What's the BEST UNDERWATER SMARTPHONE HOUSING?! 📱🎥🌊 ⎮ The Ultimate Comparison

[@christinelee5900]

Thanks for your video! I have been using DIVEVOLK 4 as my smartphone house for one year. It is very reliable. I didn’t buy its original transportation box because it’s a little bit large for traveling. Instead, I bought it a switch game box.

[@MatthiasLebo]

That’s a nice idea. Thanks for sharing it with us. 🙏👍🏻

[@dangrb74]

That's a clever idea. Does the DiveVolk 4 with its dimensions fit in the Nintendo Switch game box?

[@christinelee5900]

@@dangrb74 Yes, I finally found a switch game box just fit Divevolk 4 without the accessories.

[@johnspierce]

This is an excellent review of the available housings and I obviously agree with you since I bought the DiveVolk for my iPhone 14 pro max. I also purchased the case for the housing which works well for protecting it in transit, however it does not address when you are actively using the housing on dive boats since the case doesn't fit when you have the tray attached to the housing. I'm going through my old defunct wetsuits in my "sports closet" (yes, I know you all probably have one) and I'm thinking of making a two-piece cover out of neoprene that I can put over the membrane and lens port to protect it between dives. I'll post pics on FB if I come up with something good.

[@johnspierce]

AH! Figured out a good quick fix to protect the membrane on the DiveVolk. The travel/transit case has a foam insert which you will remove to put the housing in. That insert is of course already cut exactly to the dimensions of the housing and is just the thing to use on a boat for protecting the membrane. Put it on the back and attach with a large rubber band around housing. Done.

[@jassyranti2156]

Thank you for this, been struggling with GoPro for quite some time, then I come across your review. A very clear and useful review. Bought the Divevolk right away, and will test it on a trip to Bunaken early December. Stay safe🙂

[@MatthiasLebo]

Awesome, glad I was able to help. Enjoy Bunaken and your new Divevolk housing. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it. 😊

[@quidambrujah]

i feel the same. i upgraded from a gopro 3 to a 360 and regretted it within a few months. their cloud service is slow and terrible and the software to make the 360 practical and usable for anything other than short clips is a UX horror show. i’ve given up on it altogether and the DIVEVOLK Seatouch looks like a great solution if you’re already happy with your phone and whatever ecosystem you’re into and would like to carry on under water. Next step is some kind of support for underwater charging or a thicker model to allow for batteries so you can livestream 😉

[@RichardBanks-g4h]

I first had no issues with the App, and all was working well. However, I have since found that when in photo mode the App and blue tooth link crashes, the photos are not shown on the dive log and for some reason I have lost the computer mode display. When I set to restart, I am required to log in via Apple, which means no operating system if I am offshore.

[@joshbainbridge5086]

Got 300 wildlife documentaries planned to make going to the DIVEVOLK 4 with the Sony Xperia. Fancy seeing the footage. Several Dive Trips

[@martinstierhof5507]

2 BIG CONs: Vakuum system and no use of touch screen: For me vacuum system was the big con on the sealife. I often got wrong alerts and had to open it and pump again. That happens on the boat and also when I went into water, which was very bad: Get out of the water open and pump again. then you have to wait again two minutes. Your dive buddies in the water will hate you :) - And the handling with the app is also uncomfortable. another big CON: You can't focus on the touch screen. That's why I will try the divefolk

[@MatthiasLebo]

Totally agree on the points you’re making Martin. I really think you’ll like the DiveVolk much better. If you’re buying a DiveVolk housing I’d appreciate if you use my affiliate link (bit.ly/3nVqDaS) which will give you an extra 6% discount on your purchase. Thanks for your support. 🙏

[@martinstierhof5507]

@@MatthiasLebo I will buy it. Just not sure if the Makro and wideangel lenses make sense for my iPhone 12pro and in future for the 15

[@TommyDanger-f9y]

I'm going diving in Fiji in about six months. I'm gonna get the Divevolk, but was wondering if you have any advice on what accessories I should purchase to maximize the photos? Great video as I almost bought the sealife, but really didnt want to work with an app.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks for your feedback mate and good choice going with the DiveVolk. You won’t regret that. 👍🏻 I would go with their Ocean Kit which includes the housing, a clamp and filter adapter, a red filter and a wide angle conversion lens. That’s kind of the basics that I always recommend. Additionally and depending on your budget, a tray and some lights (I.e. 2x SL50) can make sense. Divevolks has some good Black Friday deals on for packages right now and with the code MATTHIASLEBO at checkout you can get an extra 6% off. Just FYI 😉 Have fun in Fiji 😊

[@badbob001]

I was about to order a Kraken and then I saw this review. Thanks!

[@MatthiasLebo]

You're very welcome! 😊

[@mastadon7771]

VERY well done thank you! I've been leaning towards the Divevolk and you convinced me. Anyone know if they have any sales going?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks for your feedback buddy. I’m happy my comparison was useful to you. They don’t have any special sales right now, but you can get an extra 6% off by using my affiliate link here (bit.ly/3nVqDaS) to place your order. And you’re also helping my channel with that. Thank you for considering. 🙏😊 and have fun with your DiveVolk housing. 🤗

[@tinyfatgiant]

DiveVolk will never have a vacuum seal. To keep the touchscreen functional, the housing needs air internally to keep the membrane and touchscreen separated at all times.

[@bazoooooooooooooooka]

Und genau das ist auch der Vorteil gegenüber den anderen Gehäusen.

[@davidbiddle4314]

Excellent comparisons! I was about to order the Kraken. It seems to have the same cons as the saline. Does the Kraken have any pros that are worth considering it over the DiveVolk?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks for your feedback mate. No, dont really see any advantages of the Kraken that I find worth mentioning, other than the integrated vacuum system you get with the Kraken. So from a „keeping your phone safe“ perspective one could argue that the Kraken is better, but then again I have personally done at least about 150 dives with my DiveVolk and have never had any problems or situations where I was worried about the safety of my smartphone. DiveVolk still is the King of smartphone underwater housings in my opinion. The touchscreen is such a big advantage over having to rely on a crappy third party app, that I personally would choose the DiveVolk over any other brand any day. Hope this helps. ☺️

[@andre2679]

Excellent video. Thanks so much!

[@MatthiasLebo]

You're welcome buddy!

[@RainerWarrior666]

I always dive with gloves due to comfort and safety. Is the touchscreen still workable with gloves? I have neoprene one and for warmer weather some where the fingers are made out of "leather."

[@MatthiasLebo]

Yes, It will still work with gloves. It is not quite as responsive as with your bare fingers, but is very well usable.

[@fab9207]

Would you recommend these over an olympus tg6/7? I would prefer a manual mode but I can live with aperture priority. Even though about an old nikonos lol.

[@MatthiasLebo]

I actually wood, especially the Divevolk Seatouch 4 Max (bit.ly/3nVqDaS) as it is much more versatile and practical than a TG6/7. When you use your smartphone inside a Divevolk housing, you can use any third party app even underwater. This gives you so much control over your camera settings and you can go full manual with your smartphone if you wish to. Also I believe that the quality of the footage (especially talking about video) is better with a modern smartphone (iPhone 15 Pro / Samsung S24 Ultra / Xiaomi 14 Ultra, ...) than a TG6/7.

[@fab9207]

@@MatthiasLebo cool, thanks for the reply

[@fabiolopes5834]

Thank you from Brazil! Nice video!!!

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thank you mate 🙏

[@harryvlogs7833]

You didn't even mention most important thing to what depth are they waterproof to

[@MatthiasLebo]

They are all waterproof beyond recreational diving limits (60 and 80 meters respectively).

[@basheuberger]

Is there a possibility to make a bulkhead on one of these housings? Then I could use a tethered connection with my GH5 and use the phone as a monitor. I would prefer this over a wifi option.

[@MatthiasLebo]

No, I don't think you can do this on any of these housings. Actually on none of the smartphone housings I'm aware of. They try to keep the housings as small as possible and feeding a wired connection to the phone would make the housing quite a bit larger.

[@dangrb74]

Excellent review. I was going for the Sealife but am now ordering the DiveVolk. For the use of those phone housings in general, I was just wondering if you ever tried to take a picture with the iPhone's built-in flash?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks for the flowers mate. Glad the review was useful and I'm very confident you won't regret going for the Divevolk housing. Funny you ask about the build it flash. I was just doing some testing with the build in flash for our new Divevolk online course (Mastering your Divevolk Seatouch 4 Max), which will be released September 21st. And I can tell you now confidently, that it doesn't work because the flash will reflect in the glass of the housing and you'll end up with an ugly reflection on your photo. Don't use it and if you need more light, go with an external video light. Hope this answers your question?

[@dangrb74]

@@MatthiasLebo Thanks for the rapid turnaround. I was hoping there was no reflection but I guess there are some limitations you have to cope with. I'll order the DiveVolk anyway and look forward to your next video! Take care!

[@MatthiasLebo]

No worries mate. Yeah, physically that doesn’t work, having a light source so close to a glass element. When you’re ordering the housing, if you don’t mind, please use my affiliate link (bit.ly/3nVqDaS). It will give you a 6% discount and provide me with a small kick back from DiveVolk. Thanks for your support mate and I’ll see you in the next video. 🙏😉

[@dangrb74]

@@MatthiasLebo Argh... too late!!! I already ordered it yesterday right after reading your first reply! But I have dive buddies looking for a similar solution and I'll refer them to you! Have a great summer with lots of diving - l'm looking forward to the September videos! Cheers, Dan

[@MatthiasLebo]

@@dangrb74 no worries and thanks for telling your buddies about the discount. Appreciate it. 🙏 And enjoy your new SeaTouch 4 Max on many underwater adventures to come. 😊

[@diegocajn]

I’ve seen reviews where the SeaLife camera can have problems with the vacuum system….false alarms and finicky

[@ahmedmahomed]

Hi I just wanted to know, Is it possible to do professional videography with a Samsung phone, underwater? Should I rather just do raw, and post process?

[@MatthiasLebo]

What do you mean by professional videography? Can you shoot raw video on your Samsung phone?

[@eloynogueira]

Absolutamente incrível !Ganhou o meu respeito e mais um seguidor!!!👋👋👋

[@rodolphealary2367]

Really thanks for sharing Matthias. Top !

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thank you buddy. Glad you found it useful. 😊

[@quidambrujah]

not sure i understand the benefit of a vacuum. doesn’t reducing the pressure inside create additional stress on the seals when you consider the difference between the internal and external pressures?

[@freeportkid]

1 you can see if theirs an issue with the seal prior to entering the water. 2 if you seal up your phone in a hot humid environment like a dive boat near the ocean, then go in water that is colder it’s going to condense and fog up inside the case. If you vaccum the air and moisture out then you avoid this issue

[@MatthiasLebo]

The vacuum created inside the housing is fairly small and won't put any excess stress on the seals. It's meant to help you detect a problem with any of your seals before entering the water, preventing or better minimizing the risk of getting a seal failure while underwater.

[@colinmcdougall652]

ty for this good info

[@ivanbrazhnikov]

Thanks for the review, it's very interesting, I still bought myself a Sealife ... I'll check and tell you later +/-

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks for your comment mate. Please let us know how you like the SeaLife SportDiver after you've got enough experience with it. 👍🏻

[@ivanbrazhnikov]

@@MatthiasLebo absolutely!!! I'm going to dive to the Philippines on Sunday, I'll be back on April 12, there will be enough time to evaluate the pros and cons.

[@MatthiasLebo]

@@ivanbrazhnikov great! Have an awesome trip mate 😊

[@ivanbrazhnikov]

@@MatthiasLebo Спасибо большое💪

[@OceanicAgnes]

Hi Matthias, thanks for your review. I can't make a decision which video lights I will use on Divevolk housing. Torn between Bigblue and Scubalamp. Never used any of them. I feel that Bigblue is more compact and versatile. Any ideas?

[@johnspierce]

I have never used the Scubalamp, but I have owned and used Bigblue lights and they are reliable and easy to use.

[@Graggs]

Just be careful with BigBlue's claims of light output versus battery life. Nice lamps but after challenging them and getting no real-life data, I opted for Scubalamp and I'm very happy with their value for money alternative

[@manius_dive]

Great review . I have a question whether the camera from the iPhone is enough to record videos and take photos. Or is it better to download some other company? Where can I buy this protective box for Divevolk pro max 4 ?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thank you buddy. Glad you enjoyed the comparison. I use the native camera app from the iPhone and am quite happy with it. You can get the transportation/protection box here: www.divevolkdiving.com/products/divevolk-eva-box-for-seatouch-underwater-housing?sca_ref=2327536.l8XK6fwDo0

[@johnspierce]

@@MatthiasLebo The native iPhone app is quite good -- I wonder, have you tried the Camera+ for iPhone? In particular, it has a manual white balance feature I have used above water. Might be a nice app to use U/W.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thanks john, interesting. No I haven’t used that app yet, but I’ll make sure to look into it. 🙏

[@koncertiky]

Hi, great review :) I have a few questions though. How do you deal with the lenses & filters if you wanna change during a dive? E.g. red filter, macro or even additional wide angle. I find it too dangerous to unscrew while diving and then store the other lens somehow in your BCD pocket. Really sad they don't have a lens holder like blackstatter which you can flip. Secondly how do you open the case after the diving? I find the screws so tightly screwed in (which is good), that it takes a LOT of effort to unscrew. Last but not least, how do you mount the whole housing incl extra lenses and torches to your BCD in a way that nothing gets destroyed while "descending" in a more adventurous dive conditions such as strong current.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thank you. Yeah I know the problem with changing lenses and filters. I actually have the filters/lenses I don't use in my BCD pocket and just change them underwater if needed. I know, not ideal, but there isn't many other options at the moment. Divevolk is working on a filter system though that should enable you to attach several filters/lenses to the housing at the same time. Don't know when it will be available though. I normally use a towel to help me open the housings. I find it also very difficult with my bare hands, but a cotton towel should give you enough traction to not have to use too much force. And lastly, I normally just have the wrist strap around my right wrist and hold the housing in my right hand while descending on a dive. Alternatively you can also use the protective cover (bit.ly/42wmVqN) which can be clipped off to a D-Ring on your BDC.

[@matthewborland9011]

Hey Mathias. Do you know of any reports of the divevolk flooding?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Not really, no. I've only ever heard of 1 housing flooding but that was a user error as they took it too deep.

[@TheFluffyDuck]

What iPhone apps do you recommend that would work well with the divevolk, and that you use ?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Just released a special video talking about that topic today. Check it out here: FAVORITE MOBILE APPS FOR UNDERWATER 🎥🌊📱 kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6LQdJJogMlsZ5I

[@risasobremonte294]

Hello Good evening..May I ask something.. I have a Divevolk 4 but Im using Samsung phone,and now Im so scared to put my phone inside the case because im so scared that water go inside and my phone didnot function after all,how do I know that my phone is safety when i put inside the case?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Make sure to test the case without the phone inside on a dive before putting your phone in there. If you decide to put your phone into any housing, there is never a 100 % guarantee it will be totally safe. But if you test the housing first and be careful when closing the housing, the risk of flooding is minimal.

[@lelandabdmc]

What do you think about the Diveroid? I’ve been using it for about 3 years, including the integrated dive computer (as a backup). I have the Hot Dive 1, but have never actually brought it on a dive vacation.

[@ondrejvysek]

Diveroid is cool, in terms of video is really bad due to the high compression and lack of use of stabilization in the phone (I changed diveroid after 3yrs to Sealife)

[@lelandabdmc]

Thanks. I mostly shoot stills, but you’re right that the app (if necessary) is an important component. I can see why Mathias likes the idea of just using the phone’s camera functionality.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Can’t really say much about the diveroid, since I’ve never used it. Seems solid on first impressions, but the dive computer integration is not really necessary and rather a destruction than anything else in my opinion.

[@SeattleRingHunter]

4:06 Not going to get it to work if your a drysuit diver using a dry glove system with a rubber cuter glove. Your insulated gloved hand will not activate the inductive screen of the modern iPhone or Android. If your using a wet neoprene glove with some pass through conductive properties you might get it to work but unless your bare handed (not likely for cold water divers) its not likely going to function as claimed in this video.

[@MatthiasLebo]

I have to disagree with your comment. I've personally used the Divevolk Housing in our Swiss lakes repeatedly with my dry suit (rubber) gloves and it works fine. But should you encounter problems, Divevolk actually makes a finger cot made from cotton that helps getting a better response on the touchscreen when using dry suit gloves. www.divevolkdiving.com/en-ch/collections/protective-cover/products/divevolk-cotton-cott-for-seatouch-3-housing-2pcs

[@skywalker6763]

Hello, Mathias. This was a great video, although I was wondering if you could recommend me a phone case that won’t change my picture quality at all above water. You see I’m not a scuba diver, I barely can swim, but I know I want to take nice pictures in Varadero beach next month and some of them will be in the ocean, the person holding my phone will (although not immersed) be wet, and I’m scared if my phone drops. I was excited about the Pelican Marine but then ppl said it changed quality and that’s the only feature I care about Could you recommend me one?

[@MatthiasLebo]

The Divevolk Seatouch 4 Max hands down. The quality of the footage is exactly the same as if recorded without the housing. Just make sure you don't have any water droplets on the front glass element (the one in front of the lenses) and you'll be fine. And don't film directly into the sun as this might result in some unwanted reflections through the glass onto the lens. Have fun in Varadero.

[@skywalker6763]

@@MatthiasLebo thank you 🙏🏻

[@martinstierhof5507]

wideangel: Has somebody experience with the wideangel lense from divefolk? does it make sense for iphones 12 pro and newer, which have themselves good wideangel lenses.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Hey Martin I've been using the wide angle conversion lens quite a bit. If you want to use your ultra wide lens underwater the conversion lens is not just giving you a little bit wider view, but the main advantage is that it's going to reduce corner softness and distortion. So to answer your question, yes, I do think it is a useful tool. Not a necessity, but helpful nevertheless. PS: Get 6% off the regular price by using my affiliate link if you decide to get one: bit.ly/3K0PyFU

[@martinstierhof5507]

@@MatthiasLebo Thanks for your support. Your channel is great. The reviews are at the point. Interesting, helpful and very professional!

[@taituara]

@Matthias Lebo What is the max depth you reached with the Divevolk keeping the full functionality of the touchscreen? I read many comments regarding the touch no longer working over 15mt (guess due to the obvious increase of water pressure on the membrane). Thanks!

[@MatthiasLebo]

Interesting, I've never had any issues with the functionality of the touch screen, even at deeper depths. I've taken my Divevolk housing to about 45 meters max and it worked just fine. It is rated to 60 meters and Divevolk says the touch screen will work all the way down there, but I can't confirm this since I haven't taken it that deep yet.

[@taituara]

@@MatthiasLebo I won’t even plan to go so deep 😉… thanks for the quick and exhaustive reply and keep up with your great production!

[@rmorgan56]

I've used the DiveVolk at ~100'/30m with no noted change in performance.

[@taituara]

@@rmorgan56 Thanks, just ordered mine 😉

[@scubavery]

Hi Matthias I knew straight away which one was your favourite lol . I still haven’t bought a housing yet from our last conversation.I do like the Divevolk . But my only issue is and I wonder if you could help is that I have a SeaLife tray that holds two video lights the ones with the flexible arms . Would the Divevolk fit on the tray and between the two lights ? If not I will have to go for the SeaLife which seems a lot of fuss setting up as my friend has one.If you could help it would be much appreciated and will confirm my final decision so I can go ahead and order one many thanks 🙏

[@scubavery]

I just found out from divevolk that it doesn’t fit the tray so looks like I have to go with the sealife housing or wait as they might come up with a better design in the future.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Do you know why it doesn't fit? I just compared the two housings and from holding them on top of each other it looks like they are pretty much identical in size. The Divevolk is maybe 0.5 cm wider. But I don't know how the tray works in terms of attaching a housing to it. Has it got one screw or several. If one, it should work in my opinion. If two, it might not work as the distance on the holes to screw on the tray are different on the SeaLife and the Divevolk.

[@scubavery]

@@MatthiasLebo This is the reply I received back .I am sorry for that This tray is too small, it was designed for the gopro and the small cameras

[@MatthiasLebo]

Too bad, but I guess they must know. Dive ol’ has an own tray btw.

[@MatthiasLebo]

@@scubavery Okay, sorry to hear this. Divevolk has a nice tray that will fit the housing perfectly. 😉

[@jalarcon1061]

Will Divevolk work with Google pixel 7 pro?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Yes, it should work with the pixel phones. You can check the compatibility on Divevolk’s website: bit.ly/3nVqDaS

[@waveneyavenue]

Having purchased a divevolk housing to pair with my Xperia 5 ii, i have now realised i can't use manual settings in photography pro because it has no on-screen shutter button just a physical shutter button!!!!. Any solution you can think of?

[@MatthiasLebo]

What about using a third party app? Would that give you a on screen shutter button?

[@waveneyavenue]

@@MatthiasLebo perhaps but with much less manual control..i believe sony smart phone cameras don't 'play nice'. Maybe you could recommend an app that works well?. Or is there a underwater bluetooth remote shutter device 🤔

[@MatthiasLebo]

I see. No, Divevolk doesn't make a remote shutter device and as for the app, not sure what works well with the Sony phones. I've been using filmic pro and that one works fine with my iPhone. Might be worth a try?🤷🏻‍♂️

[@sergeym3430]

Maybe buy GoPro for same price?

[@MatthiasLebo]

Personally I wouldn’t do that. A modern smartphone in the right housing is a lot more versatile than a GoPro.

[@damienlauvergnat7325]

Hi have you test sealink with camera without fonction wifi ( it’s possible with card toshiba air or eye-fi. Or card reader sd or cf with wifi ) for the divelock ? I never see test with this type of camera and i’m not sure it’s possible , thanks for your differents videos !! Damien

[@MatthiasLebo]

Hey Damien Thanks for your comment. I don't quite understand what you mean. The sealink is (simply put) a wifi enhancer, making the signal stronger so it can pass through water from the camera to the smartphone. If you're camera has a wifi capability to be connected to a smartphone the sealink will work. Hope this helps.

[@damienlauvergnat7325]

@@MatthiasLebo hi no my camera has not a wifi function i need use a card inside with wifi and I’m not sure it’s possible !

[@MatthiasLebo]

Well if you create any wifi signal the sealink souls be able to pass it through to the smartphone.

[@damienlauvergnat7325]

@@MatthiasLebo thanks Matthias

[@damienlauvergnat7325]

@@MatthiasLebo thanks mathias i receive my lens +8 but i think the méchanic attachement is not secure ! have you discuss with Divevolk this attachement ?

[@pelagicbeing]

Thank you for a great comparison. I am leaning towards the Divevolk, but concerned about longevity with the touch screen membrane. Do you know if the membrane is replaceable should it get damaged or age out? Thanks again.

[@MatthiasLebo]

Thank you for your feedback. I'm glad my video was helpful. I don't think the membrane is replaceable, at least not by the user. You will most definitely need to send it to their factory to replace it if necessary. But having said that, I've probably done more than 200 dives on my Divevolk housing and the membrane still looks pretty much like on the first day. No signs of aging or anything like that. I can't tell you what it's going to be like in 5 years, but it looks very promising. And even if you have to replace it every 5 years or so, it's not like you're replacing a housing that costs thousands of dollars. In order to protect your membrane as much as possible I recommend getting the neoprene cover. It really helps to protect your membrane while you're getting into the water or coming out of the water. And never leave it out in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight is going to weaken the membrane and make it more fragile. Hope this helps?

[@googlenospam]

@@MatthiasLebowhat is this neoprene cover ?

[@RidwanNento]

Barapa.satu