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Waterproof camera housings are a great piece of kit that allow you to take pictures in safety in very wet environments and event take your camera into a pool or into the sea. Different options are available both for amateur and professional photographers.

Waterproof camera housings are available for compact cameras, but also for the more advanced SLR models. Some underwater cases are only intended to be used for a single model of camera, others are more generic and can be put to use for whole product ranges.

Compact camera waterproof housings are quite cheap and have the added advantage that in most cases, they are fitted with a special refractor that increases the angle of your lens underwater, allowing you to take wild-angle pictures that would otherwise not be possible with such a camera.

As most compact cameras have a relatively powerful in-built zoom, this allows you to increase the versatility of your picture-taking when at the sea or in a pool. The refractor built into the waterproof camera lens can be removed in a pinch without exposing the camera to water, so you can do this while submerged.

The material of choice for compact camera underwater casing is a special hard plastic resin. Waterproof camera housing for SLRs is usually intended to withstand greater pressure, and is normally built of anodized aluminium, with hardened edges and seals for extra protection.

Essential features that you should look for in SLR is waterproof camera housing are a good quality non-distorting lens cover, and well-wired electronics that allow you to access all your camera features when it’s inside the case. With some housings, you can get very useful extra lens covers that allow you to change lenses while underwater.

When you buy waterproof camera housing, make sure that the maximum recommended depth that you can take the equipment to corresponds to the use that you will make. This is especially important when you intend to take diving photographs when scuba diving.

If you want to try your hand at underwater photography, you need to ensure that your expensive equipment will be protected. Waterproof camera housing is one of the steps towards this, but make sure that you also understand how to care for your equipment before and after submerging it.

Do also bear in mind that not all camera makes enjoy the same availability of underwater housing. There is a lot of availability for Canon and Nikon models, but for other manufacturers, this is not guaranteed and you’ll have to shop around for the right waterproof camera housing.