Note: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post might contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. I would never recommend a product I have not personally tested and loved. 

What is the best camera for someone just starting out with underwater photography? This is a question I have been asked more times than I could count. We see it on Facebook groups, message boards, and Instagram almost daily. Every time I do an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session, it’s almost guaranteed it will be asked multiple times. But I understand why. There are so many options and differing viewpoints online, making it quite difficult for new photographers to know what to spend their hard-earned money on. So to help make things easier, I’m going to outline my top picks for the best underwater camera for beginners, as well as the reasons why I recommend them. I’ll also link to where you can purchase them so you can make sure you are getting exactly what you need.

Before we get started, I want to mention that I am writing this article for people who are actually looking to learn photography and get awesome shots. Not for those who just want to put the camera in ‘auto’ mode and push buttons, hoping for the best. And – spoiler alert – the Olympus TG-6 is not on the list! But I will explain why at the end of this article too. This way you can decide what works best for you. Ready to rock? Let’s jump in!

My Top Pick For Beginners & Those Wanting a Small Rig: 
Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV with Octo Housing: $1498 USD

Finding a solid balance between price and quality is probably the hardest entry point for new underwater photographers. No one wants to throw down $10,000 on a massive full-frame rig to find out they don’t really enjoy underwater photography. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV strikes this balance almost perfectly, especially when paired with Backscatter’s Octo Housing – and does it for under $1500. That alone is an amazing feat in my opinion, but let’s look at why it’s a great starter camera that you can grow with.

Similar to the Olympus E-PL10 – my previous top pick for beginners, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV packs a ton of great features in a very small package. First off, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV has a 20.3 megapixel Micro 4/3 Live MOS sensor giving you an extra 4 megapixels over the E-PL10 as well as a better sensor. It boasts an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera body that is only slightly larger than most high-end compact cameras and a wealth of features that can adapt to you as you grow as a photographer. The OM-D E-M10 IV can shoot full manual mode, meaning you will have full control over your images & exposure — something its little brother, the TG-6 lacks. It shoots in RAW for photography which translates to meaning you can properly edit your photos in post-processing software like Adobe Lightroom. It also shoots 4k 30fps for those interested in video and has a solid custom white balance system. For those interested in macro, astro or nightscape photography, you will love its manual focus magnification and focus peaking to help you get those beautiful pin-sharp shots. Plus, the built-in interval timer means no need to buy and carry an external intervalometer for stacking night sky images.

The Olympus E-PL10 used to be my go-to recommendation for those just starting out until the Olympus OM-D E-M 10 IV with the Backscatter Octo Housing was released. For those looking for a small rig at a great price point, you really can’t beat it. I’ve had a lot of time to play with both cameras showing my photo workshop students how to use them for everything from underwater photography to landscape, astrophotography, underwater modeling and much more. The camera gives great image detail and sharp resolution without blowing out highlights or making the shadows noisy. It also produces nice vibrant colors. Plus, the lens and optics options are unreal for a camera in its class. You have lenses and ports for fisheye (including the Lumix 8mm that I won my first-ever photo award with!), wide-angle zoom, macro, telephoto zoom, and the list just goes on. The Micro 4/3 mount covers a ton of Olympus and Panasonic lenses, so there are a lot of great options. And all of this in a camera only slightly larger than a TG-6? Maybe now, you are starting to see why it’s my recommendation for the best beginner underwater camera.

But let’s look at the housing now. Backscatter pulled out all the stops when creating the Octo Housing for the OM-D E-M10 IV. If you’re not familiar with them, Backscatter is hands down the best underwater camera shop on our planet. Their team tailored the Octo Housing features to get you the best bang for your hard-earned cash. The housing comes stock with a vacuum lock system as well as a strobe trigger for those looking to add lights. To put that into perspective, normally, strobe triggers can run about $300 USD, and vacuum systems can set you back another $300 on top of that.  Plus, it comes with everything you need, as well as a bunch of extra accessories, so you are ready to rock! Check out the photo – that’s everything that comes just with the stock housing. You definitely aren’t going to get that from another housing brand. Lastly, it just looks awesome with the black tentacles and white base.

Who’s this Camera For?

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV and Backscatter Octo housing is perfect for those just starting out that want a camera they can grow with and get great shots out of. Its size also makes it a perfect camera rig for travel or for those photographers looking for a small, lightweight system. And at less than $1,500 USD it also leaves you a bit of budget to purchase a strobe or video lights to take your shots to the next level.

Key Features At A Glance

• Compact Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera body
• 3-inch touchscreen with 180-degree flip-down design
• 20.3 megapixel Live MOS Four Thirds sensor
• TruePic VIII Image Processor
• 5-axis Sensor shift image stabilization (rated up to 4.5 stops)
• 121-area FAST autofocus system (contrast-detect AF)
• 4K UHD video at up to 30p
• 8.7fps fast continuous shooting rate
• Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

My top recommendation for those with a little more budget:
Sony a6700 Camera with 16-50 PZ Lens: $1498 + housing  

The new Sony a6700 is an incredible crop sensor mirrorless camera with a wealth of features –including all of the similar features found on the Olympus OMD EM10 IV — but with even better specs! It utilizes a 26-megapixel APS-C Exmor R CMOS sensor, and shoots RAW, as well as 4k 120fps video. The a6700 uses Sony’s E mount, which means you have a jaw-dropping array of available lenses to choose from. Additionally, it boasts a 759-point autofocus system that features Sony’s latest artificial intelligence (AI) system, which can recognize and focus an expanded array of subjects from trains, insects, cars, and airplanes. The E-M10 IV utilizes only contrast detection with 121 focus points for comparison.  But all of this comes at a higher price tag, with the camera and 16-50mm PZ kit lens retailing for $1498 USD. From there, you will need to add on your lens and an underwater housing which can easily bring your budget upwards of $3000 or more, depending on which housing you choose. But if you have the budget for it, the Sony a6700 is a great camera all around and is considered one of the best crop sensor cameras on the market.

The a6700 was just released in late July 2023, so it’s going to be a few weeks before underwater housings and port charts become available. We can pretty much expect that Nauticam will be announcing a housing for it in the near future as well as other brands.  Backscatter has already begun taking preorders for the Sony a6700 Nauticam housing, which you can grab here. Just let them know Jay Clue sent you. Once everything is released, I’ll be posting a dedicated article just for the a6700 with lens options, ports, and everything else you might want to know! In the meantime, if you’re interested in setting up a rig for it, give me a shout and I can tell you which lenses and ports I’d recommend!

• Sony’s new flagship APS-C E-mount mirrorless camera
• 26-megapixel Exmor R CMOS image sensor
• Weather-resistant body
• Tilting 3″ touchscreen
• XGA OLED electronic viewfinder
• Shoots at up to 11 frames per second
• AI autofocus system with 759 autofocus points
• Real-time eye-AF and real-time AF tracking
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• 4K/120p video recording
• Built-in microphone and headphone jacks

Note: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post might contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. I would never recommend a product I have not personally tested and loved. 

I get asked this question all the time, so I thought it would be great to have a little resource I can direct people to with links to all the gear and load outs I use for different types of photography. I update this page all the time, so you can check out what I’m currently using so def check back. Below you will find a list of my current rigs for underwater photography, topside wildlife photography, astro photography, and drone photography. If you’re looking to purchase gear I highly recommend checking out Adorama and Backscatter. They are my go to providers and are both amazing. You can also call Backscatter and tell them Jay Clue sent you, and their team will happily help build a personalized rig just for you. Just make sure to tell them Jay Clue sent you. Or if you are joining one of my expeditions, courses or workshops give me a shout and I’ll happily help you design the perfect system for what you’re looking to shoot and for your budget!

Side note – if you are looking for a bag to carry your camera gear or luggage for flying with it, def check out Atlas Packs and Think Tank. They’re both hands down the best bags I’ve ever used and they last forever . Plus if you click my links before you purchase, Think Tank will give you FREE shipping in the USA as well as a FREE GIFT!

Note: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post might contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. I would never recommend a product I have not personally tested and loved. 

Back in February this year I upgraded from the Sony Alpha A7R IV to the Sony Alpha 1 with Nauticam’s NA-A1 housing and have been putting them through the wringer ever since. It has been my go to camera rig for both commercial and recreational shoots using it on everything from astrophotography to underwater photography & cinematography, landscapes, topside wildlife, and the list just goes on and on. And when I say putting it through the wringer, I’m not lying. I’ve had them in over 10 countries, on hundreds of dives in different environments, plus hiking, long nights shooting the milky way, getting splashed with salt water in rough seas, whale watching, photographing the aurora borealis, and so much more. I even shot the Sony Alpha 1 in a sandstorm.  So when my friends over at Dive Photo Guide asked if I could write a review on the Sony Alpha 1 and Nauticam NA-A1 housing I was pretty confident I could give a solid review based on actual real world experience with the camera system. It’s one of the most in-depth camera reviews I’ve ever written so it is a bit long, but packed with lots of info, real world shots, and even a 3 minute video of unedited underwater video footage from Los Cabos, Mexico and The Visayas, Philippines – so you can see the true quality of video the Sony Alpha 1 produces without color grading or editing.

Here’s a little sneak peak from the Sony Alpha 1 Review to get you started:
“Among the less headline-grabbing specs, but extremely consequential for underwater photographers, is the A1’s “world’s fastest” flash sync speed of 1/400s—twice as fast as most other full-frame mirrorless cameras, which cannot sync beyond 1/200s. When shooting fast action with strobes, this ultra-high sync speed allows you to minimize ambient light motion blur for a crisp, well-defined subject. When shooting in shallow, bright ambient light situations, a shutter speed of 1/400s makes your strobe power count for more when balancing natural and artificial light for big reef scenes, allows you to achieve sunbursts with well-defined rays more easily, and makes it possible to shoot macro with wider apertures for creamy bokeh backgrounds.”

The full Sony Alpha 1 & Nauticam NA-A1 housing review article is available free of charge on the Dive Photo Guide website. Check it out when you have a second and let me know what you think. Definitely would love to hear your feedback on the article and your experiences with the Sony Alpha 1 or Nauticam NA-A1 housing. If you want to check out some more awesome underwater content content I’ve contributed to Dive Photo Guide click here for a full list.

Before I wrap up I want to send a massive thank you to Backscatter Underwater Photo & Video for helping me with this article and always supporting my work. Backscatter is hands down the best underwater camera shop in the world and where I purchase all of my underwater gear. Their team is not only highly knowledgable, but also incredibly helpful and fun to work with. They honestly go above & beyond every time. Plus they shoot everything they sell, so there is always someone that has experience with whatever piece of gear you might be looking for. Additionally a big thank you to Dive Ninja Expeditions and Aggressor Liveaboards for destination & location support on this article.

About Dive Photo Guide:

DivePhotoGuide.com is an amazing underwater photography &  videography online resource, as well as an award-winning website that was created for photographers and videographers of all levels. Their content spans multiple topics covering underwater photography technique guides, gear reviews, travel & destination guides, equipment guides, photo galleries, daily news, competitions, and so much more. And if that wasn’t enough, they also boast an active community of over 50,000 underwater photographers and videographers from around the globe.