Depth rating
Also known as: waterproof rating, water resistance rating
The maximum water depth a camera or housing is rated to survive without leaking, such as about 10 m for a bare action camera or 60 m in a dive case.
Updated
What it means
A depth rating states how deep a device can go before water pressure overcomes its seals. Pressure rises by about one atmosphere every 10 meters, so a camera rated to 10 meters is built for roughly twice surface pressure, while a dive housing rated to 60 meters withstands around seven times surface pressure.
Ratings are usually tested statically, with the device sitting still in a pressure chamber. Real use adds dynamic pressure: jumping off a boat, a wave slamming into the camera or a fast swim stroke briefly push water harder against the seals. That is why experienced divers treat the number as a ceiling, not a target. IP ratings such as IPX8 describe water resistance too, but do not state a depth on their own.
How it works in practice
Most current action cameras are waterproof to somewhere between 10 and 20 meters out of the box, enough for surfing, snorkeling and mouth-mounted swims. For scuba, you add a housing rated to 40 to 60 meters, often with a red filter on the front. Phones with IP68 ratings are tested to only a few meters for a limited time and should never dive without a proper case.
Configuration matters too. A camera that is waterproof bare may lose that rating when you swap the battery door for a pass-through charging door or fit some third-party lenses. Check the rating for the exact setup you will dive with, and replace seals as the manufacturer recommends.
What to watch out for
The most common mistake is assuming waterproof means divable. A bare action camera taken past its rating on a fun dive may survive a few times and then leak without warning. Check the spec for your exact model rather than a general claim, and use a housing for anything beyond its limit.
Salt, sunscreen and sand wear seals down, so a rating that was true when the camera was new may not hold after a couple of seasons. Rinse in fresh water after every session and dry the doors before opening them. And even in a rated housing, fog can ruin footage while the camera stays perfectly dry, so a sealed case is only half the job.
How RawClip handles it
A depth rating protects the camera, and RawClip takes over once the dive is on your computer. Upload every chapter as MP4 or MOV, and the AI trims the long uneventful stretches, keeps the moments with the most going on and builds one highlight cut to music.