Underwater Photographer Toolbox
15 tools to prepare your trips, compare your gear and plan your photo dives
When I started preparing my first dive photo trips, I would open fifteen tabs to check whether my batteries were cabin-safe, three spreadsheets to compare housings, and I always ended up asking on a forum whether my budget made sense. Every tool you will find here was born from that very concrete friction. I built them for myself first, then for the divers who were asking exactly the same questions. They are free, require no sign-up, and are updated every season.
Diving
Briefings, species calendar and planning for your photo dives
Dive Photo Briefing Sheet | AquaExposure
Generate a photo briefing sheet before each dive. Conditions, settings, subjects, dive plan.
Marine Species Calendar by Destination | AquaExposure
Find the best times to photograph each marine species. Sharks, manta rays, whales, macro.
Dive weight calculator | AquaExposure
Calculate your ideal dive weighting based on your body, gear and destination. Real physics, result in kg of lead, full breakdown.
Pack My Dive Bag - Dive Checklist
MembersSmart checklist so you never forget anything in your dive bag. Step-by-step wizard.
Dive Destination Comparator
MembersCompare dive destinations: conditions, seasons, species, budget, required level.
Dive Emergencies - Protocols & Contacts
MembersDive emergency protocols: phone numbers, DAN procedures, first aid steps.
Deep Words - Multilingual Diver Lexicon
MembersDiver's lexicon in 6 languages: 256 essential terms to communicate anywhere in the world.
My Trips - Offline Dive Journal
MembersOffline dive travel journal. Log your dives, photos and memories without a connection.
Travel
Airline batteries, trip budgets and dive insurance compared
Airline Battery Checker for Divers | AquaExposure
Check your dive batteries comply with 31 airline rules. IATA 2026 rules, free tool.
Dive Trip Budget Calculator | AquaExposure
Estimate your next dive photography trip budget. Flights, accommodation, dives, equipment.
Dive Insurance Comparator | AquaExposure
Compare dive insurance: DAN, DiveAssure, PADI. Coverage, pricing, exclusions.
Equipment
Compare SSDs, power banks, housings and configure your ideal setup
SSD Comparator for Underwater Photographers | AquaExposure
Compare portable SSDs for storing dive photos and videos. Speed, durability, capacity.
Powerbank Comparator for Divers | AquaExposure
Find the best powerbank for your dive trips. Capacity, airline compliance, durability.
Underwater Photography Gear Comparator | AquaExposure
Compare cameras, housings, strobes and lights for underwater photography. Prices, specs, reviews.
Camera Housing Compatibility Checker | AquaExposure
Check compatibility between your camera and available underwater housings on the market.
Photo
Free photo guide, rig builder and buoyancy calculator
Underwater Photography Rig Builder | AquaExposure
Build your underwater photography rig piece by piece. Buoyancy calculator, presets, budget.
Underwater Digital Photography Guide | AquaExposure
Master digital photography fundamentals applied to the underwater environment. 11 chapters from pixel to underwater optics.
Why these tools exist
Underwater photography is 20% technique in the water and 80% preparation on land. Finding the right housing for your camera, checking that your batteries pass with Emirates and AirAsia alike, estimating whether a Philippines trip fits the budget, knowing which season to aim for mantas in Komodo. All these questions come up again and again in forums, in groups, in the messages I receive every week. Rather than answering the same thing a hundred times, I chose to build the tools that give the answer in three clicks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these tools really free?
All 10 website tools are completely free, no sign-up, no ads. They exist because I built them for myself first, and keeping them to myself made no sense.
Do I need an account to use them?
No account needed for the free tools. Everything runs directly in your browser with no personal data collection. Dive Deck tools require a membership.
Is the data kept up to date?
Each tool is manually maintained. IATA rules for the battery checker are updated every season. Equipment comparators follow manufacturer releases. If you spot an error, just drop me a message.
Can I suggest a new tool?
Absolutely. Every tool on this page was born from a real need, often expressed by a diver preparing a trip or shopping for gear. Write to me, and if the need is shared by others, there is a good chance it becomes the next tool on the list.
These tools are our way of giving back to the diving community what it taught us in the water. And if we invest this much energy to simplify your life for free, it is because our underwater photography courses are built with the same level of care.
Try it free