Fun With a Smart Phone

Compact digital cameras are fast disappearing in favour of smartphones. How about underwater photography?

- MICHEL GILBERT, DANIELLE ALARY

Many years ago, manufacturers offered amphibious compact digital cameras. Nowadays, their number has dwindled. As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them join them; this is what SeaLife is doing with its SportDiver Underwater Smartphone Housing.

We recently needed a sturdy iPhone underwater housing for a specific project, so we purchased a SportDiver. Here are our impressions....

This product consists of a polycarbonate housing and a companion App that becomes your interface once the camera is locked in the enclosure. It works with iOS or Android phones.

The housing sports a large glass flat port held in place by an aluminium ring. But for the thickest gloves, operating the controls should be fine.

Built in two parts, the housing exudes simplicity. Four buttons on the back door allow navigation through the various menus and adjustments.