Pro Diver Paul's 75m DIVEVOLK Test (2019 Palau Review)

(Feedback shared by Paul, professional cameraman, during a documentary shoot)

Paul's Original DIVEVOLK Housing Review (Circa 2019 - Palau)

Sorry have not been back to you earlier with feedback but am currently filming here in Palau for a documentary so little time. Anyway please see feedback below.

Unboxing & First Impressions:

Opening the shipping box I was very pleased to see the presentation and boxing of the housing and accessories, really sets it up as a great product. Having gone through all the parts one thing I would say is that for a lot of people they might find the instructions very basic and maybe an expanded set of instructions for mounting the lens’ etc would help. Alternatively a good online video, set by step would really help some people. I managed to work it out fine but I work as a professional cameraman so it would make sense to me !!!

Overall the quality and build of the housing and accessories looks great and I was really excited to get this in the water.

Core Functionality: Touchscreen & Depth Performance:

I first tried the housing out with only the headphones and no lens and in shallow water, to be careful !! The housing works flawlessly and whilst you do have to keep pressure on the screen whilst selecting apps or scrolling up or down, which you should point out in instructions or videos, I was really happy that I could access any apps I wanted to which is a huge thing for me. I tried the headphones and a couple of things to let you know here. I found the quality of sound to be not that great and also having to pair them at the surface meant that the battery on the phone was really affected, especially on long dives which is usually what I do when filming. Also having that charging point, which is relatively large, dangling around was a real pain and I could see that this would get caught up on other equipment. I also tried playing music without the headphones and straight through the phone and found this to be more than acceptable, in fact it is relatively loud so much so that my safety diver could also hear my music and podcasts 😊

(Paul noted needing to keep pressure on the screen for selections/scrolling with that specific older model's membrane).

After trying the housing shallow a few times I then had to start work on a filming shoot which will last a month and involves dives to 75 Meters for up to 3 hours with 2 of those being decompression stops. I am extremely happy that the housing is fine to 75M and you can even still access all the phone apps and functions even at that depth, which I have tried!! With the long decompression stops it has given me ample opportunity to test the camera and macro and wide angle lens with and without the red filter, whilst listening to my favourite music and podcast on those 2 hours of decompression which is nothing less than a game changer for long dives.

Optical Performance (Macro, Wide Angle, Filter):

The macro lens I am very impressed with. It is sharp and allows a close focus on subjects. In conjunction with lights is really produces good results for an iPhone and I have been very happy. The wide angle lens does show some very soft corners in the image, a problem with a lot of wide angle prime lens’ when used wide open, i.e. F2.8. It does increase the field of view significantly but if you want sharp images then you will find that you have to crop the images in post. I also found that it is very important to align the lens in the mounting bracket properly otherwise you do get vignette quite heavy. This might be something you really want to point out in the instructions or videos. The first time I tried it was hard to see any problem on the iPhone screen but when I downloaded and brought the images into Lightroom it was very clear. I found the best way to check was to zoom in on the screen and check the corners, realign the lens if necessary and then continue to shoot.

The red filter I used both at depth, 55 meters, and a lot in the shallows and having used filters for many years on older video cameras I found this to be too heavy a red. At depth it really introduces a magenta cast to images, which you can correct for in Lightroom to some degree, and in the shallows (6 meters where our final decompression stop has been) the whole image becomes red and requires a lot of post processing to bring back the original colours in the scene. I would suggest that you make this filter a little less strong or maybe point out that you will need to colour correct or that it should only be used between 10 – 25 meters where I found it seemed to work the best but still required some post processing of the colours.

The Decompression "Game Changer":

The HUGE and possibly greatest benefit for me as a professional cameraman and technical rebreather diver is that more often than not on shoots I end up doing decompression and to have the ability to listen to music, play podcasts and even watch movies to whittle away the time is nothing short of AMAZING !!!! I have been showing this to my safety divers and also another cameraman that I am currently working with and all of them will be heading to your web site to order !!!

The headphones are not a huge issue for me as we are on full face masks and underwater communications most of time so it makes it almost impossible to put the headphones in anyway and the sound is loud enough for me straight from the iPhone.

Paul's Overall 2019 Verdict:

All in all I am amazed and massively please by your product and will happily recommend this to everyone I know, though the one thing all that I have showed it so far agree is that I think your price point might be a little low !! We all agreed that $150 is a bargain, though I am not sure if that is what the retail price will be.

I have uploaded a few images to a DropBox folder that I have taken with the housing and also a few of me using the housing in shallow water whilst doing decompression. I have done a very quick edit of them but really did not spend a massive amount of time in post. Please feel free to use them if you like as well as any of this feedback as I am a huge advocate of your product and overall am hugely impressed by the housing.

 

I hope this helps and if you need anything else from me please let me know. Also, is there a link where people can order these directly ? Would be happy to share that with anyone that asks about the housing.

Regards,

Paul

DIVEVOLK Commentary: Evolution Fueled by Pros Like Paul!

Paul’s rigorous testing and detailed feedback from his demanding Palau shoot were incredibly insightful back in 2019. It confirmed the potential of our core touchscreen technology even under extreme conditions, while also highlighting areas where we could refine the user experience. Here’s how things have evolved, addressing Paul’s key points:

1. Instructions & Ease of Use: We heard Paul loud and clear! We now offer comprehensive Setup Guides and Video Tutorials on our website and YouTube channel, making assembly and operation straightforward for everyone.
2. Touchscreen Technology: The need for constant pressure noted by Paul was characteristic of earlier membrane designs. Our current SeaTouch 4 Max features significantly advanced touchscreen sensitivity, providing effortless access to the entire native phone OS and all apps with a light touch, just like using your phone normally. It’s a massive leap in usability.
3. Audio Solutions: The specific headphone accessory Paul tested is no longer part of our standard lineup. Users today can easily pair waterproof Bluetooth bone-conduction headphones (before the dive) for private listening, or simply use the phone’s speaker during deco stops, which Paul found surprisingly effective!
4. Optics System (Lenses & Alignment): This has seen major upgrades! We moved to an industry-standard 67mm Threaded Lens Adapter system. This offers:
   • Vastly Superior Lens Choice: Access to high-quality 67mm macro and wide-angle wet lenses from DIVEVOLK and third parties, minimizing issues like corner softness noted with earlier specific lenses. Check out our current Wide-Angle and Macro Lenses.
   • Easier Handling: Simple screw-on/screw-off changing underwater, even with gloves (or big hands!).
   • Reliable Alignment: Secure threading generally ensures better lens alignment than some older bracket systems.
5. Red Filter Performance: Filter technology and recommendations have also been refined. Our current Red and Magenta Filters are designed for optimal performance within the typical 5-25 meter (15-80 feet) range, aligning with Paul’s findings. We always recommend experimenting with custom white balance or planning for some post-processing for perfect color, especially outside the filter’s ideal depth.

The Core Promise Endures:

What hasn’t changed is the core “game-changing” benefit Paul highlighted: the ability to safely use your entire smartphone underwater. Accessing apps, communication tools (at surface), entertainment during long deco stops, and having full creative control over your camera remains a unique DIVEVOLK advantage, now made even better with the SeaTouch 4 Max.

A Huge Thank You!

We sincerely thank Paul for his invaluable feedback and for pushing our early gear to its limits back in 2019. It’s insights from dedicated professionals navigating real-world, demanding conditions – like filming documentaries during deep dives in Palau, a truly world-class diving destination known for its strong currents and unique marine life – that help DIVEVOLK continuously improve.

Explore the latest evolution of underwater smartphone housings and accessories that benefited from feedback like Paul’s!

Shop DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max & Gear