Waterproof Camera Cases

As an avid whitewater kayaker and photography enthusiast, I took a long hard look at waterproof camera cases before I finally purchased one.  While traveling in New Zealand I had gotten my digital camera wet while on a long, damp backcountry hike.  The battery contacts, along with just about every other tiny contact in the camera, corroded.  The camera was worthless, as it would cost more to repair than it would to buy an identical camera new.  I knew I had to get a waterproof camera case.

Waterproof camera cases come in three general designs.  The first is a hard waterproof case lined with foam.  They’re often referred to as “Pelican” cases, referring to the best known manufacturer of the cases (sort of like Ziploc bags).  These cases don’t allow you to operate your camera while it’s in the case, but they’ll do a pretty good job at keeping it dry.  They’re nice for rafting or kayaking when you don’t want to have your camera out while you’re on the water, but you want it bone dry by the time you get to shore.  Be sure to trim the internal foam to fit your camera and any lenses or accessories you’d like to keep dry, and make sure the latches are completely closed before you toss the case in your boat.  Since most of these cases are heavily lined they do a good job of protecting your delicate device from impacts and grit, as well as water.

The second major type of waterproof camera case is the soft sided waterproof case.  These usually look like overbuilt plastic bags, keeping your camera dry beneath heavy plastic or vinyl and sealed under either a waterproof zipper or some sort of rolled seal.  Depending on the material some of these cases allow you to operate the camera while it’s in the case, handy for hikers who want to capture a rainstorm or rafters who want to snap a photo of the next rapid.  However, these cases are more prone to leakage or puncture than hard-sided cases, so be careful how much trust you put in them. 

Finally, some manufacturers offer custom-designed, waterproof cases specifically made for a particular model of camera.  These cases, usually made for SCUBA diving, allow for full manipulation of the camera’s controls while sealing the camera in a waterproof case.  These cases are expensive and need to be maintained to keep them waterproof, but they’ll keep your camera drier and more protected than anything else.