Joby Seapal Underwater iPhone Housing Review: TL;DR
An affordable and user-friendly entry into the world of underwater photography, which harnesses the power of the camera you already have in your pocket.
Joby Seapal Underwater iPhone Housing Review: Intro
Joby has long been a part of the Vitec Imaging Solutions stable of photography brands which includes the likes of Manfrotto and Lowepro, and has created a name for bringing pro-photography gear into highly useable form factors for the masses. The GorillaPod probably typifies this approach, but the Joby SeaPal is a new product that continues this tradition.
The key to building a high-quality and trustworthy underwater case for your expensive smartphone may well be Vitec’s acquisition of another market leader: AquaTech.
AquaTech have a long history of building waterproof housings for DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras, so the collaboration of these two brands – alongside the explosion in image quality from smartphones – looks set to be a winner.
Joby Seapal Underwater iPhone Housing Review: Who is it aimed at?
The price is probably a little steep to just be another phone photography accessory for the average holiday-maker, but for anyone vaguely serious about shooting with their phone, the Joby SeaPal represents a brilliantly affordable route to dipping your toe in the world of underwater photography. Sure, cheaper eBay specials are available, but if you’re shooting ProRes videos on a £1000 iPhone 15 Pro then the heritage and build-quality of an AquaTech collab will inspire confidence that your device is safe.
The SeaPal is quite likely to appeal to professional photographers as well; particularly those who need only occasional underwater shots, and especially if bulky DSLR/mirrorless housings are just too impractical on a given shoot. The only limitation on quality will be your technique and your device.
Joby Seapal Underwater iPhone Housing Review: Design and Features
The Joby SeaPal is cleverly adaptable to a range of all the latest Apple and Samsung phones and uses simple plastic inserts for a 2-minute configuration to your device.
Once set up the housing provides waterproofing to 10 metres depth while allowing full touchscreen access through the soft plastic backing (which means full manual control of the camera’s functions). The front element is glass (some cheaper options use plastic with questionable optical quality).
While great for snorkelling of surf photography, the housing is also dust and shock proof so is worth investing in if you’re a keen kayaker for example; it’s not all about being submerged.
The housing is effective and intuitive to use as a standalone item, but for certain usage cases there are a couple of accessories that border on ‘must-have’ status. And those bump the price up significantly. Firstly, the Bluetooth shutter grip makes life immensely easier when shooting on the ocean surface where you’re constantly being buffeted by the waves and the current. Even in the calmest seas it’s very difficult to stay still with both hands on a camera and despite the housing allowing good access to the touchscreen, it’s no mean feat to accurately hit the shutter while also trying to swim. The pistol-grip-style Bluetooth accessory makes things so much easier.
Secondly, the 6” Dome Port. Creativity is of course a personal thing. But if you’re getting in the water with a camera, you want those over/under shots, don't you? The big bulbous dome is the only way to make those shots a reality, and the bigger the dome, the better your chance of splitting the screen where you want it. This 6” offering is a good balance of getting the right effect without being disproportionate in size to the camera. Plus, it’s super-easy to mount onto the housing – there's no switching ports or opening the case, it just bolts on top of the flat port as and when needed for easy changes on the fly.
Joby Seapal Underwater iPhone Housing Review: Verdict
It works like a dream and is everything it claims to be. But the real beauty is this: underwater photography – and shooting on the surface – require learning and practice. It’s a hard discipline to adapt to. And the Joby SeaPal is by far the most accessible way of trying it out that we’ve found.
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