Words and images by Conor, who tested the kit across dives and snorkels in the UK and Menorca.
Smartphone cameras have gotten pretty good. So good, in fact, that entire blockbuster movies, like 28 Years Later, are being shot with the likes of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Whilst many of us still use our smartphone cameras for social media posts and sharing quick holiday snaps on WhatsApp, there's a growing feeling that they can be used instead of a "proper" camera. And as the saying goes, the best camera is the one you have on you.
And companies are seeing the potential. In the last few years, several underwater housings have entered the market, allowing you to take your phone with you when snorkelling and diving. These housings vary a surprising amount in their design and functionality, but all share the principle of turning your phone into an underwater camera.
They're gaining traction too, with the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 having a "Smartphone" Category for the first time this year. The images are fantastic, and I would hasten to bet most people wouldn't be able to tell they were taken with smartphones. The category was sponsored by DIVEVOLK, producers of one of the most popular smartphone housings, who provided a review unit for me to test out.
But do we need to use our phones when we already have a huge choice of cameras that we can take underwater? Action cameras provide portability and flexibility for beginners, point-and-shoot cameras like the Olympus TG range provide a good middle ground with a bit more control, and then micro-four-thirds and DSLRs provide full control and exceptional image quality. So where exactly do phones fit in all of this?
Well, keen to answer this question, and push the limits with my own phone, I recently put the DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Creator Kit through its paces alongside the DIVEVOLK Pro Macro Lens on some dives and snorkelling in the UK and Menorca.
Shot on iPhone 17 Pro back camera 2.22mm ƒ2.2, 12 MP
Main Review
The DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max is a universal phone housing that allows you to take your phone underwater to capture content. It's depth-rated to 60m, and can be used with a wide variety of DIVEVOLK accessories, creating a compact underwater camera rig that makes use of your phone's camera to capture wide-angle, macro and portrait images or video.
The creator kit comes with a variety of accessories in addition to the housing, including, a light, single-handle tray, wide-angle lens, bluetooth trigger, carry case, tether and spare parts like a gasket and grease. My first impression upon unboxing was that the housing felt solid and very well constructed. The housing being made of plastic may be a shock to those used to using all-metal housings from the likes of Nauticam. But for those of us used to action camera housings, it feels more substantial than the likes of GoPro or Insta 360. It's already survived several trips in the UK, as well as bouncing around on a dive boat in Menorca and I expect it'll last many, many more to come.
The same can be said about all the additional accessories and items, which are all high-quality and thoughtfully designed. The 2000 lumen SL20 video light is solid metal, offering a red light in addition to two white brightness levels. DIVEVOLK considers the small things, like a USB-C port on the light's battery, meaning that there's no need to take multiple charging cables on trips, just the USB-C cable and plug you're probably already carrying for your phone. The tether is another great essential item that comes with the kit, providing a secure fit when buckled together, and then the ability to hold the housing at beyond arms length when the buckles are unclipped - all the while clipped securely to your harness or BCD with a carabiner.
The stand-out feature of the DIVEVOLK housing isn't its robustness or thoughtful touches though, but the touchscreen panel on the back. Most underwater housings don't allow you to use your touchscreen, meaning that most of the time you're locked into their camera app and their button configuration. With the DIVEVOLK, the entire rear of the housing is made of a dual layer, liquid membrane which gives you access to the touchscreen. This may seem like a bit of a gimmick, but it actually provides a lot of versatility. You can use any camera app, which is a big plus, and it also means you can (if you so desire) use other apps whilst diving. It also means that you can use your phone on the dive boat immediately before and after dives, without worrying about getting it wet. Decompression divers may be thankful on those long stops for the ability to watch downloaded videos, review images from the dive or even play games to pass the time.
White-Tipped Nudibranch
DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max + Pro Macro Lens, Shot with iPhone 17 Pro
I tested out a couple of camera apps during my dives, each offering different benefits. The native iPhone app offered a familiar user experience, and also gave some fun options like 'dual camera' which allows you to shoot with the front and rear-facing cameras simultaneously. This is, admittedly, a bit gimmicky, but with the popularity of apps like 'BeReal', it's something many people enjoy sharing, and it gave me the chance to send some interesting snaps to family and friends. I also took some classic selfies with ease, and surprisingly little to no distortion from that membrane panel - something which would require careful framing with other setups.
Conor & his wife (Emma) snorkelling in Menorca. Taking selfies is easy with the DIVEVOLK's touchscreen membrane.
For the bulk of my photograph and video capturing though, the standout option was the UWACAM app. This was developed specifically for DIVEVOLK housings, and features wonderfully large buttons, easy to navigate menus as well as a 'pro mode' which gives you full manual control of many of the camera settings. Whilst it is a subscription model, the benefits are well worth it. The app also provides auto-colour correction, which was useful for quickly editing photos and sending them to family members whilst on holiday.
The UWACAM app offers large buttons, a clear user interface and a pro mode for manual control.
But what's the image quality like? Well, the lenses are fantastically sharp. The pro-macro, which I found myself using a lot more than the wide-angle lens, is a solid lens. It's pin-sharp and offers crisp detail even in lower light. The depth of field is very small though, giving a genuine macro image and shooting experience, and it can be challenging to keep moving wildlife in focus. That said, I enjoyed the challenge of photographing Nudibranchs drifting in the currents, and fast-moving Red-Black Triplefins (Tripterygion tripteronotum) whilst snorkelling.
Red-Black Triplefin (Tripterygion tripteronotum)
DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max + Pro Macro Lens, Shot with iPhone 17 Pro
Video was also great, and whilst you're reliant on the auto-focus which can pick up particles and bubbles, generally this wasn't a huge issue, and I captured some quick videos of an Octopus and Yellowmouth Barracuda with the autofocus working well and the camera software providing a nice level of stabilisation.
Pros
The overall setup in its simplest form, is compact, pocketable even with the larger wide-angle lens attached. It's lightweight, and even with my Insta360 One X5 attached to the single-handle tray, I felt barely any drag, with no noticeable impact on my buoyancy either. Whilst it isn't as compact as an action camera with a small handle, it's definitely smaller than even the most stripped-back DSLR or mirrorless rig and this meant travelling with it was no effort too.
Its rugged and easy-to-use design means that set up is as simple as placing your phone into a tray and sliding it into the housing. The housing fits a wide variety of phones within set dimensions. If DIVEVOLK doesn't have a tray already designed for your specific model of phone, they will 3D print a custom tray for you. Securing the door of the housing is done via two thumb-screws, which is easy and fast.
The image quality with my iPhone 17 Pro is brilliant, and the versatility of lenses covers all bases, meaning I can swap seamlessly between wide-angle and macro with the touch of a button - something which is next to impossible to do with other setups without a wet lens system.
Speaking of wet lenses, they offer the chance to shoot wide-angle and macro with ease. Whilst I was a bit nervous swapping them out underwater, I did manage it with relative ease. The lenses feel very high quality, particularly the pro macro lens, which is heavy (in a good way) and offers sharp images.
Red-Black Triplefin (Tripterygion tripteronotum)
DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max + Pro Macro Lens, Shot with iPhone 17 Pro
The bluetooth trigger is a nice addition too, particularly for macro photography, as it reduces the movement that can happen when you touch your screen to take photos or start recording. It worked flawlessly for me, and there was no lag or drop out - the bluetooth trigger is attached to the housing, meaning that the connection is strong and reliable.
Cons
Regardless of your phone, smartphone sensors are small. So don't expect any images to be printable to billboard size, but a well shot image with a 48 megapixel smartphone camera could be printed at A2 or A1 with no huge quality issues. That said, most people are consuming images and videos on smartphones, so does shooting in 8K or with huge sensors really matter?
Image quality is also entirely dependent on your phone. I was shooting with the iPhone 17 Pro, which, at the time of writing, is the flagship iPhone. The quality is great, but if you've got an older model, then there is potential the camera and software may limit the quality - especially if you have a model with smaller sensors. Older models may also lack multi-camera set ups, meaning you'd be dependent on the wet lens system entirely to get different shots.
Speaking of wet lenses, as I mentioned, swapping out lenses is relatively easy, if a bit nerve-racking, underwater. However I did have the realisation (after filming the video review) that a bayonet-style system would be substantially easier, and wouldn't require half the effort that threaded lenses do. There are third party options that can convert your threaded lenses to bayonet, but this could be something for DIVEVOLK to consider in the future.
Pilgrim hervia (Cratena peregrina)
DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max - Shot with iPhone 17 Pro native wide-angle lens
Finally, it's hard to ignore the fact that you're taking your phone underwater. It feels, in all honesty, a bit weird. After the first few dives I got used to it and also fully-trusted the housing. That said, like many action camera housings (but unlike many mirrorless and DSLR housings) it doesn't have a vacuum seal or leak detection. There is always the risk of flooding even with those additional measures in place. But unlike camera housings, if it floods, you're potentially losing your phone. This could be a lot more inconvenient (and potentially more expensive) than just losing a camera, as so many of us depend on our phones for communication, internet access, boarding passes, insurance documents etc.
Conclusion
I took the housing down to 18m on multiple dives, with no leaks or issues, and I really enjoyed the flexibility and familiarity of shooting with my phone. Compact, easy to use and with great accessories, the DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max creator kit offers a fantastic option for underwater content creation. With the additional pro-macro lens, it's a real contender for a powerful macro rig. Whether you're a beginner looking to start underwater photography/video, someone looking to have more control than with their action camera, or a DSLR or mirrorless photographer looking for a slimmed-down set up as a backup - using your phone to capture videos and photos is challenging, fun and can lead to some brilliant results.
Top Tip
The DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max offers the ability to use your touchscreen, which works really well. However, to make life even easier, I'd highly recommend setting up a focus mode (or equivalent for Android) for diving. In my focus mode, my iPhone's home screen is simplified to show only the apps I'll need when diving, and I've combined the focus mode with shortcuts, which means that the accessibility button appears automatically. I customised this button to show me a selection of core menus/apps which I can easily and quickly access without having to swipe up for the home screen or move through menus.
Want to see how far a phone rig can go in the hands of a competition shooter? Read how a 37-time award-winning photographer built his workflow around a phone.
