A split shot shows the world above and below the water's surface in a single frame. With a smartphone, you need an underwater housing with a dome port. The dome keeps the water away from the lens, so the waterline stays straight and sharp. The most reliable method: start recording video above water, film slowly along the waterline, then pull the best frames from the video.
What is a split shot?
A split shot, also called an over-under photo, divides the image along the water's surface: sky, beach or boat on top, reef, fish or your own legs below. It works because two worlds are sharp at the same time, something the eye never sees together.
Why doesn't it work with a regular waterproof phone case?
With a flat waterproof case or pouch, the water surface sits right in front of the lens. The waterline blurs, droplets cling to the upper half of the image, and water magnifies everything by about a third. The top and bottom halves no longer match.
A dome port creates distance between the lens and the water surface. The waterline runs further out across the dome, stays straight and sharp, and both halves of the image fit together cleanly.
What you need
- A smartphone with an ultra-wide lens: almost any current iPhone or Android phone.
- A dome housing: for example the Domemare Smartphone Dome for phones up to 6.7 inches, waterproof to 10 m.
- Clear, calm water and sunshine: the shallower and clearer, the better.
- Optional: a water-repellent spray for the dome, so droplets don't stick to the top half.
- Mode
- Video, 0.5x
- Resolution
- 4K
- Subject depth
- 0.5–2 m
- Housing
- waterproof to 10 m
Step by step to the perfect split shot
- Load your phone in the shade. Sharp temperature changes can fog the dome from the inside. Insert your phone somewhere cool and check the seal before you get in the water.
- Switch to ultra-wide (0.5x). The wide angle captures above and below the surface at once and makes small movements less visible.
- Start recording above water. Film at the highest resolution you can, for example 4K. That way you don't have to touch anything underwater and you get plenty of frames to choose from.
- Dip the whole dome once. An evenly wet dome forms fewer single droplets than a half-dry one.
- Keep the center of the dome at the waterline. Hold the phone steady and upright; the water surface should cut the dome roughly in the middle.
- Move slowly. Give the waterline a moment to settle after every movement. Fast pans create waves on the dome.
- Pick the best frames. Back home, pull the sharpest stills from your video. Most phones can save a still frame directly from a video.
The best conditions
- Shallow, clear water: reefs, rocks and sandy bottoms at 0.5 to 2 m depth look best.
- Sun behind you or overhead: a lot of light is lost underwater. Around midday the underwater half is brightest.
- A calm surface: bays and lagoons are ideal; waves make the line restless.
- Get close to your underwater subject: fish, corals or feet look clearest at short distance.
Common mistakes
What goes wrong
- Droplets on the top half
- Tilted or wavy waterline
- Underwater half too dark
- Foggy dome
How to fix it
- Dip the whole dome or treat it with a water-repellent spray
- Hold the phone level and move more slowly
- Work with the sun and shoot in shallow water
- Load your phone in the shade, not in direct sunlight
Using the touchscreen underwater
With the Domemare Smartphone Dome, you can operate the screen through a touch membrane on the back. This works in fresh water and in salt water up to a certain level of salinity. In very salty sea water, it's best to start recording before you go under.
After use
Rinse the housing with fresh water after every use in the sea and dry the dome only with a microfiber cloth to avoid scratches.
FAQ
Can I take split shots with a regular waterproof phone case?
Only to a very limited extent. Without a dome, the waterline sits right at the lens and blurs. For a straight, sharp line you need distance between the lens and the water, and that's exactly what a dome port provides.
Photo or video: which is better?
Video. You start recording above water, don't need to touch anything underwater, and can pick the best of many frames afterwards.
Do I need an action cam?
No. With a dome housing you use your smartphone's camera, which is often better than an action cam's. For all options with costs, pros and cons, see our comparison of phone dome vs action cam vs waterproof pouch.
How deep can I go?
The Domemare Smartphone Dome is waterproof to 10 m. For split shots, the surface is all you need.
