Best Waterproof Camera Case for Safe Travels
Protect your precious camera gear from the elements with our guide to the best waterproof camera case of the year. (All bags are 100% water-tight!)
By Greg Cromie
Your search for a great waterproof camera case to protect your precious photography gear from the wet ends here!
Maybe you’ll be traveling on a boat. Maybe you’ll be shooting near a pool. Or maybe you’ll just be traveling somewhere in monsoon season!
Whatever the case, these waterproof camera case recommendations are the real deal.
Built to withstand a proper downpour, this bag is on a mission to keep your gear safe and dry.
There are lots of camera cases advertised on Amazon as ‘waterproof’, but they’re really only water-resistant – there’s a BIG difference.
All the products in this article can actually be submerged underwater and still protect your cameras and accessories.
(Don’t ever try that with any cheapo Dicapac or so-called waterproof camera cases when you want to shoot underwater!)
They are also different from generic waterproof bags since they offer dedicated camera storage, protective padding, ease of access to your gear, and other specific features.
…and if you need something a bit bigger, check out our guide to soft and hard camera cases.
Let’s have a look at the best of the year so far.
Top Waterproof Camera Cases in 2023
Image | Product | Features | |
---|---|---|---|
Miggo AguaOUR #1 CHOICE |
| View Price → | |
Pelican 1200TOP RATED |
| View Price → | |
Dryzone DF20GREAT VALUE |
| View Price → | |
DryZone 200 |
| View Price → |
1. Miggo Agua
When it comes to keeping your gear absolutely safe from the elements and any possible deep water exposure, you need a waterproof bag you can trust.
The Miggo Agua Stormproof Medium Backpack 80 is one of the best waterproof camera cases available.
This bag meets the IPX3 Rain-Proof Standard Protection rating. More than that, it’s also a stylish and comfortable backpack for adventure photographers and travellers.
The Miggo Agua is made from a highly durable exterior waterproof tarpaulin with a reinforced base. Access to your camera gear can be gained from either of the sides or the front of the bag.
This way, you can sling the backpack on either shoulder and access your gear via the sides. The top of the bag also features a fold-down flap that cinches shut at the opening to create a 100% waterproof seal from the rain, dust, sand, snow and anything else you throw at it.
Internal storage is split into two halves with the top for storage of personal gear and the bottom for your camera gear.
The Miggo Agua Stormproof Medium Backpack 80 features interior dividers to allow you to sort and stow your gear safely.
This backpack will comfortably store a DLSR camera with a couple of zooms such as a 24-70mm and a 70-200. Plus, it includes a neat little storage case for spare batteries and memory cards.
It can also hold a 12″ laptop and a tablet and is highly recommended by watersports website Globo Surf.
The bag has a great level of channelled padding on the back support, and the shoulder straps are also well-padded and adjustable.
As a small to medium-sized backpack, the Miggo Agua is incredibly comfortable to carry for long day journeys with your camera gear.
The Miggo Agua is exceptional value for money from a product that’s really an insurance policy against your gear getting wet.
With one of the best waterproof camera cases on the market, you know you can endure any conditions.
2. Pelican 1200
Pelican have long been a trusted brand in the development of hardy and tough camera cases.
Their Pelican 1200 Protector Case is a small and incredibly durable case that can be custom-fit to suit your camera or action camera kit.
This makes our list for being, without a doubt, one of the best waterproof camera cases available today!
Pelican cases can take an incredible amount of punishment. Not only are they watertight but they’re also crushproof and dustproof.
If you are into action-adventure such as taking your camera on a kayaking expedition, or a motocross adventure, your camera will be safe.
The Pelican 1200 is a relatively small case as its dimensions are 9.3″ × 7.1″ × 4.1″ (23.6cm x 18cm x 10.4cm). This will hold a small DSLR camera with a small lens such as a 50mm.
You could also arrange the interior to support a mirrorless camera with two smaller lenses or an action camera set up.
This waterproof case is sealed with an o-ring around the edges as well as a pair of double-throw latches to really lock it down.
The interior of the Pelican 1200 has a corrugated foam lining in the lid. The rest of the inner compartment holds a dense foam that can be removed in small pieces to fit your specific kit.
What’s more, the case features an automatic pressure equalisation valve to balance the interior pressure and keep water out.
At a little over US$50 (check latest price here), the Pelican 1200 Protector Case is ideal for those who want to travel light with a small kit and keep it safe and dry.
This little case is an ideal solution and certainly a worthy contender for best weatherproof camera case.
3. Lowepro Dryzone DF20
Like most of the waterproof cases we’ve talked about in this guide, the Lowepro Dryzone DF20 is not intended for the casual out-and-about photographer.
This camera case is made for the adventure photographer that intends to get into wet and rugged situations with a camera and some underwater housing.
Lowepro is a well-respected name in the camera bag world and this is a cover for your gear that has exceptional build qualities and features.
The Dryzone DF20 is a bright yellow weatherproof / 100% waterproof tarpaulin to help you locate the bag easily – which is especially useful if you’re in deep water. Its overall shape is that of a large loaf of bread and what’s more, it’s made to float
The exterior features strongly stitched nylon straps with carrying handles. There are also a lot of places where you can tie this bag down to the back of a bike or luggage rack on a canoe.
The only other exterior feature on the Dryzone DF20 is a small weather-sealed zip pocket.
The main access to the interior is via a large roll-top that is sealed with two toughened strips. These strips meet and then, once the opening is rolled two or three times, it forms a seal.
To hold the rolled-top down tight there are a pair of buckled straps. This way, your gear is well and truly protected from any moisture getting inside.
The interior of the Lowepro Dryzone DF20 holds another padded bag with its own carrying straps. This is a little difficult to get in and out of the case so my advice is to just leave it in there.
The interior of this bag features a number of interchangeable dividers to set up your gear how you like it. It will easily hold a DSLR camera and four to five larger lenses.
For a waterproof bag of this quality, I would have liked to see some smaller internal pockets for storing smaller gear. As it is there’s nowhere to safely store filters, batteries and memory cards. None the less, this waterproof bag has more than enough going for it to warrant being on this list.
The Dryzone DF20 is incredibly well made and robust and is clearly one of the best waterproof camera cases on the market. Such a simple concept can do a lot to save your gear from taking a swim underwater.
4. Lowepro DryZone 200
Lowepro makes a wide range of camera bags for a whole range of uses. While they may not be the place to go to find an underwater housing for your camera, their DryZone range is definitely one of the best when it comes to protecting your gear from the elements.
The Lowepro DryZone 200 is one of the most durable and waterproof camera bags that they make. As a result, it has a well-earned place in our list of best waterproof camera cases.
The bag is again made primarily of yellow and black rubberized nylon to ensure that it’s visible in extreme weather conditions.
The Dryzone 200 has a fairly conventional backpack look to it. On the outer, there are a couple of mesh pockets up front for storing quick grab things. There are padded waist straps and a toughened plastic grab handle.
The back support and shoulder pads are well padded and completely adjustable making for a comfortable daily carry.
The Lowepro DryZone 200 has 100% water-tight protection and can float even when fully loaded. It has a waterproof rating of IPX7 thanks to the rubberized nylon and watertight zipper system.
This bag clearly speaks of adventures and travels with your DSLR cameras or mirrorless system.
The inside features a removable and adjustable camera storage area. This is well padded and will comfortably hold a pro-level DSLR camera plus four to five large size lenses.
The inside lid of the removable bag has a large mesh pocket for storing your filters, batteries and cables.
So if you’re considering photographing the next typhoon or hurricane event in your neighbourhood, the Lowepro DryZone 200 is the bag for you.
A bag such as this is a great investment for the adventure and travel photographers that prefer to travel via paddle-board.
There’s little doubt: the features we’ve listed above make this one of the best waterproof camera cases around.
Final Words
If you’re looking for a waterproof bag or cover to protect your gear, odds are that durability and reliability are at the top of your search criteria.
While the bags on this list may not be the cheapest in price, they are the best at what they’re designed to do: keep your camera equipment safe, even if you happen to drop it underwater or get caught in wild weather.
Choose whichever one best suits your specific requirements in terms of features and capacity. Beyond that, all the waterproof bags on this list are of top quality – so it’s hard to go wrong.
Built to withstand a proper downpour, this bag is on a mission to keep your gear safe and dry.