Skip to main content

Dedicated dive camera adds depth data to video down to 656 feet

Share the deep
Sure, most action cameras can head underwater, but one Danish startup is aiming to create a camera that can really dive. The Paralenz is a camera designed exclusively for diving — and it shows with a depth rating of 656 feet without housing.

The Paralenz, available for pre-order as a fully funded Indiegogo project, includes a temperature and pressure sensor inside its small barrel-shaped body. Those sensors work together with the Paralenz app to pair depth and temperature data with the footage to see just how deep that sea creature was, as well as to record the overall data from the dive. The dive data can be viewed inside the app or added to video as an overlay.

Those same sensors also allow the Paralenz to automatically adjust the white balance based on the camera’s depth. Underwater, certain wave lengths drop off the deeper you head — the first being the red, orange, and yellow spectrums. By adjusting the white balance based on the depth, the camera is able to automatically adjust the colors — Paralenz says its camera is the first equipped with such a feature.

The camera captures eight megapixel stills, as well as 4K video and “snap recording,” or short, easily shareable video clips. Image stabilization is included, though it’s electronic and not optical.

Designed to attach to diving masks for a first-person point of view, the camera also includes a universal mount compatible with mounts for existing cameras. The body of the Paralenz is designed to allow the camera to be operated with neoprene diving gloves, with a large recording button, large mode ring, and vibration to let the diver know the recording started. The camera uses magnetic buttons to maximize water sealing, according to the Indiegogo page.

The dive camera starts at $399 for pre-orders, with the list price expected to be $599. The camera’s Indiegogo funding has already reached more than double the original goal with a month of funding remaining. The product has an estimated ship date of January 2017.

Editors' Recommendations

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
How to remove location data from your iPhone photos
How to transfer photos from an iPhone to an iPhone

We all love making memories, and a great way to collect those memories is to take a quick snap of a gorgeous landscape, a party in full swing, or a particularly incredible meal. The Apple iPhone now also adds a location to your pictures, meaning it can collate those images together into a location-themed album, or show you all the shots you've taken in a specific location. It's a fun little addition, and it's one that adds a lot of personality to the Photos app.

Read more
‘Photoshopped’ royal photo causes a stir
The Princess of Wales with her children.

[UPDATE: In a message posted on social media on Monday morning, Princess Kate said that she herself edited the image, and apologized for the fuss that the picture had caused. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she wrote, adding, "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."]

Major press agencies have pulled a photo of the U.K.’s Princess of Wales and her children amid concerns that it has been digitally manipulated.

Read more
Nikon sale: Get up to $700 off select Nikon cameras and lenses
nikon d780 review product  1

Crutchfield has a huge sale on many different Nikon cameras with some of the best camera deals that we’ve seen in a while. With nearly 30 different items in the sale, the best thing that avid photographers can do is take a look for themselves. However, if you want a little insight before you dive in, take a look at what we have to suggest below.

What to shop for in the Nikon sale
Nikon makes some of the best DSLR cameras around with our overall favorite -- the -- available for $2,197 reduced from $2,297. The camera is perfect for both photographers and videographers with a 24.5-megapixel full-frame image sensor. Its rugged magnesium-alloy body is weather-sealed against dust, dirt, and moisture so it’s great for all occasions. The Nikon EXPEED 6 image processor is optimized for low-light performance while maintaining long battery life with an autofocus sensor module with support for 51 focus points. You just need to add a lens to reap the benefits with features like the 273-point phase-detection AF system detecting and tracking subjects throughout the entire frame.

Read more