Barney Smith Travels Around the World for Underwater Double Exposures
What Barney does isn't even close to easy.
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“It’s something I would love to do more of, connecting film photographers from around the world”, says Barney Smith of the UK. He’s an underwater photographer with a self-confessed obsession for shooting film. Barney enjoys his photography more without the conveniences of a digital camera. It took him a while to learn the basics, but he…
The Yosh Waterproof Case will let you take selfies in the ocean
Sometimes you don’t know you need something until you’re out in the world realizing you need it. Just the other day I was snorkeling in the East China Sea (no, really), and I realized that it is pretty difficult to take pictures of all the beautiful coral and colorful fish if you don’t have an underwater camera. Of course, I had a smartphone handy, but didn’t have any way of ... http://dlvr.it/LksGtM
The Yosh Waterproof Case will let you take selfies in the ocean
The Yosh Waterproof Case will let you take selfies in the ocean
Sometimes you don’t know you need something until you’re out in the world realizing you need it. Just the other day I was snorkeling in the East China Sea (no, really), and I realized that it is pretty difficult to take pictures of all the beautiful coral and colorful fish if you don’t have an underwater camera. Of course, I had a smartphone handy, but didn’t have any way of taking my device in…
Underwater Waterproof iPhone Housing/Case - By Watershot Pro Line
If you like swimming, diving, water skiing and making great photos with your iPhone while you are doing it, here is the product you need. The Underwater Waterproof iPhone Housing/Case is the necessary piece of equipment for you and with it you can be 100 percent sure that water won’t damage your very expensive cell phone.
Underwater cases for the Xiaomi Yi camera is a hard topic currently as there now seem to be 5 different models available. All of them are shipped, but not from every retailer. Here’s an overview:
Updated: August 10th
My Video Review:
A video review and comparison of the new and old case will follow! be sure to subscribe to my channel.
The original case
Xiaomi recently released a new version of the underwater case. The first edition seemed to have issues with the buttons as the break easily (I didn’t encounter this problem though).
Both have a white cap the 1st version had white plastic buttons, the new one shows aluminium buttons!
The cap covers the whole top section with a hole for the button.
“Yi See Different” is written on the cap.
It is 40m waterproof with protection class IP68.
A GoPro mount adapter with a 1/4″ thread is included.
The case comes in a box which looks like the one from the camera.
new case (left) vs old case (right)
Prices:
Banggood:
old version 28.99 USD (out of stock)
new version white 29.99 USD
new version green 29.99 USD
Geekbuying:
new version 30.99 USD
Gearbest:
new version 25.60 USD
Aliexpress:
This reseller sold and delivered the old original case.
Reviews:
New version:
elProducente (bought at Banggood)
The new original case seems great (like the first version) now the buttons are improved and are made of aluminium, so they won’t break. It has a very good locking mechanism and there isn’t the slightest gap between case and door. Vignetting is also no problem with the new version of the case:
Please note that my camera’s lens is a little shifted to the right showing vignetting in a photo with lens rectification turned off!
Old version:
elProducente (bought at this aliexpress reseller)
The original case seems to be the best one out there. It has the best cap design and locking mechanism of the cases I tested. Quality seems to be very good, no button issues on the one I tested. Vignetting is also no big deal with this case:
(remark: my lens seems to be shifted a little to the right)
Matthias (bought from this aliexpress reseller):
“ -good quality
-case covers yi-cam perfectly
-the buttons are comfortably to press (not so hard as the buttons of the sjcam case)
-well designed (I don't like the green of kingma case)
-the closing mechanism (made of plastic) does its job well “
Rome (bought in China):
photo from Xiaomi in case - lens rectification off
Even though there is a very little vignette in the lower corner, Rome says this is the best of the cases in terms of image quality he tested.
The 60m case
This is the only model which is 60m waterproof!
It has a black cap, similar to the GoPro cases.
The rubber sealing is colored red.
There’s also a video test:
Prices:
Aliexpress: 10.80 USD (in stock)
Gearbest: 9.25 USD (in stock)
Geekbuying: -
Banggood: 21.99 USD (in stock)
Review:
elProducente (bought at this aliexpress reseller):
The quality of the case seems to be very good. There is not the slightest gap between case and door. The cap gets loose if you don’t watch out when opening, but when it is hooked in, it is very tight. Only very little vignetting:
Rome: (bought in China)
photo with camera in case - lens rectification off
Matthias: (bought at aliexpress)
“ +NO vignetting
+good quality plastic
+buttons are very soft to press (more soft than the original xiaomi yi underwatercase)
-The wifi-button is not fitted at the same height position than the other ones (but it makes no difference in usage)
-The closing buckle gets off very easy from the case (only in open position)
In my opinion the best case is the original one from xiaomi. If I would buy again, I would recommend the original. On second position I would choose the 60m underwater case.”
The “pre-order” case
Most of us saw this picture of the underwater case first:
I got a notice that the model has changed and now looks like this:
A little later I got a confirmation Mail that this model is from “another manufacturer” ant not from Xiaomi.
It has a cyan cap and silver buttons. The cap covers the whole top section with a hole for the button (similar to the original one).
A GoPro quickconnector is included.
Prices:
Banggood: 18.99 USD (in stock)
Geekbuying: 18.99 USD (in stock)
Gearbest: -
Aliexpress: 11.67 USD
Reviews:
elProducente (bought at Banggood):
The camera fits well into the case and it is very hard to get it out again. The cap easily detaches from the metal bar which is annoying. I noticed that it is sealed, but there is a larger gap on one side of the case, which could or should be tighter (last photo).
The vignetting is pretty bad when doing photos without lens rectification in 4:3. It is stronger on the right side of the picture. I noticed that the lens on my camera is not centered in the housing, it’s a little more to the left when looking at the camera. I tried using a white wall to make vignetting visible:
Rome (bought in China):
photo with camera in case - lens rectification off
Lukas (ordered at Banggood):
Lukas’ camera seems to have the lens more centered than my one as here is more vignetting seen on both sides.
The KingMa case (+lookalike)
There is a noticeable difference as the lens housing is not round.
This case is from Kingma, same company the first available battery for Xiaomi Yi camera is from. It is also 40m waterproof.
It is available with a green, white or black cap.
There is no hole for the trigger button, the part of the cap is hollow.
There might be some lookalikes as there are some pictures without the KingMa logo on top of the cap.
Prices:
Banggood: 19.60 USD (in stock)
Geekbuying: 18.99 USD (in stock)
Gearbest: 10.63 USD (in stock)
Aliexpress: 12.89 USD (in stock)
Review
Rome (bought in China):
photo with Xiaomi in case - lens rectification off
Here is a picture of the cases he tested. The one I referring to is no 2 from the left. No logo on top.
Simon (bought at aliexpress)
The "rounded” case
I refer to as “rounded model” as the cap is rounded towards the front.
This one is like all the others 40m waterproof.
The cap covers the whole top of the case with a hole for the trigger button. It seems very round on front and back.
It is available in black, green and white; sometimes the lens housing is in the same color as the cap:
Prices:
Banggood: 15.99 USD (in stock)
Geekbuying: 18.99 USD (in stock)
Gearbest: 9.13 USD (in stock)
Aliexpress: 10.47 USD (in stock)
Reviews:
I don’t have any reviews so far. I’ll keep you updated...
Conclusion
This is a very challenging topic where the information changes almost daily. I’ll try my best to collect as much information as possible and keep updating this site constantly.
My favorite is the original case: very good quality and no vignetting.
2nd place for the 60m case. Also very good quality and no vignetting. On the downside, the cap may get loose, but thats not a big deal. A big plus that it is 60m water proof.
The “pre-order” model has some issues: the cap gets loose easily and the is very bothersome. The quality is also pretty poor as there is a gap between case and door, which is covered by the sealing. I dindn’t have a problem when using under water, but it doesn’t look that trustworthy. Vignetting is pretty bad.
I haven’t tested the KingMa Case myself. On the photos you can see vignetting worse than with the original or 60m model.
I also haven’t tested the “rounded” model and have no test results. The lens housing seems to be tight. I curious how vignetting looks like.
If you have any review info or pictures, please send them!
Remark: The prices shown in the comparison are the cheapest ones, as this was a request by users to show the lowest price. The links next to the review refer to the seller where they were bought by me and users. There still could be a change in production or stock to the model you order.
In this blogpost I want to sum up all accessories which are available for the Xiaomi Yi camera. This article is constantly updated with new products and price comparisons:
Updated: August 19th
This is about accessories especially for the Xiaomi Yi camera. I wrote another article about "My favorite action camera mounts”, which can be used for the Xiaomi Yi and any other action camera.
Underwater Case (incl. original Xiaomi)
That’s probably the most requested item for the camera. Currently there is a lot of confusion as there are several versions available. I wrote a blogpost about the underwater case including reviews:
>> read more: Underwater Cases Review (incl. video review)
Remote Control (original Xiaomi)
If you want to remote control your camera, but don’t want to use you phone, you can use this remote control from Xiaomi. It’s connected via bluetooth, firmware 1.1.0 or above is required. You can switch between photo and video mode and start recording / take a picture.
Banggood: 13.89 USD
Gearbest: 11.89
Geekbuying: 11.99
Aliexpress: 8.99 USD
also available with the monopod:
Banggood: 33.09 USD
Gearbest: 33.09 USD
Geekbuying: 40.69 USD
Aliexpress: 31.99 USD
>> read more: Remote Control Review (incl. video review)
Floating Grip (original Xiaomi)
The monopod included in the travel edition and remote set can also be bought separately. This just refers to the original one, there are many similar ones available:
Banggood: 16.29 USD
Gearbest: -
Geekbuying: -
Aliexpress: -
Back Doors (original Xiaomi)
Especially the door for USB, HDMI and microSD card is very likely to get lost at some point.Finally you can order them.
Banggood: 2.64 USD
Gearbest: -
Geekbuying: -
Aliexpress: 4.50 USD
Silicon Soft Rubber Case
The rubber case gives you more protection for your camera. I prefer not to use the underwater case as it adds an additional layer over the lens. I ordered a black one also to have a dark cover for my white camera (e.g. on a stage). Available here:
Banggood: 5.99 USD
Gearbest: 1.44 USD
Geekbuying: 2.59 USD
Aliexpress: 5.99 USD
>> read more: blogpost and review about this case (incl. video)
Battery & Charger
As the action cameras usually run out of battery before their storage is full, an extra battery is highly recommended. Double chargers are also available to charge batteries while camera is in use. Available here:
Battery:
Banggood: 5.99 USD
Gearbest: 2.80 USD
Geekbuying: 5.99 USD
Aliexpress: 6.64 USD
Charger:
Banggood: 8.99 USD
Gearbest: 3.43 USD
Geekbuying: 5.99 USD
Aliexpress: 5.52 USD
Lens Cap
If you don’t carry the cam in a bag or don’t use the underwater case you might wanna get one of these caps. It’s cheaper than a new lens when it is damaged. You can also check out a UV filter with cap!
Banggood: 2.99 USD
Gearbest: 0.76 USD
Geekbuying: 0.99 USD
Aliexpress: 1.43 USD
Aluminium Housing
A great product which I also ordered, not only because of protection but because of the sweet GoPro Mount adapter at the bottom. It uses the notch next to the thread for more stability. The adapter can also be used without the frame and has a shorter screw than several other adapters.
Available here:
Banggood: 10.99 USD
Gearbest: 7.49 USD
Geekbuying: 8.99 USD
Aliexpress: 11.04 USD
>> read more: review of the aluminium frame (incl. video)
This aluminium housing is also pretty cool. It gives a bit more protection than the frame. It has the same GoPro mount adapter as the frame. Additionally there is a thread for an UV filter and you can attach a cap.
Banggood: -
Gearbest: 13.38 USD
Geekbuying: -
Aliexpress: 19.99 USD
>> read more: review of the aluminium case (incl. video)
And a third option is available. Also more protection than the frame with an additional clod shoe for accessories such as LED light or optical viewfinder. What a pity that it doesn’t come with the GoPro mount adapter, but here the mount is built in. There is also a thread for a filter.
Aliexpress: 23.70 USD
Banggood: 21.99 USD
FPV - Video out cable
In case you want to use your camera for FPV, here is a cable to transmit the video signal. Available here:
Banggood: 3.11 USD
Gearbest: -
Geekbuying: 1.99 USD
Aliexpress: 3.95 USD
Filter
Be careful which filter adapter you are going to use as vignetting can easily occur. Take a look at my article on this topic:
>> read more: filters and a review Lens Adapters (incl. video)
1/4″ to GoPro Adapter
You sure want to get an adapter to use all the available mounts (which can be used for SJcam or GoPro) with your Xiaomi Yi camera. 1/4″ to GoPro mount adapters are available for under 2 USD.
The one included with the frame can now be bought separately. This one gives more stability as it uses the notch next to the thread.
Available here:
Banggood: -
Gearbest: 3.04 USD
Geekbuying: 5.19 USD
Aliexpress: -
Bag / Case
Be careful when looking for bags as most of them are fitted for GoPros and their accessories (battery size, LCD screen,...)
This seems to be the first one specifically for the Xiaomi Yi and has special holes for camera in case, 2 batteries, SD card Adapter & Monopod as well as space for other accessories.
Banggood: -
Gearbest: -
Geekbuying: 13.89 USD
Aliexpress: 21.99 USD
Gimbals
Finally there are Gimbals available for the Xiaomi Yi camera.
>> read more: I did a special article about them: Xiaomi Yi Gimbals.
Charging
As the Xiaomi Yi as well as the battery charger come without wall socket adapter, you might want to get this device: the BlitzWolf USB Charger offers 5 USB ports with a 5 volt and 2 amps output for each port. It’s available for 19.99 USD at Banggood.
>> find more information and a review here.
Basic Mounts
I would recommend this set, because these are the basic mounts you need for every action camera and it is available for 16.99 USD here: Banggood.
I recently got it from Banggood and was surprised as there were more mounts included than in the description of the website. Take a look at my photo:
These are the basics for mounting the cam, read more about Xiaomi Yi mounting options here: “My favorite action camera mounts”.
to be continued...
Now there are many mounts advertised for the Xiaomi Yi, but you can use them with any action camera as they feature either the 1/4″ screw or the GoPro mount. In many cases the adapter is included. Check them out here.
Thank you to the anonymous person who donated to my paypal account! You've helped me pay for nearly 1/3 the cost of my underwater housing case for my DSLR! I was still at work when I saw the e-mail notification and just ran around my store screaming. (No customers were in the store, haha.)
Want to help me buy an underwater housing case for my Canon60D?
If you're reading this and would like to help me out, please make your donation by clicking the link HERE. Thank you so much for your help and your kindness!
