Phones and water have always been a dangerous mix. As a photographer, I have always been tempted to bring my phone to the river’s edge to capture photos, and more than once the river has ended up with my phone. A watertight housing for my DSLR costs more than the several-thousand-dollar camera I would put in it and risks water damage to my livelihood. The AxisGO, made by AquaTech, provides an incredible solution to upgrade my iPhone into a professional-grade underwater camera.
AquaTech is well known for creating products that protect cameras against the harshest environments and withstand the elements. The AxisGO, designed originally for surfers and divers, is no different. The case is rugged and impact-resistant yet lightweight. The case is closed by a single locking mechanism that is secure but easy to use. A hard-coated polycarbonate membrane allows full touchscreen control, so you can still swipe and zoom and answer a call if you need to (with surprising audio quality). The housing is a little bit bigger than you might expect from a phone case. At 4.9” x 7.9” x 1.4″ it looks almost like a tablet case at first. But the brackets snuggly grip the phone in place, and you are ready to hit the water.
The interchangeable lens port allows a variety of lenses to be used, from wide-angle to domes for split shots where subjects are in focus above and below the water. The lens is made of optically correct glass elements with anti-reflective and hydrophobic coatings. Using the built-in camera app, the crystal-clear glass of the AxisGO improves the quality of the camera phone, capturing tack-sharp imagery. Use the volume buttons, just like you would on your phone normally, or attach the trigger, making it more ergonomic.
The Ultra-Wide 6″ Dome Port is a bubble lens that shows a “fisheye” 140-degree field of view, and since it holds the water away from the lens, you can capture stunning split-shot photos showing above and below the surface. One of my favorites has been shots of fish as they swim out of a net on the river; the detail is incredible. And for those looking to go deeper than our local rivers, the AxisGO can shoot at depths down to 33 feet.
For those looking to jump into the deep end, pun intended, get the Over-Under Kit for $525. But if you just want to dip your toes in, start with just the case and standard lens for $199. Considering a housing for my DSLR would cost over $1,000, the AxisGO is a screaming deal to get underwater photography shots.
