SeaLife launches underwater housing for the iPhone : Apple World Today

SeaLife, a maker of underwater cameras, has introduced a compact and lightweight underwater housing for Apple’s iPhone.  

The USS$299.95 SeaLife SportDiver housing will allow divers to take photos and video with their iPhone down to 130 feet or 40 meters.  The SportDiver can encase iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, Xr, Xs, Xs Max, 11, 11 Pro Max, SE (2nd Gen), 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max models.  

The heavy-duty housing is constructed of Polycarbonate, stainless steel, aluminum and optical grade glass.  The SportDiver weighs less than 1.5 pounds (641 grams) and purportedly offers almost neutral buoyancy in water depending on which iPhone model is used.  

The SportDiver offers a large shutter lever and rear control buttons for easy operation, even with dive gloves, according to the folks at SeaLife  Snorkelers and Divers can use advanced camera settings such as Adjust Zoom, Exposure (EV), Auto/Manual Focus, White Balance, Tint, Lens selection, RAW+JPEG mode, 4K Video, Portrait and Live Photo (features depend on iPhone models).

The SportDiver housing includes the free SeaLife SportDiver app for iOS 12. It allows you to switch between photo and video mode.  The SportDiver App uses the iPhone camera technology native to each iPhone model.

The App Playback mode shows full size photos and videos with vertical thumbnail strip to help locate your images.  All files are also saved to iPhone camera roll.  The SportDiver housing automatically connects to your iPhone and the SportDiver app using Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) 5 wireless technology.  

No cables or buttons touch the phon. The SportDiver offers low power consumption for both the phone and the housing, which is powered by two AAA batteries that last over 50 hours of continuous use. 

For enhanced imaging results, a removable underwater color-correction filter is included with the SportDiver which restores natural underwater colors, according to the folks at SeaLife. Its housing features triple 1/4-20 tripod mounts that mounts to any light or light tray with standard tripod threads such as SeaLife’s own range of Sea Dragon underwater photo/video lights.  

SeaLife also offers the SportDiver and Sea Dragon underwater light combined dubbed the “SportDiver Pro 2500 Set” for $649.95.

The SportDiver has “Dual Leak Alarms” that include an internal moisture alarm and a vacuum pressure alarm which alert the diver with on-screen warnings, audio and LED signal in the unlikely event the waterproof seal is compromised and there’s a loss of housing pressure or moisture is detected.  The door of the SportDiver is sealed with a TPE O-ring and a robust cam-lock sealing latch that easily and securely locks waterproof door.