How deep each camera goes with no housing at all

A camera that needs its case to get wet is a different object from one that does not: the case fogs, the seal is one more thing to check, and the audio goes muffled. Bare depth here runs from 1 m to 20 m, and the shallow end is a splash rating rather than a swimming one. 7 cameras have no bare rating at all — their depth claim belongs to a plastic housing, not the camera — and 4 are not waterproof in any form.

How this list is ordered: filtered to cameras with a published bare waterproof rating, ranked by depth without a housing. 31 of the catalogue’s cameras qualify. Cameras their makers no longer sell in the US keep their figures but are listed last.

1. 1DJIDJI Osmo Action 5 Pro20 m bare · 60 m casedLow light and long days without a bag of spare batteries~$31972 mm²
2. 2GoProGoPro MISSION 120 m bareFootage that has to survive a real grade~$599116 mm²
3. 3Insta360Insta360 X620 m bare · 60 m casedThe 360 camera to buy if you only buy one~$66992 mm²/lens
4. 4GoProGoPro MISSION 1 PRO20 m bareLow light and heavy grading without giving up a waterproof body~$699116 mm²
5. 5DJIDJI Osmo Action 418 m bare · 60 m casedA big sensor on a small budget~$23972 mm²
6. 6Insta360Insta360 X4 Air15 m bare · 60 m casedSelfie-stick and helmet 360 where weight decides everything~$39938 mm²/lens
7. 7Insta360Insta360 X515 m bare · 60 m casedThe default 360 camera for people who will scratch the lenses~$54972 mm²/lens
8. 8Insta360Insta360 Ace Pro 212 m bare · 60 m casedVlogging to camera, where you need to see yourself framed~$39972 mm²
9. 9CamparkCampark V4010 m bare · 40 m casedThe cheapest way to have a camera in the water~$8928 mm²
10. 10AKASOAKASO Brave 8 Lite10 m bare · 40 m casedA camera you can afford to lose~$19928 mm²
11. 11Insta360Insta360 X310 m bare · 50 m casedA first 360 camera without spending flagship money~$27931 mm²/lens
12. 12AKASOAKASO Brave 810 m bare · 60 m casedA GoPro-shaped camera with spares included, on a budget~$28931 mm²
13. 13KandaoKandao QooCam 310 m bareSpherical stills and virtual tours on a budget~$34951 mm²/lens
14. 14GoProGoPro HERO12 Black10 m bare · 60 m casedGetting flagship stabilisation without flagship pricing~$36934 mm²
15. 15GoProGoPro HERO13 Black10 m bare · 60 m casedHelmet and handlebar mounting where the accessory ecosystem matters~$39934 mm²
16. 16Insta360Insta360 GO 3S10 m barePet, kid and first-person angles a bigger camera cannot reach~$39928 mm²
17. 17Insta360Insta360 X410 m bare · 50 m casedDaylight 360 capture on a budget~$42931 mm²/lens
18. 18Insta360Insta360 GO Ultra10 m bareHands-free POV you can wear all day and forget~$44972 mm²
19. 19KandaoKandao QooCam 3 Ultra10 m bareSpec-per-dollar in 360, if you can live with the weight~$50943 mm²/lens
20. 20DJIDJI Osmo 36010 m bare · 60 m cased360 work that has to be graded rather than just posted~$54996 mm²/lens
21. 21SJCAMSJCAM SJ11 Active5 m bare · 30 m casedA dual-screen budget camera from an established maker~$18918 mm²
22. 22GoProGoPro HERO (2024)5 m bareA first action camera, or a disposable extra angle~$19928 mm²
23. 23SJCAMSJCAM SJ305 m bare · 30 m casedAll-day recording where runtime beats resolution~$25931 mm²
24. 24GoProGoPro LIT HERO5 m bareNight vlogging and enclosed spaces where there is no other light~$26928 mm²
25. 25GoProGoPro MAX25 m bare360 capture where the lenses will take a beating~$29934 mm²/lens
26. 26GoProGoPro MAX5 m bareA cheap second camera that shoots both spherical and straight~$36928 mm²/lens
27. 27AKASOAKASO Brave 7 LE1 m bare · 40 m casedTalking to camera on a tight budget~$13928 mm²
28. 28DJIDJI Osmo Action 6Not sold by DJI in the US20 m bare · 60 m casedBright-light shooting and vertical-plus-widescreen delivery~$37996 mm²
29. 29GoProGoPro HERO11 Black MiniNo longer sold by GoPro10 m bare · 60 m casedA set-and-forget second angle on a helmet or chest mount~$19934 mm²
30. 30GoProGoPro HERO11 BlackNo longer sold by GoPro10 m bare · 60 m casedVertical and landscape delivery from one take~$24934 mm²
31. 31DJIDJI Osmo NanoNot sold by DJI in the US10 m bareHands-free POV where a full-size camera is too much~$29972 mm²