If you have siblings, you know how the small petty fights over a pack of chips can turn into a war. During the “Sibling-War of Water-Balloon-fight winner gets the car for the weekend”, my brother got hold of a water hose.
HAHA! Guess what, he didn’t win. Sadly, I didn’t prevail either. Instead, we both got grounded for 2 weeks because we broke mom’s window and destroyed dad’s camera.
Of course, it was my brother’s fault. He just couldn’t resist throwing water on our umpire and my best friend, who was making the video and shouting “CHEATER! CHEATER!”.
Okay, I broke the window, but back then cameras were way expensive and not so waterproof.
When my kid asked for a camera, I looked up a waterproof one. So, if you are looking for a good vlogging camera, here is a list of waterproof vlogging cameras to start with:
Nikon W300 Digital Camera
Nikon is famous for its optical scientific instruments. This camera is waterproof, freezeproof, shockproof, and even dustproof.
You can make 4K Ultra HD videos at dusk or dawn, during fireworks or underwater, in night-mode or beach mode, in time-lapse, or even super-lapse.
My kid went berserk when he found out that it got Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Just for the record, they have an inbuilt compass, a GPS, and 5X optical zoom-ins. It got TFT Screen and VR stabilization so, no blurring.
Costing under $350, this is value for money. I like the orange one, but if that’s not your thing they do make yellow and black ones.
Fujifilm FinePix XP80
Want to dive in 50 feet of water and record the experience? This is your camera then. With a 2.7-inch LCD and wide camera lens, this allows continuous shots at 10.0 fps.
You can even connect your tablet or smartphone and remotely control camera features. It even has a backlit CMOS sensor, so it auto-adjusts the light. Its one-touch movie button makes it user-friendly.
It costs under $200 and has a 16.2-megapixel resolution. So, economical and excellent Instagram profile, Score! It is not your thing if you want a floating camera. Though you can attach an accessory float strap.
GoPro HERO9 Black
It is Black and costs around $450. So, it’s just expensive and pretty? No? NO!!! It is waterproof and can make 5K ultra HD movies.
The auto-adjustments of this camera are amazing with time warp 3.0. It has a front LCD, VR hyper-smooth stability, and even rear-touch screens.
So, it ensures “exceptional visuals without blurring”. Also, the battery lasts relatively long and has USB ports to allow external accessories.
If you are a blogger who often goes onto live-streaming and likes to dip in salty waters, then this is for you. However, it is slightly heavier than other digital cameras.
Kodak PIXPRO SP1 Action Camera
If you are an adventurer this camera may be suitable for you. It is waterproof, freezeproof, shock and dust resistant. The advanced CMOS and EIS allow images of 14 Mega-pixels without distortion.
The speed and ambiance make this camera superior to traditional CCD cameras.
The video resolution is 1080 and costs around $180.
The Wi-Fi connection allows online streaming. The clear voice is suitable for even YouTube tutorial videos. There is no customized gimble for it, but you can attach a 1/4″ standard screw mount.
However, it does not have a zoom function.
Olympus Tough TG-6
If zooming in is your thing, then try this camera. With a macro lens, it allows several angles and shooting as close as 1cm from the lens. The camera is precise, so much so, it can even be employed within a microscope.
True to its name, it’s tough as a nail. Again, it is shock, heat, water, dust, and freeze resistant. With a 4k movie resolution and 120 fps, this camera is ideal for vlogging.
It has both manual and automatic control systems. You won’t face chromatic aberration or purple orb issues. All these features in under $500. Now that’s value for money!
GoPro Hero7 Black
With live streaming stabilization, you won’t have to manually adjust your camera while you are filming.
So, it gives a gimble-like hyper-smooth video, without the gimble itself! The resolution is 4k Ultra HD for videos and 12MP for photos.
It is waterproof so, yes, you can take a water-balloon hit and even hose-water for that matter and not get grounded like me.
It has a touchscreen and a voice-recognition control. The USB port allows numerous accessories. The camera can speed up to 30x, making hours into shareable moments. All this is just $250. Though the battery works fine but may require recharging after 24 hours.
GoPro Hero4 CHDHX-401
This GoPro model gives professional results with 4K30 HD, has a 0.5-inch screen, and allows 30 fps for just $220.
The camera has built-in Bluetooth along with Wi-Fi connectivity. The most prominent feature of this camera is its light-mode settings.
So, if you want to dive at night in the pitch blackness of this world, this is your match and it will auto-adjust light for you.
The camera even allows manual controlling for the picture-width, giving cinema-like results. However, the camera does not have a touchscreen.
Nikon Coolpix AW130
This is your thing if you want to capture sunsets and rainbows. Yes, even rain and snow, cause it’s waterproof and freeze-proof.
It is excellent for almost all kinds of functions from pet portraits to landscapes and close-ups to panorama modes. The camera allows zoom-in up to 5X and 5 shots a second in just $270.
It even has an in-built GPS, compass, and Points of interest. So, you will be an invincible vlogger with good graphics and the right directions.
The NFC and Wi-fi will let you share your video through a smart device. It has an SD card-port, but you must buy it separately.
Canon PowerShot D30
With its excellent graphics, Canon is one of the most popular choices among YouTubers and vloggers.
The camera is reliable with 1/2.3 optical sensor size and image stabilization. It has a 3” fixed LCD with 461,000 dots. Also, it is temperature, shock, and freeze resistant with waterproofing up to 90 feet.
Since it supports SD, SDHC, and even SDXC memory, so, no data loss or iPhone /smartphone dilemma.
Wait. What? Well, I lost my son’s first birthday pictures cause someone dumb (Okay that’s just me), tried to use an iPhone memory card in a not-so-suitable camera, and ended up having no pictures at all.
So, this camera is brilliant and perfect for all scenarios. It is a bit expensive about $650, but the graphics are worth it.
Kodak PIXPRO
If you are looking for an economical but good graphics camera, My Lord this is thy camera model and thee would love it.
It is water, shock, heat, and dust-proof. The camera weighs only 350 grams with perfect battery life and a wrist strap, so it’s quite handy.
It can zoom up to 4X, the LCD is 2.7-inch, and even has a wi-fi connection for just $140. The video is HD quality and the pictures are 16MP.
The digital image stabilization would let you have undistorted pictures. Though this camera has an SD port it is not your thing if you are into MMC.
Panasonic LUMIX TS7
If you are still into MMC and want excellent graphics, this is your camera.
This is the professional camera for under-water shoots. The video is 4K with a native resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, which is 4 times the standard HD experience.
The live-view finder function of its tempered 3-inch LCD screen allows you to monitor camera functions even under bright sunlight.
With 20Mp pictures and a built-in navigation system, this is suited for all kinds of adventures. However, the product weighs around 3.2lbs so it may be a bit heavy for steep mountaineering.
Nonetheless, the camera is perfect and costs just around $450.
AKASO Brave 4
If you are looking for a cheap waterproof vlogging camera, AKASO is your thing. Costing only $80, this camera gives 4K resolution and 20MP pictures.
The optical zoom-in is about 5X times, while HDMI and Wi-Fi connectivity allows smooth data transfer.
Interestingly, this camera even allows editing. Its most prominent feature is its compatibility with several accessories. The anti-shaking feature and image stabilization allow blur-free images.
It even has a diving mode, so you don’t need to buy an accessory red filter. It is compatible with all kinds of SD cards.
However, if you are using a card under 64 GB, ensure to format it in a PC system before inserting it inside the camera.
AKASO V50 Elite
If you want AKASO but with a touchpad, use this one. It costs only $140 and is perfect for numerous sports.
It can record in multiple angles as well as modes i.e. 720P/240fps, 1080P/120fps, 2.7K/30fps, 2.7K/60fps, 4K/30fps, 4K/60fps, and 20MP images.
The electronic image allows superb graphics without distortion. Additionally, it has a voice and remote-control features. The camera also has Wi-Fi and is waterproof for up to 131 feet.
So, you can go diving, swimming, snorkeling, and surfing while recording from a distance. Though it allows several other accessories, it’s not for you if you want to attach other lens mounts.
Now I know what you are thinking:
Which is the best water-proof camera?
It depends on your preferences. Though, among these cameras, Olympus Tough TG-5 is best in terms of water-proofing features. But I wouldn’t shy away from Nikon or Panasonic for that matter.
But can a water-proof camera go underwater?
Yes, ideally all such cameras should function underwater. However, water pressure increases with water depth. This may change the function of certain cameras, especially without appropriate galvanized casings.
Furthermore, seawater may be too salty for certain touchscreen-based cameras.
But if you are into marine-studies or enjoy surfing, you may want a camera with salt and water-resistant abilities.
If that’s what you want, I suggest GoPro Hero 7 or GoPro HERO9 Black.
Conclusion:
I hope this helped you decide on a water-proof vlogging camera for yourself. But no matter which camera you use, the most important thing is you are happy with the results.
However, I do recommend buying a waterproof camera, whether you are into water sports or not.