 all the way to iPhone 15 Pro Max, your image and video quality will vary. The newest smartphones offer the highest quality cameras, more storage space, and longer battery life.
During the dive, large buttons and a quick working app make it possible to take lots of pictures and videos in a snap. A clean back display also helps to review photos fast and correct settings within an advanced setting menu.
Accessories
Any underwater housing would be incomplete without a few essentials and, of course, there are a few recommended upgrades to get the most out of your investment. SeaLife provides a foam protective case to transport your housing securely pre- and post-dive, while a SeaLife deluxe padded lanyard with a swiveled attachment clip keeps the housing securely on your wrist during dives.
Moisture muncher packets ensure anti-fog operation and clear photos, even in warmer climates, and fit into a small reservoir inside the housing. An underwater color-correction filter is also included with housing and enhances colors. We found it quite easy to add or remove this filter underwater.
The bottom of the SportDiver housing has three standard ¼-20 tripod threads for mounting accessories such as lights and trays to your housing. Adding a tray and dual 2500 lumen video lights is the best way to maximize the quality of your footage, as light diminishes greatly underwater, especially at depth.
Final Thoughts
Smartphones seem to advance at an astonishing rate, from the storage capacity of new phones, to the improved camera sensors packed into these smart devices. And, since everyone has a smartphone on their person at nearly all times, SeaLife believes time spent underwater should be no different. Smartphones are a perfect tool for capturing memories and the SeaLife SportDiver housing perfectly bridges the gap between the topside and underwater world.
This easy-to-use housing is ideal for both scuba divers and snorkelers who want to capture underwater moments to share with family and friends. At a modest price of just under $350, the SeaLife SportDiver housing sits a bit cheaper than competitors on the market, and offers slightly more streamlined software and a rugged, yet lightweight build. Combined with current smartphones, this device can capture 4k60 video footage and RAW files over 20MP, depending on your phone.
And best of all, as smartphone technology improves, buying this housing means divers can upgrade their phones without worry about a replacement. With an easy-to-navigate app, affordable price, and sturdy, adaptable hardware, add a SeaLife SportDiver housing to the gear bag and start making memories.
Specs & Features
| Dimensions | 8.4” x 4.9” x 2.2” (213.1 mm x 125.7 mm x 54.8 mm) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 24 oz. (680 g) |
| Image Quality | smartphone dependant: 22 MB DNG file (iPhone15 as reviewed) |
| Video Quality | smartphone Dependant: 4k 60fps (iPhone15 as reviewed) |
| Depth Rating | 130 feet (40 m) |
| Display | smartphone dependant |
| Bonus Feature | dual leak sensors |
