{"id":115378,"date":"2026-03-04T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=115378"},"modified":"2026-03-04T13:36:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T18:36:08","slug":"underwater-photography-bag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/underwater-photography-bag\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s In My Bag: Underwater Photography Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In underwater photography, packing efficiently is half the battle. Between camera gear, dive equipment, and the inevitable tangle of accessories, every inch of space counts. Over the years, I\u2019ve refined my setup into something that\u2019s compact, durable, and ready to travel. Whether I\u2019m scuba diving in Hawaii<\/a>, freediving in French Polynesia<\/a>, or chasing the Sardine Run in South Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a look inside my current underwater photography kit and how I pack it. Also, read about why these particular pieces have earned their place in my bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pelican<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Cases: Pelican 1535 Air & Pelican Aegis Backpack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to protecting expensive camera gear, I don\u2019t take chances. My go-to setup includes the Pelican 1535 Air Case<\/a> for hard protection. Then, the Pelican Aegis Backpack<\/a> for flexibility and carry-on convenience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1535 Air is the perfect size for air travel. It’s extremely durable, lightweight, and still small enough to fit in most overhead bins. Inside, I pack my Marelux underwater housing, snugly padded with TrekPak dividers to keep it secure. After the housing, there\u2019s stil plenty of room for my gear. That’s my cameras, a few lenses, extra batteries, mounts, and smaller accessories. All things I like to keep easily accessible. I also installed this lid organizer<\/a> to hold little things that would usually go in my camera backpack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Aegis Backpack is my companion for everything else. Mainly housing my topside cameras, lenses, memory cards, hard drives, batteries, and straps. It\u2019s weather-resistant, sleek, and surprisingly roomy for its size. Plus, I love that I can wear it on hikes or boat rides. All without worrying about water exposure or weight distribution. The backpack being a hard-shell is something I had to get used to. However, now it\u2019s hard to imagine going back to a fully soft backpack.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Underwater Setup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My primary underwater setup is built around my Marelux underwater housing, which I pair with my Sony A7R V and most often the Sony 16\u201335mm f\/2.8 GM II. This combination gives me the flexibility I need underwater, being wide enough for reef scenes, big animals, and environmental portraits. All while still maintaining incredible sharpness and image quality.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Marelux housing is a relatively new addition to my kit this year. However, it\u2019s quickly become one of my favorite pieces of gear. What immediately stood out to me is how much control it gives me underwater. Every button and dial I rely on while shooting is easily accessible, which means I\u2019m never fighting my housing or missing moments because I can\u2019t change a setting fast enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being robust and confidence-inspiring underwater, the housing itself is surprisingly compact and thoughtfully designed. It breaks down easily for travel, which makes a huge difference when packing for dive trips where space and weight are always at a premium. Most importantly, it\u2019s performed flawlessly underwater so far. No leaks, no quirks. Just a solid, reliable system that lets me focus entirely on making images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extra Camera<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mounted directly to my housing\/dome is the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, which I use to capture behind-the-scenes video while I\u2019m shooting stills on my main camera. I love this setup because it allows me to document the process \u2014 the dives, the conditions, the moments between shots \u2014 without pulling focus away from photography. The action cam quietly runs in the background while my main camera stays dedicated to what it does best: capturing the final image. The DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is my favorite action camera for underwater shooting right now because the footage that comes straight out of the camera is crisp, balanced, and vibrant in the best ways. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"DJI<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Land Setup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In my Aegis backpack, I carry my Sony A7R V and Sony A7C II, which are my go-to cameras for everything above water. The A7R V is my high-resolution workhorse for detail-heavy shots, while the A7C II is my lighter, travel-friendly option for video and everyday shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n

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I bring a small selection of lenses to cover everything I need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n