Are GoPro cameras waterproof and the way deep can they go?

Motion cameras are a must have for each lover of the outside. Be it snowboarding or snowboarding, parachuting or spelunking, they’re a great device to report all of your actions.

GoPro makes, with out query, lots of the best action cameras around today. The corporate provides a variety of units that provide not solely nice video high quality, however are additionally identified for being sturdy and taking over even the harshest environments in stride.

Nevertheless, with the ability to face up to excessive and low temperatures, sand, particles or an unintentional fall is one factor. The opposite is the component that claims in all probability essentially the most tech units yearly – water. Recording your diving or swimming would make for some superior footage, however first, you have to guarantee that your digicam is as much as the duty, which means how waterproof it’s. GoPros differ wildly in this regard, so right here’s a helpful explainer in case your mannequin can go underwater and the way nicely it does it!

Are GoPro cameras waterproof?

Waterproofing a tool is usually a problem – a producer has to guarantee that each nook and cranny is protected not solely from mud and particles but additionally a lot smaller – and extra corrosive – water droplets. That’s why, regardless that defending motion cameras from mud is a typical factor, not all of them include waterproofing as normal.

Nevertheless, to counteract that, GoPro and different producers are inclined to assemble specialised waterproof shells for his or her units. That manner, even when the gadget itself is just not shielded from water, it will get waterproofing from its exhausting shell.

After all, one of the best plan of action is to have each, that’s an IP waterproofing score in your gadget, plus a water-proof shell. Moreover, these waterproof circumstances are often rather more resistant and go a lot deeper underwater than units that aren’t outfitted with them. A typical waterproof motion digicam can go as little as 5-10m underwater. Nevertheless, some waterproof shells let you dive a lot deeper – even as much as 60 meters.

Basically, you possibly can anticipate newer GoPro fashions to be waterproof even with out a protecting case, both as much as 5m or 10m. Older fashions, then again, should depend on their casing to have the ability to go underwater.

How deep underwater can my GoPro go?

Numerous GoPros include completely different waterproofing scores and equipment that enable them to go even deeper. Right here’s a deep-dive into all of the fashions and the way deep underwater they’ll go:

• GoPro HERO12, HERO11, HERO10, HERO9, HERO8, HERO7, HERO6, HERO5 Black – These fashions are waterproof all the way down to 10m/33ft with out a case (supplied all of the doorways are sealed correctly). What’s extra, you possibly can equip them with a dive housing that extends their waterproofness all the way down to 60m/197ft.
• GoPro HERO7 White, HERO7 Silver – These fashions are waterproof all the way down to 10m/33ft with out a case (supplied all of the doorways are sealed correctly). You can too add a Protecting Housing, which allows you to go down as much as 40m/131ft.
• GoPro HERO11 Black Mini, HERO (2018), HERO5 Session, HERO4 Session, HERO Session – These fashions are waterproof all the way down to 10m/33ft with out a case (supplied all of the doorways are sealed correctly).
• GoPro MAX – GoPro MAX is waterproof as much as 5m/16ft with out the necessity of a housing (supplied all of the doorways are sealed correctly).
• GoPro FUSION – GoPro FUSIONis waterproof as much as 5m/16ft with out the necessity of a housing (supplied all of the doorways are sealed correctly).
• GoPro HERO+ LCD, HERO+, HERO (2014) – These fashions are available a non-removable housing that makes them waterproof all the way down to 40m/131ft.
• GoPro HERO4 Black, HERO4 Silver, HERO3+ Black, HERO3+ Silver – These cameras are usually not waterproof with out a shell. Nevertheless, they arrive with a regular Housing that makes them waterproof all the way down to 40m/131ft. Furthermore, you can too equip them with a Dive Housing, which extends their waterproofing all the way down to 60m/197ft.
• GoPro HERO3 Black, HERO3 Silver, HERO3 White, HD HERO 2, HD HERO Unique – These fashions are usually not waterproof with out a housing. Nevertheless, they arrive with a protecting case that enables them to go down 60m/197ft underwater if the shell is sealed correctly.
• GoPro HERO Normal Definition – the Normal Definition HERO digicam is just not waterproof. Nevertheless, it may be positioned in a Wrist HERO Housing to make it in a position to face up to the strain all the way down to 30m/100ft underwater.

Which GoPro can go deepest underwater?

As you possibly can see, there are plenty of GoPro fashions, and lots of of them allow you to go fairly deep underwater. Which one is one of the best for those who’re all the way down to expertise (and report) some diving adventures?

When you’re searching for an motion digicam to make use of with out a housing, you’ve gotten loads of GoPro fashions that may go down 10m/33ft underwater. These are: HERO12, HERO11, HERO10, HERO9, HERO8, HERO7, HERO6, HERO5 Black, HERO7 White, HERO7 Silver, HERO11 Black Mini, HERO (2018), HERO5 Session, HERO4 Session and HERO Session.

Nevertheless, for those who actually need to go deeper, you must look into one of many fashions that let you encase them into GoPro’s Dive Housing. This difficult shell allows the cameras to go down as little as 60m/197ft underwater, which must be loads. These are: HERO12, HERO11, HERO10, HERO9, HERO8, HERO7, HERO6, HERO5 Black, HERO4 Black, HERO4 Silver, HERO3+ Black, HERO3+ Silver, HERO3 Black, HERO3 Silver, HERO3 White, HD HERO 2 and HD HERO Unique.

Ought to I take advantage of the GoPro protecting case on a regular basis?

As we’ve proven, the protecting circumstances on GoPros are an important device for divers, as they permit them to take their cameras a lot deeper underwater. Nevertheless, these shells even have their disadvantages, so there are occasions you must take into account leaving them at dwelling.

After all, for those who’re going swimming along with your GoPro, leaving the case on is one of the best follow, even if in case you have a water-proof mannequin. This makes for an additional layer of safety and ensures the security of your gadget and your recordings.

There could be one exception. When you’re not going that deep underwater and have a water-proof mannequin, you may need to take the casing off if you have to squeeze your GoPro into some tight areas. The exhausting shell is kind of cumbersome and makes the entire gadget take up rather more house, so if you wish to use it to see what’s between some great-looking coral reefs, you may need to take away the shell for some time.

Nevertheless, for those who’re out of water, eradicating the case has extra advantages. As soon as once more, the housings are fairly cumbersome, so eradicating them makes for a slicker, much less heavy digicam, and that’s essential for an motion cam.

Nevertheless, that’s not all. When underwater, sound is just not that essential. Then again, for those who’re doing one thing on land, you may need to report not solely the visuals however the sounds of nature (or your excited screams) as nicely. Sadly, the protecting housing makes recording sound fairly troublesome. Although some variations of it account for the mic gap, the sound does nonetheless get muffled, and its high quality is far worse than with the housing eliminated. So, for those who worth the sound of your GoPro footage, you must take into account eradicating the case.