For split shots and holiday photos with your own phone, a dome housing is the cheapest option with the best image quality, because you use the camera you already own. An action cam makes sense if you want to film sports, use mounts or keep your phone out of the water entirely. A waterproof pouch protects your phone at the beach but is barely usable for good underwater photos.
The three options at a glance
| Waterproof pouch | Action cam + dome port | Phone dome (Domemare) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera | Phone camera behind plastic | The action cam's camera | Your phone camera |
| Split shots | Barely possible, waterline blurs | Yes, with a dome port | Yes |
| Cost | Lowest | Highest: camera plus dome port | Less than a third of an action cam setup |
| Depth | Depends on model | Depends on model and housing | Waterproof to 10 m |
| Underwater controls | Touch through plastic, often imprecise | Buttons | Touch membrane in fresh water and up to a certain salinity |
| Phone in the water | Yes | No | Yes, in a pressure-tested housing |
| Best for | Beach, boat, splashes | Sports, mounts, lots of filming | Split shots, snorkeling, holiday photos |
Cost comparison based on average market prices for current action cams and dome ports, as of August 2026.
Waterproof pouch: when it's enough
A waterproof pouch is cheap and protects your phone from sand, splashes and a quick dip. For real underwater photos it's barely suitable. The plastic sits right in front of the lens, images turn soft, and in split shots the waterline blurs because the water touches the lens directly.
Pros
- Cheap and light
- Protects from sand and splashes
- Fits almost any phone
Cons
- Soft, blurry images through the plastic
- No clean waterline for split shots
- Touch through plastic is often imprecise
Good for: beach days, boat trips, kayaking, simply keeping your phone dry.
Action cam: when it's worth it
An action cam is rugged, mounts on a helmet, board or pole, and your phone stays dry. For split shots you also need a matching dome port, so the total quickly adds up to several hundred. Image quality is good, but for photos it is often below a current smartphone, and it's one more device to charge, transfer and carry.
Pros
- Rugged, with mounts for sports
- Your phone stays on land
- Good video quality
Cons
- Several hundred including the dome port
- Photos often weaker than a smartphone
- One more device to charge, transfer and carry
Good for: surfing, water sports with mounts, filming a lot, or if you don't want your phone in the water.
Phone dome: when it's the best choice
A dome housing turns your smartphone into an underwater camera. The dome keeps the water away from the lens, so the waterline stays straight and sharp and split shots work reliably. You use the camera you already have, and your photos land straight in your gallery.
Pros
- Uses the best camera you already own
- Straight, sharp waterline for split shots
- Photos land straight in your gallery
Cons
- Your phone goes into the water
- Touch is limited in salt water
- No mounts for helmets or boards
The Domemare Smartphone Dome fits phones up to 6.7 inches, is waterproof to 10 m and is individually pressure-tested before shipping. To be honest: your phone goes into the water with it. If that's a dealbreaker for you, an action cam is the better fit.
Good for: split shots, snorkeling, pool and sea on holiday, social media content.
What does it cost?
- Waterproof pouch
- lowest
- Action cam + dome port
- highest
- Domemare Smartphone Dome
- under a third of an action cam setup
If you already own a good smartphone, the math is simple: an action cam with a dome port costs more than three times as much as the Domemare Smartphone Dome. You keep the difference and shoot with the camera that's usually better for photos.
Verdict
- Just keep your phone dry: waterproof pouch.
- Sports, mounts, phone stays on land: action cam with dome port.
- Split shots and holiday photos with your own phone: phone dome.
For the step-by-step method, read our guide to taking split shots with your phone.
