Camera Reviews

Detailed camera reviews for underwater photo and video, including specs, key features for u/w photography and camera comparisons.

New Features & Specs Promise to make the E-M5 one of the Best Mirrorless Cameras for Underwater
By Scott Gietler

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Announced

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Announced
Scott Gietler
New Features & Specs Promise to make the E-M5 one of the Best Mirrorless Cameras for Underwater

Olympus has announced the follow up to their popular E-M5 - the OM-D E-M5 Mark II. Given the popularity of the E-M5 for underater photo and video, the Mark II will surely be a serious player in the mirrorless camera scene, especially given it's robust new video capabilities, including faster Full HD frame rates and 5-axis video stabilization. Additional controls allow for more button function customization to match your underwater shooting style.

 

 

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Gietler is the owner of Bluewater Photo, Bluewater Travel, and the Underwater Photography Guide. Bluewater Photo, based in Culver City, CA is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious underwater camera stores, serving many thousands of customers each year, where nothing is more important than customer service. The Underwater Photography Guide is the world’s first website to feature free tutorials on underwater photography, and has become the most trafficked resource on underwater photography worldwide. Bluewater Travel is a full-service dive travel wholesaler sending groups and individuals on the world’s best dive vacations. 

Scott is also an avid diver, underwater photographer, and budding marine biologist, having created the online guide to the underwater flora and fauna of Southern California. He is the past vice-president of the Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society, has volunteered extensively at the Santa Monica aquarium, and is the creator of the Ocean Art underwater photo competition, one of the largest underwater international photo competitions ever held in terms of value of prizes. He lives in California with his wife, newborn girl and scuba-diving, photo taking 4 year old son.

Follow Scott on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


UWPG tests the Canon 7D Mark II for wide-angle, macro and video, plus best settings and more
By Brent Durand

Canon 7D Mark II Review for Underwater Photography

Review: Canon 7D Mark II for Underwater Photography
Brent Durand
UWPG tests the Canon 7D Mark II for wide-angle, macro and video, plus best settings and more

We're starting to see the first underwater housings for the new Canon 7D Mark II - the perfect time to write our in-depth review of the camera. The long-awaited 7D Mark II is a great camera with some major upgrades over the original 7D. But how will it perform for underwater photo and video?

The Canon 7D Mark II has many upgrades you would expect: a 20.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor, faster processers, higher frames per second burst, increased ISO capabilities, intervalometer (finally, Canon!) and even a new battery.

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brent Durand is a weekend wanderer and story teller from California.

Brent is an avid diver and adventure photographer, and shoots underwater any time he can get hands on a camera system. He can be reached at brent@uwphotographyguide.com.

Follow Underwater Photography Guide on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


Review the Canon G7X for underwater photography
By Scott Gietler

Canon G7X Review

Canon G7X Review
Scott Gietler
Review the Canon G7X for underwater photography

The Canon G7X "super compact" enters the scene for underwater photography. For almost 3 years, the Sony RX-100 series has reigned unchallenged as the king of compacts, particularly for underwater photography. Tiny in size, great in image quality - it quickly became a popular choice. Now the Canon G7X is challenging the RX-100 III as a potential choice for aspiring photographers. Find out if it is right for you.

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Gietler is the owner of Bluewater Photo, Bluewater Travel, and the Underwater Photography Guide. Bluewater Photo, based in Culver City, CA is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious underwater camera stores, serving many thousands of customers each year, where nothing is more important than customer service. The Underwater Photography Guide is the world’s first website to feature free tutorials on underwater photography, and has become the most trafficked resource on underwater photography worldwide. Bluewater Travel is a full-service dive travel wholesaler sending groups and individuals on the world’s best dive vacations. 

Scott is also an avid diver, underwater photographer, and budding marine biologist, having created the online guide to the underwater flora and fauna of Southern California. He is the past vice-president of the Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society, has volunteered extensively at the Santa Monica aquarium, and is the creator of the Ocean Art underwater photo competition, one of the largest underwater international photo competitions ever held in terms of value of prizes. He lives in California with his wife, newborn girl and scuba-diving, photo taking 4 year old son.

Follow Scott on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


Review and guide to underwater video with the GoPro Hero4, including specs, shooting tips, maintenance, filters and accessories.
By Brent Durand

GoPro Hero4 Review for Underwater Video

Brent Durand
Review and guide to underwater video with the GoPro Hero4, including specs, shooting tips, maintenance, filters and accessories.

The GoPro Hero4 is another feature-packed, ultra HD video camera that will be a very popular underwater video camera for scuba diving. The camera boasts several upgrades over the GoPro Hero 3+ and comes in two models: The Hero4 Black and the Hero4 Silver. In short, the black model is 2x as powerful as the Hero 3+, while the new silver model comes with a built-in touch display so that you can better-compose and review your shots.

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brent Durand is a weekend wanderer and story teller from California.

Brent is an avid diver and adventure photographer, and shoots underwater any time he can get hands on a camera system. He can be reached at brent@uwphotographyguide.com.

Follow Underwater Photography Guide on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


Initial impressions of the Olympus E-PL7 camera, and comparison to the E-PL5 & E-M10
By Scott Gietler & Kelli Dickinson

Olympus E-PL7 first impressions review

Olympus E-PL7 Review
Scott Gietler & Kelli Dickinson
Initial impressions of the Olympus E-PL7 camera, and comparison to the E-PL5 & E-M10

The Olympus E-PL5 mirrorless camera, with it fast-focusing and great image quality, has been a very popular camera for underwater photography, especially when combined with the economical Olympus E-PL5 underwater housing.

The E-PL6 was released in Japan, but some of the other distributors balked at releasing the E-PL6 in their country because the differences between the E-PL5 were so minor.

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Gietler is the owner of Bluewater Photo, Bluewater Travel, and the Underwater Photography Guide. Bluewater Photo, based in Culver City, CA is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious underwater camera stores, serving many thousands of customers each year, where nothing is more important than customer service. The Underwater Photography Guide is the world’s first website to feature free tutorials on underwater photography, and has become the most trafficked resource on underwater photography worldwide. Bluewater Travel is a full-service dive travel wholesaler sending groups and individuals on the world’s best dive vacations. 

Scott is also an avid diver, underwater photographer, and budding marine biologist, having created the online guide to the underwater flora and fauna of Southern California. He is the past vice-president of the Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society, has volunteered extensively at the Santa Monica aquarium, and is the creator of the Ocean Art underwater photo competition, one of the largest underwater international photo competitions ever held in terms of value of prizes. He lives in California with his wife, newborn girl and scuba-diving, photo taking 4 year old son.

Follow Scott on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


Focusing on Underwater Photography and Video
By Scott Gietler

Sony RX-100 III Review for Underwater Photos

Sony RX100 III Review
Scott Gietler
Focusing on Underwater Photography and Video

History of the Sony RX100 III

When the Sony RX100 was released in June of 2012, it had a huge impact in the underwater photography field. It packed a huge sensor it a tiny size (very pocketable), it did great video, it could do TTL in manual mode, and it worked great with all wide-angle lenses, inlcuding my favorite lens, the UWL-04 fisheye lens.

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Gietler is the owner of Bluewater Photo, Bluewater Travel, and the Underwater Photography Guide. Bluewater Photo, based in Culver City, CA is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious underwater camera stores, serving many thousands of customers each year, where nothing is more important than customer service. The Underwater Photography Guide is the world’s first website to feature free tutorials on underwater photography, and has become the most trafficked resource on underwater photography worldwide. Bluewater Travel is a full-service dive travel wholesaler sending groups and individuals on the world’s best dive vacations. 

Scott is also an avid diver, underwater photographer, and budding marine biologist, having created the online guide to the underwater flora and fauna of Southern California. He is the past vice-president of the Los Angeles Underwater Photographic Society, has volunteered extensively at the Santa Monica aquarium, and is the creator of the Ocean Art underwater photo competition, one of the largest underwater international photo competitions ever held in terms of value of prizes. He lives in California with his wife, newborn girl and scuba-diving, photo taking 4 year old son.

Follow Scott on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


Lighting-Fast Autofocus, Smart AF Modes and Other Cool Features
By Brent Durand

Canon 70D Review for Underwater Video

Canon 70D Review for Underwater Video
Brent Durand
Lighting-Fast Autofocus, Smart AF Modes and Other Cool Features

When Canon first announced the 70D, it seemed like a standard upgrade with minor improvements from the 60D but with one difference – the new Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. I was excited to learn that the new sensor would allow the use of phase detection autofocus in live view mode instead of the contrast detection system currently in use. Not only is this is a huge advantage for videographers who use live view, but also an improvement on the camera’s autofocus for still shooters.

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brent Durand is a weekend wanderer and story teller from California.

Brent is an avid diver and adventure photographer, and shoots underwater any time he can get hands on a camera system. He can be reached at brent@uwphotographyguide.com.

Follow Underwater Photography Guide on Facebook or Instagram.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


with E-M5 Comparison and Underwater Image Tests
By Kelli Dickinson

Olympus OM-D E-M1 In Depth Review

Olympus OM-D E-M1 In Depth Review
Kelli Dickinson
with E-M5 Comparison and Underwater Image Tests

Last September Olympus announced the next release in the OM-D line of micro four-thirds cameras. The first camera, the OM-D E-M5, was released in March 2012 and surpassed all expectations, becoming one of their most popular cameras to date. The E-M5 works wonderfully underwater, providing high quality images and dSLR-like controls in a smaller, compact body.

Reviews: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli Dickinson is an avid diver and underwater photographer who shoots primarily on mirrorless cameras. Familiar with a variety of cameras and housings she tries to shoot on as many different options as possible to improve her overall knowledge of underwater camera systems. In addition she is Manager of Bluewater Photo. In her spare time she can be found running, hiking or underwater. 

Connect with her on instagram @kelnkelp or at www.kelnkelp.com

She can be reached via email at kelli@bluewaterphotostore.com.

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


Detailed Reviews of the Nikon D600 and Sea & Sea MDX-D600 Housing for Macro
By Victor Tang

Nikon D600 / Sea & Sea Housing Review - Macro

Victor Tang
Detailed Reviews of the Nikon D600 and Sea & Sea MDX-D600 Housing for Macro

Nikon D600 and Sea & Sea Housing Review

 

Detailed Reviews of the Nikon D600 and Sea & Sea MDX-D600 Housing

Part II: Macro

(Jump to Part I)

Text and Photos By Victor Tang

 

Reviews: 

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


First Impressions of Olympus' New Mirrorless Camera
By Kelli Dickinson

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Initial Thoughts

Kelli Dickinson
First Impressions of Olympus' New Mirrorless Camera

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Initial Thoughts


First Impressions of Olympus' New Mirrorless Camera

Text by Kelli Dickinson

 

Olympus OMD EM1 Camera

 

Reviews: 

SUPPORT THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE:

The Best Service & Prices on u/w Photo Gear

 

Visit Bluewater Photo & Video for all your underwater photography and video gear. Click, or call the team at (310) 633-5052 for expert advice!

 


The Best Pricing, Service & Expert Advice to Book your Dive Trips

 

Bluewater Travel is your full-service scuba travel agency. Let our expert advisers plan and book your next dive vacation. Run by divers, for divers.

 


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