The Best Underwater Cameras and Housings of 2017

Take your diving to the next level by capturing every thrilling moment of your dive with one of the underwater cameras featured here, perfect for scuba diving. Our 2017 scuba diving Gear Buyers Guide will help you find the best underwater cameras and housings to fit your skill level.

Backscatter Canon 5D Mark IV

• Do-it-all video and photo SLR with professional capabilities

Yes, Canon’s latest SLR camera shoots 4K video and high-resolution 30-MP stills. But the real excitement is Movie Servo AF, which allows true live autofocus in movie mode with professional-quality focus pulls. The Mark IV also offers the best underwater white balance in the industry.

$3,499; backscatter.com

GoPro HERO5 Black

• Super compact and shoots 4K video and 12 MP stills

The newest top-of-the-line model from the action camera originator offers impressive upgrades, including voice control, integrated touch-screen, manual exposure control, stereo audio and improved internal video stabilization. With the optional GoPro Plus subscription service, you can transfer photos and video wirelessly for quick sharing, editing and cloud storage.

$399; gopro.com

SeaLife DC2000

• Includes camera and housing rated to 200 feet

SeaLife’s latest camera system features a 20-MP camera with a high-quality Sony® image sensor, manual controls, RAW & JPEG imaging formats, eight shooting modes, and more. With an ultra-fast autofocus and a 0.1-second shutter response time, you won’t miss any of the action. It’s the perfect rig for mid-level and advanced underwater photographers.

$699; sealife-cameras.com

SeaLife Micro 2.0

• Flood-proof design with no openings or O-rings

For divers who like to keep it simple, it doesn’t get any easier than this 16-MP compact camera with 32 or 64 GB of onboard memory. Depth rated to 200 feet, the Wi-Fi-enabled imaging system features a builtin fisheye lens and large, user-friendly piano key controls. Plus, it switches to 1080 HD video with a single button.

32GB $499 / 64GB $549; sealife-cameras.com

Backscatter Olympus Tough TG-4

• Rugged compact camera shoots in RAW and captures macro without an extra lens

Waterproof to 50 feet without a housing, the Tough lives up to its name, but it’s also an incredibly capable shooter. It can capture images in RAW and has a microscope mode for crazy-close macro images without an accessory lens. In its Olympus PT-056 housing it’s waterproof to 150 feet.

$679.98 w/housing; backscatter.com

GoPro Super Suit

• Burly protection for your HERO5 down to 196 feet

This tough polycarbonate housing for the new HERO5 has divers in mind with a deeper rating than most of us can handle. It offers a flat, scratch-resistant glass lens to capture sharp images underwater, an attachment for the Floaty flotation kit for surface action, and access to all camera controls with large buttons you can easily operate with gloves.

$49 (housing only); gopro.com

Backscatter Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II with Underwater Housing

• Lag-free PRO capture mode and 60 fps sequential shooting

With a 50-megapixel high-res shot mode, 5-axis image stabilization and 121-point dual autofocus, the Mark II is a high-tech powerhouse. The PT-EP14 housing lets you take those capabilities down to 196 feet with confidence — and with full access to all camera functions.

$1,999.99 (camera), $1,299.99 (housing); backscatter.com