Best Budget Underwater Cameras 2021

The mysteries of the deep blue sea (or just the backyard swimming pool) are something that people have wanted to explore for a long time. It’s not that easy though – or at least it didn’t use to be. However, technology has come a long way, and affordable underwater cameras have been a reality for a while.

While a proper professional rig will set you back thousands, it’s more than possible to pick up a nice quality underwater camera on a budget – and just like that, the next swimming holiday can be an underwater adventure in and of itself!

The AKASO Brave 4 4K 20MP Wi-Fi Action Camera offers pretty much everything you could want from a budget underwater camera. It’s waterproof down to 30m, can record video at 4K, and even comes with a second battery so you can double its 90-minute battery life. It should be noted that the battery only lasts 90 minutes when recording 1080p video, it only lasts 60 minutes when recording at 2K or 4K.

One of the things that you’ll need to be careful of is that it’s only waterproof when in its waterproof enclosure. That’s fine when you plan to take it in or near the water but means your waterproof camera might not survive an unplanned dunking if it doesn’t have the case on. A 5x zoom lets you get better photos of skittish fish. You’ll also need to be careful about the lack of a lens protector.

The Crosstour Action Camera is a super low budget option. As you would expect, sacrifices have been made to reduce the price. Photos in this model can only be up to 12MP while video only goes up to 1080p. if you don’t need high resolution though, you’re going to get a great deal, as the battery life of 90 minutes and the submersion rating of 30m are the same as the AKASO Brave 4 above.

Another limitation of this model is the restriction to a 32GB microSD card, though with the reduced resolution this isn’t as much of an issue. The included pair of batteries allows you to double the available battery life. Content can be accessed and shared over Wi-Fi via the app, the app can even remotely control the camera. If you want to transfer via USB, however, be aware this is limited to USB2.0 speeds.

The Dragon Touch Vision 3 Pro offers a solid 4K30 of 16MP video feature. As with every other entry on this list, the waterproof case allows it to be submerged down to a depth of 30 metres. The battery life is solid, especially at lower resolutions, and can be easily doubled with the second included battery. microSD cards of up to 64GB are supported, which is important when recording 4K video.

The 4x optical zoom allows for configurable zoom with no loss of clarity. You can also adjust the field of view of the camera from between 70 and 170 degrees. The 2-inch touchscreen allows you to both see and control the camera. You can also connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot with the app and control it remotely.

The Panasonic LUMIX Waterproof Digital Camera is primarily a stills camera, with the capability to record video, rather than the other way around. While it is waterproof without the need for a case, this is only rated to a depth of 8 metres. This is great if you want to take it near water where it could get splashed or be used to take a photo under the surface, but isn’t suitable for diving.

It’s also resistant to small drops and to freezing temperatures. Video resolution is limited to 720p30 while photos can reach 16MP. It’s available in 3 colours: blue, red, and black. A flash is built in that can be used with video, photos, and independently. Unfortunately, this model also displays a fair amount of shutter delay.

The Fujifilm Quick Snap Waterproof is a version of the Quick Snap with a waterproof case placed around it. It’s a disposable camera with 27 photos worth of film, something to bear in mind when deciding if one is enough. The waterproof case protects it to a depth of 10 metres, though it will get harder to use due to the increased pressure.

A wrist strap means you don’t need to worry about accidentally dropping it. The low price means you don’t need to worry about breaking expensive equipment with water damage, you can even get a four-pack to spread the risk across multiple devices. Unfortunately, it’s fairly difficult to get the film developed these days so be aware that there will be extra cost and time to do so.

That was our round-up of the best budget underwater cameras in 2021. Have you recently bought a budget underwater camera? What has your experience been with it? Let us know down below.