News

Many of you who regularly read the pages of DPG may not have gotten this far… but even if you do see yourself as a “proper” shooter—with a “proper” camera—please hear us out. Nobody’s saying your smartphone is going to replace your fancy mirrorless any time soon, OK? This is a different kind of tool, you know? Great for a quick snap or two to send to your mom! Perfect for some sweet clips for Insta! Ideal for keeping the kids out of trouble when you go to Bali for the holidays!

Whatever you have in mind, dear reader, I think we can all agree that your precious smartphone (or perhaps your old model that’s currently at the bottom of the kitchen drawer) deserves the very best housing out there. All of which brings us neatly to Backscatter’s latest, and extremely timely, review, “Best Smartphone & iPhone Underwater Housings of 2025”—a very handy roundup that includes four of the seven smartphone housings currently available from Backscatter—the DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 MAX PLUS ($240), the Kraken KRH07 ($450), the Oceanic+ ($350), and the SeaLife SportDiver Ultra ($400).

As you’d expect, the Backscatter boys do an excellent job of comparing these housings side by side—both in their extensive article and the comprehensive accompanying video (starring newly minted Media Producer Thomas Anderson). For each housing, we get Backscatter’s considered opinion across five criteria—phone compatibility, ergonomics, setup, app performance, and accessories—and interestingly, it’s soon apparent that each one has its strengths and weaknesses, making the job of choosing between them considerably easier. As for the thorny question of whether a phone can replace a dedicated underwater camera? Well, Thomas rounds things off by tackling that, too.

To educate yourself on the pros and cons of the latest smartphone housings, watch the video below or check out the article on Backscatter, where you can, of course, also purchase a full range of accessories (including trays and arms, wet lenses, and filters) and video lights. Don’t forget that DIVEVOLK is a sponsor of this year’s DPG Masters Underwater Imaging Competition and there are no fewer than six SeaTouch 4 MAX PLUS housings up for grabs!
 

When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.