When I first started taking underwater photos, I had no idea what I was doing. My diving buoyancy control was up to snuff, finally, so I bought a cheap marine housing for the point-and-shoot camera I already had (that was not known for its performance underwater…), and thought I was on my way to National Geographic! (not.)
Not surprisingly, all my beginner dive photos came out blue or green, blurry and dull. Arrgh. What was the point?
After some more practice and trial and error, I eventually invested in the right camera gear and it’s perfect for diving in Cozumel, Mexico.
I love my simple but excellent-quality camera, underwater housing, and accessories. And I love the underwater images I can take with it, from the wide-angle beauties of Cozumel’s awesome eagle rays, to midrange portraits of our beautiful green sea turtles, and on down to the fine detail it achieves on tiny macro critters like nudibranchs and lettuce sea slugs.
Now, I have a hobby that I love and that gives me sustainable keepsakes (photos!) from all over the big blue planet.
So if you’re a certified scuba diver with some experience and are looking to take amazing underwater photos in Cozumel and beyond, don’t waste your first money on a dirt cheap setup. But also, don’t go overboard (pun intended) and spend $$ thousands on your very first underwater camera and marine housing, either.
Invest in the right gear and you won’t be disappointed. The kit of parts outlined below can keep you happy for years, grow with you if you want (you can add a tray, strobes, and a video light later if you need those), and will eventually make a wonderful starter set to pass on to the next aspiring dive photographer in your gang, if you ever truly outgrow it.
CozInfo’s Recommended Underwater Camera Gear for Cozumel Diving
So, if you’re getting started with
This setup is easy and inexpensive, gets absolutely glowing technical reviews all over the internet, and is the camera used by thousands of divers all over the world.
It’s also inexpensive, lightweight, and can easily fit in your carry-on bag – a big consideration these days as luggage limits and fees continue to squeeze.
This straightforward diving photography kit is accessible and simple when you’re just starting out, but it can grow with you as you progress in your new hobby.
This is the exact UW camera gear I use on every dive and for all the UW images on this site.
My Tried and True Cozumel Dive Photography Gear:
Great investment, for all of your family's needs.
Olympus TG-6 Compact Camera
The TG-6 is in the Olympus’ “tough” series of cameras, meaning it’s inherently waterproof (to about 30ft/10m) and dust/dirtproof, so the base camera is a good investment.
The TG-6 is great for any outdoor activities where you might be nervous about using a more delicate camera, yet still works great as your everyday point-and-shoot camera take a long to weddings, land vacations, and special events.
Small and durable. Known for its high performance in low light environments (like deep blue water! yay!).
Outstanding macro photo capabilities, underwater and on land.
Olympus PT-059 Marine Housing
Olympus’ own marine housing for the TG models allows the camera’s onboard flash to operate without additional cables or added strobes.
This is important if you don’t want to deal with external strobes, etc. (I love using the built-in flash, and though I consider adding a strobe from time to time, I love the simplicity of my set up, my ability to pack light, and I’m happy with the results 95% of the time).
The marine housing is needed for scuba diving, but is not required for snorkeling or swimming depths.
64GB Memory Card
I’ve used this exact card for years, and it hasn’t failed. I bought a backup, but haven’t needed it, yet.
Any SD card of this size will be fine, but don’t go for the bargain basement. A good one will last you for years and years.
Memory Card Reader (*optional)
I find this memory card reader a dead-simple way to save my photos to my MacbookPro at the end of each dive day.
I don’t want to rely on wifi during dive trips, and I don’t want huge photos automatically getting sync’d with my phone.
Plus, while I’m using the card in the card reader, I can be recharging my camera for the next day.
The best $20 bucks you'll ever spend on dive gear!
Camera Lanyard with Marine Quality Metal Snap Bold Clip (*essential!)
I’m not kidding – if I had a dollar for every time someone posted on local social media diving groups about losing an underwater camera rig on one of Cozumel’s dive sites, I’d have…hundreds of dollars!
Plus, I’ve lost my own camera and housing here…TWICE! Luckily mine was “only” a few hundred bucks to replace, rather than tens of thousands.
Lesson finally learned.
Now I never go in without my camera attached to this simple coiled lanyard with a good strong clip that attaches to a D-ring on my BCD. The adjustable coil length gives me plenty of range of motion.
But best of all is the security of knowing I won’t throw another camera and housing down the drain.
Honestly, this will be the best 20 bucks you’ll spend on this hobby.
Simple Cozumel Camera Gear for the Win
So…that’s really it!
You could go crazy with the
In the beginning, for many many dives, your pictures won’t be that great anyway! Sorry to say, but unless you’re already an excellent photographer and a solid diver, it really takes a lot of practice to get consistently good. Especially when you’re trying to shoot pictures and manuever in Cozumel’s varying currents, etc.
I’ve also met several veteran divers who grew tired of all the bells and whistles, and were in heaven once they shifted down to a nice simple camera kit that packs easily and is easy and simple to maintain, year after year. And for far less money.
These are my honest opinions on products I use every day. The links above are affiliate links, where I may receive a commission on referred visits and purchases at no extra cost to you.
Enjoy, and happy diving.
To get a sense of the great underwater diving photos you’ll soon be taking in Cozumel with this exact camera setup, check out more of my own Cozumel marine life pictures on my Instagram feed:
