How to better take photos underwater with the smartphone and some suggestions

Now days everyone has become a photographer and in a way that 30 years ago it would have been impossible, a joke. Today it seems really normal to take always better photographs using the personal phone; by now, more smart and less phone (I am stilling the joke from one of my friends), so much so that if we stand looking at the adverts of the new smartphones we see that their use as a phone is diminishing, and given as granted, whereas we see highlighted lenses, sensors and photo definition.

The social medias are full of photos more colourful and worthy of being published. Jokes aside the modern smartphone is e real good photographic camera, with the huge advantage that we have it always ready, in the pocket, to immortalise what we need. And in the water? At the moment, Easydive has in his catalogue 2 housings for smartphones, the Leo3 Smart and the more economic DiveShot, both in aluminium, which we recommend to those who would like to get closer to the photosub world.



I will highlight some reasons for which I am recommending them:

• They are in aluminium, which is not a trivial matter. An aluminium housing might be more costly than the plastic ones, but you have to consider that the Easydive housing will be with you for the rest of your life.

• Now days after 7 years from its introduction the housings are compatible with 4000 smartphone models (Android and IOS) and surely also the next smartphones, this by just updating the App.

• Does not produce plastic refuse, very polluting and difficult to degrade which it happens inevitably with the plastic housings produced specifically for a specific model, only apparently more economic, in reality born to soon become obsolete or polluting.

• The other point we like to underline the importance of are the push-buttons. These housings are the only ones in the world not to have O-rings on the push-buttons. This fact will ensure the maximum guarantee for possible water infiltration or floods, thing that sooner or later can happen in housings with mechanical controls.

This is achieved technically though different solutions: 

- through magnetic push-buttons in the Leo3 Smart;

- whilst in the DiveShot, through optical sensors push-buttons. 

In both housings these push-buttons send, through the installed App, signals to our smartphone inside the housing, therefore they do not touch in any way he smartphone display (avoiding damage); on the contrary, thanks to these available Apps on Google Play and Apple Store and downloadable for free we will be able to use very many features on our smartphone, some specifically studied by Easydive to help you obtain photos and videos. Your smartphone can achieve results that you could never imagine.

It will be possible to change the times, ISO, White balance, and also to open and use, if you want, other Apps available in your smartphone.Yes you have understood correctly, with the new mouse functionality, you will be able to come out of the Easydive App and if you want, you will be able to open your own Apps. For example: get into the gallery and review what you have done, or watch a film during decompression.

Furthermore the touch buttons are not affected by the depth: The Leo3 Smart is perfectly functioning at – 150 meters. And I dare any plastic housing with mechanical buttons to be at the same level. Other important detail is either than the wet contact buttons, is the closing clips in aluminium as also the whole housing, this is a fundamental part of it. If it was made of plastic, this would in time and due to wear create problems.

Leo3 Smart



The first universal housing in the world for Smartphone,

compatible with all IOS and Android smartphones.

• The Smartphone talks to the Housing through a Bluetooth connection. All you only need is the Leo3 Smart App, downloadable from the Apple Store o from Google Store.

• Inside the housing there is a battery pack of 7800mAh.

• The Smartphone is connected through a cable (optional) to a power supply system, which allows to keep the phone battery always charged even during the dive.

• Possibility to fully utilise the features of the phone camera (adjustment of times, ISO, HDR, White balance, Auto and Manual focus).

• Possibility to move from photo mode to video mode simply pressing a push-button.

• “Selfie”, mode allows to use the smartphone front camera. Finally it will be possible to take fantastic photos in portrait mode, looking at yourself in the display, or record a video in which the user becomes the actor.

• The display at very high definition and considerable size of the new smartphones allow an incredible control of the image during the underwater dive.

Produced from a solid block of aluminium,


Compatible with the Vacuum System and Hydrophone.


The housing is depth rated to – 150 metres.


Like all the Easydive housings the Leo3 Smart has a life warranty.

Diveshot



Opting instead for the DiveShot, you have an universal housing for smartphone (patented):

• Compatible with all smartphones IOS and with many Android smartphone models.

• The smartphone communicates with the housing through Bluetooth connection. All you need is the Diveshot App downloadable from the Apple Store or Google store.

• New push-buttons setup with optical sensors, which allows to control your smartphone, without the presence of physical buttons. It will be necessary to cover the sensor witha finger to send the signal. The use of gloves makes it easier.

• Inside the housing there is a peg like holder which allows to block the different smartphones models and sizes into position.

• Ability to use the full potential of the phone’s camera. (adjusting times, ISO, HDR, White balance, auto and manual focus).

• Possible to pass from the Photo mode to the Video one, simply pressing a button.

• “Selfie” Function, allows to utilise the front camera of the smartphone. It will be finally possible to take fantastic photos in portrait mode, looking directly into the display, or record a video in which the user is the actor.

• The high definition large displays of new smartphones, allow an incredible control of the image shown in the housing display during the dive.

Manufactured from a single block of aluminium.


Compatible with the Vacuum System and Hydrophone.


The housing is guaranteed and depth rated to – 60 meters.

During our dive, the photo or video recording, a source of external light can add light and more colour to our images. The most possible natural one is offered by the strobes Revolution, of which we have extensively talked about in ScubaZone 55, which are available in 3 power strength and two versions, strobes providing a powerful beam, concentrated and deep, to light-up diffusely the scenery and make the most of the colours of the underwater subjects, with the opportunity to adjust the colour-temperature of the light for a perfect chromatic rendering in every situation.

A must have solution for those who do video recordings, the use of the strobes is making its way among photographer, which take advantage of the possibility to augment the sensor sensibility with a decrease of the image quality very contained.

Especially for those who want to have more power, and the total control over all the image characteristics, the Revolution strobes allow to be used also in Flash mode. The mode is activated on both of the housings.