Scuba Diving – September 2019

SPECS

»Depth

130 feet in

housing

» 4K Frame Rates

30, 24

» FHD Frame Rates

120, 96, 90, 72,

60, 48, 30, 24

» Image Sensor

12 MP

» Released

September 2016

Ergonomics

Video Quality

Battery Life

SCORES

A

C

T

IO

N

C

A

M

E

R

A

S

S

C

U

B

A

L

A

B

28 / SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 SCUBADIVING.COM

HOW WE TEST

ScubaLab's action camera

test was designed to gauge

each model's ability to cap-

ture high-quality video un-

derwater, and to evaluate the

relative ease and intuitive-

ness of its operation for users

in and out of the water.

Ergo Testing

Initial ergonomic testing

was conducted at Alexan-

der Springs and Devil’s Den

in central Florida. Staff div-

ers also used test cameras on

dive travel assignments to lo-

cations around the globe, in-

cluding the Bahamas,

Bonaire, Hawaii, Socorro Is-

land, the Red Sea and even

a Las Vegas aquarium dive.

Each camera was outfi tted

with an Underwater Kinetics

Aqualite Pro eLED and travel

grip. Divers evaluated each

camera in the following cate-

gories, assigning a score from

5 (excellent) to 1 (poor), and

recorded observations and

comments on the operability

and performance of the cam-

era. Manuals and quick-start

guides were provided for all

cameras before testing. The

in-water ergo categories

were:

GARMIN

VIRB ULTRA 30

MSRP $399.99; housing included

CONTACT garmin.com

The Virb earned some of the best ergo scores

of the test and had the highest score for

overall ergonomics. Test divers particularly

loved the independent photo and video but-

tons, which allow you to record video by

fl ipping the switch forward or capture a still

image by pressing the button on top, with no

need to switch between modes. The camera

is chock-full of options and settings, but even

with numerous sub-menus, testers felt the

camera was easy to navigate thanks to its

simple two-button operation and the 1.75-

inch touchscreen display that works even

when the camera is in the housing. The Virb

took top score for ease of capture, no doubt

because of its readily visible display. “I al-

ways knew when I was or wasn’t shooting and

could see exactly the shot I was framing,” one

diver noted, adding, "This was the simplest

camera to shoot good video with.” The in-

cluded underwater housing, with a latch that

pops open on demand but won’t accidentally

release underwater, was rated equally high

for its simple setup. “Very easy, very clear,”

is how a tester described the process. Div-

ers rated the footage as very good for clarity

and stabilization and gave it top score for

framing. While it captured excellent foot-

age in shallow, ambient conditions, it quickly

“goes monochrome,” as one tester put it, at

depth without a video light or third-party fi l-

ter. Battery life was not the best in our test,

but the camera’s quick-capture feature—

which starts video recording at the fl ip of the

switch even when the camera is off—helps

save battery life without missing those once-

in-a-lifetime encounters. With a user-friend-

ly design and beautiful video—“Very solid all

around,” as one tester put it—the Virb was a

favorite among test divers.