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I have iPhone, but solution probably can apply to all smart phones.

I know that I can buy a waterproof bag/pouch or special underwater cameras, but who remember it to buy it before going to the trip?

Therefore how alternatively I can take couple of pictures or shoot video underwater (e.g. in sea or bath) using my smart phone without breaking it?

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4 Answers 4

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I've done this before simply by taking two ziplock/sandwich bags, one inside the other.

I take both bags, inflate them slightly by blowing into them, seal them tightly, then gently push on them to make sure they seal correctly. I put my phone (in my case my tablet, yes I know) in the first one, suck out as much air as I can get, seal it (very well!), then take the second one, put the first bag inside the second bag, suck all the air out, and seal it tightly.

Sucking the air out, in my experience, helps with the seal between the lens and the bag - if there are bubbles, your video will be absolute rubbish and hard to watch. In my experience, a tight seal between the bags and the camera lets me get clear shots.

Note that if you drop your phone, it will sink - your phone is heavier than water, and there isn't any air in the bags to provide flotation.

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  • Just what I do. It works great at any depth I've been (haven't taken it lower than 5 yards)
    – J. Musser
    Commented Jan 31, 2015 at 22:12
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    I'd additionally suggest duct-taping the bag(s) shut, both to add an extra layer of water protection, and to make it harder to accidentally pull the bag open. Also, if you use a larger bag for the outer one, you can put something like a piece of plastic foam inside it as a flotation aid.
    – Ilmari Karonen
    Commented Jan 31, 2015 at 23:48
  • Note that the second bag isn't actually necessary. It's more of a fail safe mechanism.
    – Zain Rizvi
    Commented Feb 1, 2015 at 9:07
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You could use see-through plastic, perhaps bags. Seal with multiple folds. You can test your solution with something similarly shaped but less vulnerable to water. Test in similar conditions, including depth. Once it is working, if you are still concerned, you could make another one, and seal the first one in it.

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    Test with a wad of tissue paper; that stuff quickly soaks up even small amounts of water.
    – L.B.
    Commented Jan 31, 2015 at 16:20
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You can try to put the phone inside a non-lubricated condom. You should search for one which is made of more transparent material. Put the condom over the phone and tie the end, put some glue on the tie and tie it again. You can add another condom for reliability, but it will blur the images more.

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  • I've actually done this with a full sized camera as well, condoms can really stretch before failing. The condom, when stretched up against the lens, does not affect the picture quality nearly as much as one would expect.
    – dotancohen
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 12:18
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Get a waterproof smartphone. I had a Sony Xperia Z2, then a Samsung Galaxy S5. The latter wasn't that waterproof. I had so much fun with the Z2 that I'll never get a non-waterproof smartphone again.

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    OP specifically asked how it can be done with his current phone 'using my smart phone without breaking it?'.
    – Jamie Keeling
    Commented Mar 3, 2015 at 16:34
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    I actually think this is a useful answer too. I've successfully used my Xperia Z1 to shoot pics underwater on a Kayaking trip, and didn't even need to bother protecting it from sprays. A good Z1 is pretty cheap now -- for e.g. check out www.swappa.com (I'm just a customer that loves that site).
    – scorpiodawg
    Commented Mar 6, 2015 at 18:00

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