UWACAM Support Knowledge Base (complete)

Get in touch

For issues, feature ideas, or general feedback, drop us a line at support@uwacam.com.

Reporting a bug

The more detail you share, the faster we can fix the issue. Please try to include the following:

Submitting an idea

We love hearing your ideas! Feel free to share any feature requests or suggestions at support@uwacam.com.

Before submitting an idea, please review our idea submission policy.

The following advice may help you prepare for that once-in-a-lifetime trip - or any other diving trip as well.

Before you leave home

Make a strategy

Before you leave your accommodation

Before entering the water

After entering the water

During the dive

After the dive

If you are doing multiple dives

Ethical Underwater Photography

Responsible underwater photography means respecting marine life, preserving the environment, and ensuring that your actions do not disturb the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Avoid touching or chasing marine creatures, as this can stress them and alter their natural behavior. Be mindful of your buoyancy to prevent accidental contact with coral, which can take decades to recover from even minor damage. Use appropriate lighting and avoid excessive strobe use to minimize disruption to nocturnal species. Never remove anything from the ocean for the sake of a shot, and always follow local regulations and marine park guidelines. Remember, the best underwater images come from capturing marine life in its natural state—observe, appreciate, and leave no trace.

Are there any video tutorials on UWACAM?

Matthias Lebo is in the process of making a tutorial series:

If you have specific questions, drop us a line at support@uwacam.com !

Where can I download UWACAM?

UWACAM is available as a free download on the App Store

Where can I purchase a Divevolk Seatouch Case and Accessories?

You can purchase various types/colors of cases, and a wide range of accessories, in the Divevolk Online Shop

Getting started tips

Like any professional camera, it pays off to use UWACAM for some time at home before taking it on your first dive.

You will enjoy UWACAM much more underwater if you are already familiar with controls and settings, and have configured UWACAM to your liking.

Make UWACAM part of your pre-dive planning

How can I improve my underwater video shooting skills?

Award winning underwater cinematographer Matthias Lebo with whom UWACAM was developed offers excellent online training courses.

If you prefer to self-teach, the best advice we can give is - shoot a lot of underwater video, plan your shots before diving (see our getting started tips), review your material and make your own notes as to what worked and what did not work so well.

How the watermark works

Does UWACAM transform my phone into an underwater camera?

Almost, but not by itself. While there are videos out there that show how a mobile phone survives dunking in water, that is not something it is designed for.

Get a DIVEVOLK Seatouch Case, for which UWACAM was explicitly designed.

The DIVEVOLK Case together with the UWACAM app are the ideal combination to capture ocean beauty - effortlessly.

Which underwater housing do you recommend for my phone?

Get a DIVEVOLK Seatouch Case, for which UWACAM was explicitly designed.

The unique membrane of the Seatouch Case lets you effortlessly use UWACAM, thanks to its large buttons and user interface designed for underwater use.

UWACAM and Drysuit Gloves

We dive with a drysuit most of the time here in Switzerland. They have rubber dry gloves and the finger cot from DIVEVOLK works relatively well for us. Of course the screen is not quite as responsive as with your bare fingers, but it's workable to a degree which is OK for us.

One problem we find though is that the control buttons on most camera apps are rather small and very difficult to precisely press when wearing thick dry rubber gloves with a finger cot - this was one of the motivating factors to develop UWACAM

You can purchase the finger cot, and a wide range of accessories, in the Divevolk Online Shop

Is UWACAM available for Android?

YES! UWACAM for Android has been released on 17 January 2026.

It is available on the play store.

Please also see our blog post.

iOS: Opening UWACAM directly from the lock screen

Due to technical restrictions, UWACAM cannot be integrated as a "camera app" directly in the iPhone lock screen.

However you can customize your lock screen if you like and place a shortcut there that makes it easier to open UWACAM, also under water.

Replacing the Flashlight or Camera button (iOS 18+)

Placing a button in the widget area

1

Long press on your Lock Screen to bring up customization options

2

Tap "Customize"

3

Tap in the widget area (where it says "add widgets")

4

Add widget for the "Shortcuts" app by dragging the shortcut icon up to the "add widgets" area

5

Tap on that newly added widget to customize it

6

Select "Open App..."

7

Use the search bar to find UWACAM

8

Select UWACAM

9

Tap "Done" in upper right corner

10

Tap on the screen to finish customizing. Your screen should now look like this:

Tap on the icon you added just below the clock. It should open UWACAM if your phone is unlocked.

Now you can launch UWACAM directly from the lock screen. Even if your phone locks under water, you won't have to swipe up to unlock it. Simply long press the UWACAM button on the lock screen, enter your pass code and you're done.

For more advanced users, you can create multiple lock screens with different button setups, for example one lock screen just for diving, and another for everyday topside use.

Where can I find the original intro video by Matthias Lebo?

You can find the intro video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEC1FJsYfzw

How do I subscribe?

You can purchase a subscription directly in the app itself.

If you have not yet installed the app on your device, UWACAM is available as a free download on the App Store.

After installing UWACAM, start the app. If it is the first time you start the app, you might have to give the app permissions for camera, microphone and access to the Photos library. Then follow the steps for your mode below.

AUTO mode

1

Tap the MENU button to open the quick access menu

2

3

Tap the green Subscribe button at the bottom of the menu to access the subscription management page, where you can see the subscriptions we offer together with prices, and select which one you would like to purchase.

PRO mode

1

Tap the quick access button at top left

2

3

Tap the green Subscribe button at the bottom of the menu to access the subscription management page, where you can see the subscriptions we offer together with prices, and select which one you would like to purchase.

Moving to a new device

Please do the following to move to a new device:

iOS

1

Make sure you are logged into the new device using the same Apple ID you used to purchase your subscription

2

Download the UWACAM app on the new device

3

Tap the green "subscribe" button or go to Settings > Gear (yellow) > Subscription

4

On the page where subscriptions are offered, tap "Restore purchases"

5

You should subsequently see your subscription as being active on that page

Android

1

Make sure you are logged into the new device using the same Google Account you used to purchase your subscription

2

Download the UWACAM app on the new device

3

Tap the green "subscribe" button or go to Settings > Gear (yellow) > Subscription

4

On the page where subscriptions are offered, tap "Restore purchases"

5

You should subsequently see your subscription as being active on that page

Redeeming an offer code

To redeem an offer code, follow these steps:

iOS

1

Download UWACAM from the App Store onto your device

2

Start the app, and proceed through the setup screen(s)

3

Depending on the Mode you chose, tap MENU or QUICK ACCESS

4

Tap the green subscribe button

5

On the subscription screen, tap redeem code

6

Enter the code on the following screen (if the code is long and complex, you may want to copy/paste it to avoid typing errors)

7

A screen will be presented with the details of the offer — please read them carefully before accepting

Android

1

Download UWACAM from the Play Store onto your device

2

Start the app, and proceed through the setup screen(s)

3

Depending on the Mode you chose, tap MENU or QUICK ACCESS

4

Tap the green subscribe button

5

On the subscription screen, tap redeem code

6

Enter the code

7

The corresponding offer should appear below

8

Read the details of the offer carefully before you tap on it to subscribe

Moving a subscription between platforms

UWACAM subscriptions are managed by the respective platforms. Apple manages UWACAM subscriptions on iOS, and Google manages UWACAM subscriptions on Android.

This unfortunately means you cannot "move" or "migrate" your subscription from one platform to another automatically.

Subscription troubleshooting

Follow these steps if your subscription isn't being recognised in UWACAM.

1

Make sure you are logged in using the same Apple ID or Google Play account you used to purchase your subscription. The subscription is linked to that account.

2

Make sure the device is online and has internet connectivity.

3

Tap the green "Subscribe" button, or go to Settings > Gear (yellow) > Subscription.

4

On the subscriptions page, tap "Restore purchases".

Your subscription should then appear as active on that page.

5

If it does not appear, try restarting UWACAM and/or your device.

iOS only

6

Verify your subscription is active: go to Phone Settings → your name → Subscriptions and check if UWACAM is listed and what its status is. If iOS does not list your subscription UWACAM cannot see it either.

Android only

7

Open the Play Store, tap the account icon (top right), then go to Payments & Subscriptions → Subscriptions.

Check if UWACAM is listed and what its status is. If Google does not list your subscription UWACAM cannot see it either. Here's an example of an expired subscription:

8

Also check your purchase history: in the Play Store go to Account icon → Payments & Subscriptions → Budget & history.

This shows a record of all past transactions and can help confirm whether your UWACAM purchase went through, was refunded, or was cancelled.

9

On a web browser, go to payments.google.com and check both Activity and Subscriptions & services.

This gives a full view of your Google payment history and active subscriptions. If your UWACAM subscription does not appear here, or shows as refunded or cancelled, Google has removed it and UWACAM will not be able to recognise it.

Where can I see subscription options and prices?

The easiest way to see subscription options and prices in your local currency is to download the app (downloading is free), and tap the green "subscribe" button in quick access.

This will open the subscription screen which gives you an overview and prices as well.

See also this knowledge base article on how to subscribe for step by step instructions on how to get to the subscription screen.

Why did my subscription disappear?

Your subscription is tied to the Apple ID you used to purchase it. If you log onto your device with a different Apple ID, it is quite possible that your subscription in UWACAM will deactivate.

To fix this

iOS

1

Make sure you are logged onto the device using the same Apple ID you used to purchase your subscription

2

Tap the green "subscribe" button or go to Settings > Gear (yellow) > Subscription

3

On the page where subscriptions are offered, tap "Restore purchases"

4

You should subsequently see your subscription as being active again on that page

Platform-specific subscriptions

UWACAM subscriptions are managed by the respective platforms. Apple manages UWACAM subscriptions on iOS, and Google manages UWACAM subscriptions on Android.

This split in "two separate worlds" unfortunately means we cannot offer a common subscription for the two platforms.

Issue description

Users attempting to activate an existing UWACAM subscription on a new or secondary Android device may encounter issues with the Restore Purchases function. Specifically, the "Restore Purchases" button may appear grayed out, blink when selected, or fail to respond, preventing the activation of paid features.

Prerequisites

Verify your subscription is active

Before troubleshooting the app, confirm that Google itself recognises your subscription:

Resolution

If the application fails to recognize the subscription status immediately, a Force Stop may be required to refresh the app's connection to the Google Play Store:

Managing your subscription

Due to privacy restrictions by Apple and Google, we have zero insight into individual subscriptions. They can only be managed through your device's app store.

Restoring your subscription

If you get a new device, or are having issues with your subscription, try the following steps:

1

Make sure you are logged into the device using the same Apple ID or Google Play Store account you used to purchase your subscription. The subscription is linked to that ID.

2

Download the UWACAM app on the new device

3

Tap the green "subscribe" button or go to Settings > Gear (yellow) > Subscription

4

On the page where subscriptions are offered, tap "Restore purchases"

5

You should subsequently see your subscription as being active on that page. If it does not appear, try restarting UWACAM and/or your device.

How the watermark works

How much does the UWACAM subscription cost?

Short answer: the app itself is free, and the exact subscription prices are shown inside the app in your local currency. Here is a little more detail.

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UWACAM is a free download

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Downloading and installing UWACAM costs nothing. You can try the app, explore its interface, and shoot photos and videos without any payment. A subscription only unlocks additional features (such as removing the watermark on new captures and using Vizalyzer AI).

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Get UWACAM here:

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Get in touch

For issues, feature ideas, or general feedback, drop us a line at support@uwacam.com.

Reporting a bug

The more detail you share, the faster we can fix the issue. Please try to include the following:

Submitting an idea

We love hearing your ideas! Feel free to share any feature requests or suggestions at support@uwacam.com.

Before submitting an idea, please review our idea submission policy.

Shutter angle vs. shutter speed

Coming from photography, you may be used to shutter speed (a duration of time, like 1/50th of a second). In filmmaking, especially on high-end cinema cameras, shutter angle is typically used (measured in degrees).

This terminology comes from traditional film cameras, which used a rotating disc shutter. The "angle" refers to how much of that 360-degree disc is cut out to let light pass through.

Here are more details on how shutter speed translates to angle and how to set them up.

1. The golden rule: 180°

The standard "cinematic look" relies on the 180-degree rule. This provides motion blur that feels natural to the human eye.

If you are shooting at the standard 24 frames per second (fps), a 180° shutter angle is equivalent to a shutter speed of 1/48 (often rounded to 1/50 on digital cameras). A 360° shutter angle always gives you the slowest shutter speed possible for a given frame rate (which is 1/framerate), in this case 1/24 of a second.

2. Why use angle instead of speed?

The beauty of using shutter angle is consistency.

General troubleshooting tips

If things are behaving very strangely, try the following steps for your platform:

When recording video, only one camera button is shown. Can I switch/zoom through cameras while recording video?

Short answer: Yes, you can, if you switch Camera Blending ON

Where to find Camera Blending

With Camera Blending ON

With Camera Blending ON, you can switch cameras while recording video and UWACAM will make the transition as smooth as possible. When using the zoom control you can also zoom through all cameras. This behavior is similar to the standard camera app. It does have some drawbacks, in that manual focus, ISO and other manual settings are not available.

With Camera Blending OFF

With Camera Blending OFF, UWACAM stays on the selected camera while recording video. You can zoom within that cameras range, but UWACAM will never switch cameras while recording to avoid potentially annoying jumps in the recorded footage.

You can also read about some more background info regarding Camera Blending here.

Can I use UWACAM while snorkelling?

Absolutely!

UWACAM, in combination with UWACOLOR processing, can give you beautiful captures effortlessly while snorkelling.

Please note that due to the possibility of rapidly changing light conditions during snorkelling, we recommend applying UWACOLOR for videos captured during snorkelling in postprocessing.

That way you always can choose between the original video, and the processed one - depending on which one you prefer.

1. The Challenge of Underwater Color Fidelity

Images and videos captured underwater often exhibit a dominant blue or green color cast. This phenomenon occurs because water acts as a natural light filter, absorbing color wavelengths selectively. The red end of the light spectrum is absorbed first, typically within the first 5 meters / 15 feet of depth, followed by orange, yellow, and other warmer colors as depth increases. Blue light penetrates the deepest, resulting in the monochromatic appearance of uncorrected underwater media. While the human brain can partially compensate for this color shift during a dive, camera sensors record the filtered light, leading to a significant discrepancy between the perceived scene and the captured image.

2. Traditional Methods for Color Restoration

Historically, photographers and videographers have used several techniques to mitigate underwater color loss.

3. Algorithmic Color Correction Technology

An alternative to traditional methods is the use of software algorithms designed to automatically restore natural color in underwater images and videos. UWACOLOR, created by the UWACAM Team, is such a technology.

This technology utilizes the smartphone's Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to run a complex mathematical algorithm. The algorithm analyzes the image data in real-time or during post-processing within UWACAM. It dynamically adjusts the colors to compensate for the specific light absorption properties of water, aiming to restore vibrancy and contrast without manual intervention.

The system is designed to be adaptive, adjusting its color correction based on the characteristics of the image, which differs from the static correction provided by a single physical filter.

4. Implementation in a Mobile Application

The UWACOLOR technology is integrated as a core feature within UWACAM, providing users with several modes and tools:

5. System Advantages and Considerations

The primary advantage of an integrated algorithmic approach is the reduction in effort and equipment required to achieve accurate color. It can lessen the dependency on physical filters or external lights, particularly at recreational diving depths (e.g., down to 15-20 meters). This streamlines the underwater photography workflow, allowing for quicker sharing of color-corrected images directly from the smartphone.

While UWACOLOR aims to reduce the need for extra gear, the use of a physical red filter can still enhance results at greater depths. Similarly, for optimal image quality in low-light or challenging conditions, the use of an external video light remains a recommended practice.

Adding UWACAM to the AssistiveTouch menu

You may want to add UWACAM to your iPhone AssistiveTouch menu. Doing this requires two steps.

iOS

1

Open the Shortcuts app and create a shortcut named UWACAM that performs an Open App action to open UWACAM. You can find more info on how to do this here: Apple Shortcuts guide

The shortcut should look like this:

And in the Shortcuts app overview it should look like this:

2

Go to iPhone Settings and search for AssistiveTouch. Enable AssistiveTouch, then tap Customize Top Level Menu.

Tap any position to assign the UWACAM shortcut to it. Use the (+) button to add more icon positions if needed. When assigning the shortcut you may need to scroll down quite a bit in the list. The result should look similar to this:

3

Once set up, tapping the AssistiveTouch dot on the screen will show a menu that looks something like this:

Why backing up your captures is important

We strongly recommend backing up your captures after every dive, whether you store them in-app, or in another storage location on your phone

This is crucial to make and keep a backup so you don't lose anything if there ever is an issue either with the diving case, your phone or the software.

For in-app captures, go to list mode where you can for example share captures and airdrop them to your computer.

Do you recommend using my phone in water without a case?

NO ABSOLUTELY NOT. While there are videos out there that show how a mobile phone survives dunking in water, that is not something it is designed for.

Get a DIVEVOLK Seatouch Case, for which UWACAM was explicitly designed.

Where is the manual for UWACAM?

You can find the quick reference manual at

uwacam.com/qr

How do storage locations work in PRO mode?

Storage locations in PRO mode are powerful and flexible. However they may at times not be entirely straightforward to use

Here is the concept

iOS: Is it possible to recover (undelete) captures?

For captures stored in Photos

For captures stored in UWACAM In-App storage

How do I upload captures to cloud storage?

To upload capture stories cloud storage you have the following options.

Using Playback view

Direct upload to iCloud

If you want to directly upload into iCloud, you can set this up independently for photos and videos

Is there a one-touch white balance function?

Yes, two such functions exist in PRO mode. Please note that manual white balance is not available if Camera Blending is activated.

iOS only: WB button sampling

You can use the WB button in quick access to sample and lock white balance from a grey card. You can tap that button again to sample and lock white balance again if shooting conditions change. To unlock white balance, long press the thermometer button in quick access.

iOS and Android: Manual white balance control

You can select the thermometer button in quick access to enable manual white balance control. Then, in the preview screen, tap the thermometer button to switch between locked and auto mode. This way you can lock the current auto value. You can also use the (+) and (-) buttons to change the white balance value in K

The zoom button

The zoom function works without any swiping on the display, similar to a motor zoom on a camcorder.

Enabling zoom controls

AUTO mode

1

Tap MENU, then tap "Show Zoom Control".

2

The zoom controls will now be displayed in the preview.

PRO mode

1

Open quick access, then tap the zoom button to display the zoom controls.

2

If the zoom button is not shown in quick access, go to Settings > Display > User Interface > Quick Access to configure the available controls and add the zoom control if necessary.

iOS: Opening UWACAM directly from the lock screen

Due to technical restrictions, UWACAM cannot be integrated as a "camera app" directly in the iPhone lock screen.

However you can customize your lock screen if you like and place a shortcut there that makes it easier to open UWACAM, also under water.

Replacing the Flashlight or Camera button (iOS 18+)

Placing a button in the widget area

1

Long press on your Lock Screen to bring up customization options

2

Tap "Customize"

3

Tap in the widget area (where it says "add widgets")

4

Add widget for the "Shortcuts" app by dragging the shortcut icon up to the "add widgets" area

5

Tap on that newly added widget to customize it

6

Select "Open App..."

7

Use the search bar to find UWACAM

8

Select UWACAM

9

Tap "Done" in upper right corner

10

Tap on the screen to finish customizing. Your screen should now look like this:

Tap on the icon you added just below the clock. It should open UWACAM if your phone is unlocked.

Now you can launch UWACAM directly from the lock screen. Even if your phone locks under water, you won't have to swipe up to unlock it. Simply long press the UWACAM button on the lock screen, enter your pass code and you're done.

For more advanced users, you can create multiple lock screens with different button setups, for example one lock screen just for diving, and another for everyday topside use.

Do you publish a feature roadmap for UWACAM?

We do know where UWACAM is going - we are committed to continue delivering the best app for underwater videography and photography.

That being said we don't publish a feature roadmap.

If you are looking for something specific that you think is missing in UWACAM, drop us a line at support@uwacam.com.

Before submitting any ideas, please read our idea submission policy.

Where can I find the original intro video by Matthias Lebo?

You can find the intro video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEC1FJsYfzw

Any tips regarding use of UWACOLOR?

When planning your dive, keep in mind that you can apply UWACOLOR processing both real-time and in postprocessing.

For maximum flexibility when capturing video or photo, and lower thermal, processing and battery load on your device during the dive, we recommend using UWACOLOR in postprocessing.

If you need the shots the moment you surface, or you have time to optimize lighting/subject positioning and want to see how changes affect UWACOLOR processing right away, use UWACOLOR real-time.

The following advice may help you prepare for that once-in-a-lifetime trip - or any other diving trip as well.

Before you leave home

Make a strategy

Before you leave your accommodation

Before entering the water

After entering the water

During the dive

After the dive

If you are doing multiple dives

Ethical Underwater Photography

Responsible underwater photography means respecting marine life, preserving the environment, and ensuring that your actions do not disturb the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Avoid touching or chasing marine creatures, as this can stress them and alter their natural behavior. Be mindful of your buoyancy to prevent accidental contact with coral, which can take decades to recover from even minor damage. Use appropriate lighting and avoid excessive strobe use to minimize disruption to nocturnal species. Never remove anything from the ocean for the sake of a shot, and always follow local regulations and marine park guidelines. Remember, the best underwater images come from capturing marine life in its natural state—observe, appreciate, and leave no trace.

DIVEVOLK Wet Lenses vs. Mobile Phone Lenses

Regarding the wet lenses from DIVEVOLK, the wide angle conversion lens is very useful to minimise corner distortion and blurriness when using the 0.5x lens of your mobile phone.

So whenever you use that native wide angle lens on your mobile phone, we recommend to place a wide angle conversion lens in front of it.

Macro Lens

The macro lens will make it possible for you to use the mobile phone telephoto lens with a shorter minimal focusing distance and can thus be quite useful, but this one is not very easy to use due to the very shallow depth of field it creates. We recommend to use it, especially for video, always on a tripod.

You can purchase the wet lenses, and a wide range of accessories, in the Divevolk Online Shop

General Advice on Red/Magenta Filters

Here some tips regarding filters:

Here some additional tips specifically for Divevolk filters:

When shooting in PRO Mode with lights and or red filter do you recommend tint and temperature to be locked or in auto mode?

Regarding tint and color temperature in PRO mode, we recommend to generally keep tint and color temperature on auto but activate "WB Lock" in the menu (settings > Advanced > WB Lock > On), which will prevent tint and WB from shifting while a recording is running.

That way, before you press record the camera determines what WB and tint is best and as soon as you start recording those parameters are locked and won't change suddenly during the recording potentially changing color balance in the middle of the shot.

Trouble Focusing with the 5x Camera

Please switch on camera blending which can help with this issue. Note that with camera blending ON, full manual focus control and other manual controls are not available, however the automatic focusing experience may be improved.

How to Change the Setting

Why colors shift when a strong color fills the frame

This is a very common situation: you move in close to photograph something with a dominant, saturated color — a yellow dive watch bezel, a red filter, an orange fish, a blue tank — and suddenly the colors look off. The yellow turns muddy or greenish, skin tones go cold, and the whole image picks up an unexpected tint.

The culprit is Auto White Balance (AWB). Most smartphone camera algorithms assume that the average color in a scene should be roughly neutral gray — this is called the "gray world" assumption. When one strong color fills most of the frame, the camera interprets that color as an unwanted cast and tries to "correct" for it by pushing the whole image in the opposite direction. Fill the frame with yellow, and the camera shifts everything toward blue. The subject you were trying to capture ends up looking nothing like it does in real life.

How to get accurate colors

The general principle: whenever a single strong color dominates the frame, do not rely on Auto White Balance. Lock it, set it manually, or use a reference before the subject takes over the scene.

Why does UWACAM only support a lower photo resolution compared to the native app on my Android Phone?

We completely understand how frustrating it is to have a powerful 48MP, 108MP, or even 200MP camera on your device but see only 12MP images when using UWACAM.

The short answer: We want to be completely transparent with you: this is not a bug in our app, but a restriction imposed by Android device manufacturers. We really wish this was not the case and that manufacturers would rethink this artificial restriction, but so far this has not been the case

To help you understand exactly what is happening under the hood, we have written up a detailed explanation below, including references to technical discussions that confirm this industry-wide limitation.

1. The Hardware Reality: Pixel Binning

Most modern Android phones use a technology called Pixel Binning. High-megapixel sensors (like 108MP) are not designed to output 108MP images by default. Instead, they group neighboring pixels (usually 4 or 9) into one larger "super-pixel."

2. The Software Gatekeeping (Camera2 API)

Android apps communicate with your camera hardware using a system called the Camera2 API. Here lies the restriction:

Issue description

Users attempting to activate an existing UWACAM subscription on a new or secondary Android device may encounter issues with the Restore Purchases function. Specifically, the "Restore Purchases" button may appear grayed out, blink when selected, or fail to respond, preventing the activation of paid features.

Prerequisites

Verify your subscription is active

Before troubleshooting the app, confirm that Google itself recognises your subscription:

Resolution

If the application fails to recognize the subscription status immediately, a Force Stop may be required to refresh the app's connection to the Google Play Store:

Why does Google Play Store say that UWACAM is unavailable for my device?

If the Google Play Store tells you UWACAM is unavailable for your device, this could have various reasons:

Android System Requirements

For the full compatibility overview, see: UWACAM Device Compatibility

Checking Google Play Store Certification

Even if your device meets the Android version requirement, it also needs to pass Google's Play Protect certification. You can check this as follows:

UWACAM is not available in the Play Store on my device

If you search for UWACAM in the Google Play Store but the app does not appear, or shows as unavailable for your device, the most common cause is that your device has not passed Google Play Protect device verification.

What is Play Protect device verification?

Google Play Protect checks whether your device is a certified, unmodified Android device. Devices that are rooted, running a custom ROM, or have otherwise been modified may fail this check. When a device is not verified, Google restricts access to certain apps in the Play Store — including apps that rely on secure camera or media APIs, such as UWACAM.

How to check your device's certification status

What does this mean for UWACAM?

How can I organize UWACOLOR processed captures in Photos on iOS?

If you're comfortable creating a "Shortcut" on your phone, there is a way to automate (and repeat) the process of finding UWACOLOR processed captures, and adding them to a separate folder for easier access.

You will create a tiny "program" to do the work for you in 30 seconds.

First, be sure to create an empty target album (e.g. UWACOLOR) where you want to add the processed photos

Result: All photos with _v in the filename will be instantly added to your new album.

Here are screenshots on what the shortcut could look like. In this case I have turned on the "LIMIT" function so only five photos are processed for testing.

Smartphones, F-stops and why UWACAM does not have aperture control

If you have ever looked for an aperture or f-stop control in UWACAM and could not find one, this article explains why it does not exist — and why adding a software simulation would not actually help for the use cases where you would want it most.

The hardware reality: smartphone cameras have a fixed aperture

On a traditional camera — whether a DSLR, mirrorless, or compact — the aperture is a mechanical iris inside the lens. You can open it wide (f/1.8) to let in more light and create a shallow depth of field, or close it down (f/8) to let in less light and bring more of the scene into focus.

Smartphone cameras do not have this iris. The aperture is fixed at the factory — typically somewhere between f/1.6 and f/2.8 depending on the specific lens and device. No app, including UWACAM, can change this, because there is simply no moving part to control.

So what is the "aperture" slider in Portrait Mode and ProCamera?

Apps like Apple's built-in Camera (Portrait Mode) and ProCamera do show an f-stop slider. This is a software simulation — it does not change the lens aperture at all. Here is what actually happens under the hood:

This is a clever effect and it works well for portrait photography in air. But it is a cosmetic post-processing step, not real aperture control.

Why UWACAM does not implement simulated aperture

For this simulation to work well, a reliable depth map is required. LiDAR and computational stereo both struggle significantly underwater:

We did run experiments with LiDAR under water, but had to shelve the work due to unreliable results. Until depth sensing works reliably in an underwater environment, a simulated aperture feature would produce poor and unpredictable results — and we do not want to ship a feature that makes your captures worse.

The macro diopter case — and why simulation would not help anyway

A question we sometimes receive comes from users shooting macro subjects using a close-up diopter (a +4, +8, or stronger wet lens). At close distances the depth of field becomes very shallow, making it hard to get the whole subject sharp. The natural instinct is to "stop down" to gain depth of field.

This is where it is important to understand what simulated aperture actually does:

These are opposite effects. A Portrait Mode-style aperture simulation would make the macro diopter situation worse, not better. The only real solution is a physically narrower aperture in the lens hardware — and as explained above, smartphone cameras do not have one.

Practical tips for macro shooting with a diopter

Since we cannot change the aperture, the best approach is to work with the hardware you have:

Summary

Can you make PRO feature XYZ available in AUTO mode?

We try very hard to keep AUTO mode as simple as possible. That means also resisting an urge to add more features than absolutely required for beginners.

If you think you have a rock-solid use case where you cannot switch to PRO mode to use XYZ, contact us at support@uwacam.com

Why is Bracketing Disabled?

If you lock exposure

then bracketing will temporarily be disabled. The bracketing indicator is displayed in red:

This is because using bracketing and locked exposure at the same time is not supported by the device.

Using a Wet Lens with UWACAM

Short answer: be sure to turn camera blending ON, otherwise UWACAM may have trouble achieving focus with the wet lens attached.

We recommend mounting the Divevolk wide lens such that it is centered over the widest angle camera of your device.

Do take a few test captures on every dive and check them immediately in playback to see if they are in focus, particularly if you're also stacking a red filter with the wet lens. We have had several feedbacks where stacking a red filter with the wet lens resulted in focusing issues and even completely blurred captures.

Doing the test shots only takes a moment and also lets you make sure you have the Wide Angle lens mounted properly.

To Change the Camera Blending Setting

Background

It seems that the optical characteristics of the Divevolk Wide Angle lens are such that the camera behind it has to focus much closer than the subject actually is. Camera blending can help with this by switching device cameras if required.

You can find more background information here.

iOS: How can I get my captures into Google Photos?

If you want to stay in AUTO mode, you can go to the playback screen, where you can switch to the list view. There you can activate selection mode where you can select multiple captures (select all is also available), and you can then share the selected captures with other apps such as Google Photos.

If you have really large video captures we suggest sharing them one by one, sometimes iOS can be a bit difficult if you share too much in one go.

Using PRO mode

In PRO mode, you can configure the storage destinations for video and photo independently.

If you set both of these to Photos (the iOS Photo library) then Google Photos might pick up the new images and sync them automatically.

If it doesn't, there is also an option to have UWACAM create an Album per Day in Photos, that way you have all captures of the day organized in one place and can select them all to share them with Google Photos.

Manual focus / manual exposure / manual ISO is not available in quick access - why?

Check if you have camera blending enabled.

With camera blending enabled, manual focus, manual exposure and manual ISO, and other features are unfortunately not available due to limitations of the camera framework provided by Apple.

If you want to use manual focus, manual exposure, or manual ISO, please turn camera blending OFF.

See also this article.

How can I get captures that are stored in-app off the device (quickly)

To get captures that are stored in-app off the device (our out of UWACAM), there are several options. Here are only some of them, the list is not exhaustive:

If you are storing your captures in Photos:

If you are storing your captures in UWACAM:

What should I be aware of before removing UWACAM from my device?

Removing an app from an iOS device typically also removes all the data stored in the app. For UWACAM this means that the following are deleted and cannot be recovered:

iOS: Preventing notifications popping up while you're underwater

Depending on the settings of your device, various notifications could pop up underwater. This can be distracting and annoying.

If you want to avoid this, you can consider enabling "Do not disturb" on your device.

If you are an advanced user, you can create your own "Focus" on your device, and you can even set it up so it activates when you start UWACAM. See this Apple article for more details on "Smart Activation".

A note about performance

UWACAM offers access to many powerful features, such as focus peaking, zebra, ProRes format recording, UWACOLOR processing (Version 2.x and above) and much more. Some of these features require a lot of processing power from your device and will cause it to heat up. Here are some points to be mindful of:

Recording at high frame rates and/or data rates can cause your device to heat up, and uses a lot of battery. The same is true when you are leaving the preview on for extended periods of time. When your phone is in a dive case, the situation usually does not improve.

Tips to manage heat and battery

Temperature indicator

As device temperature rises, a thermometer is displayed in left side of info bar to indicate the thermal state of the device.

What battery levels are required for UWACAM to operate?

We recommend charging your device to at least 80% and letting it cool off before diving.

UWACAM reacts to low battery conditions as follows (please note that the battery levels are approximate and may vary slightly depending on device and battery age):

Capturing

UWACOLOR Postprocessing

I can't view or apply UWACOLOR processing to a video I captured earlier in UWACAM

This can happen if you are using iCloud, and you have "Optimize Storage" turned on. In this situation your device might offload the original video file to iCloud to free up storage on your device.

UWACAM can only play back or apply UWACOLOR processing to video files if the original file is available on your device.

Some of my video clips have what looks like "jumps" at certain points

This can be a side effect of using Camera Blending being set to ON.

With Camera Blending enabled, the imaging system of the phone can switch cameras during recording in order to better accomodate focus. Sometimes this can result in a visible "jump" in the recorded video.

If you want to definitely avoid this effect, turn Camera Blending OFF.

If my subscription expires, do I still have access to captures stored In-App in UWACAM?

Yes, if your subscription expires, you still have full access to your photos and videos stored in-app.

That being said, please note the following:

Why would I choose In-App storage instead of Photos/Album for my captures?

With Version 2.x of UWACAM there are no super-technical reasons anymore to use In-App storage rather than Photos - with Version 1.x we still had a limitation that UWACAM could not play back captures stored in Photos, but this has been solved with Version 2.x

Some reasons why you still might want to use In-App storage might be:

In summary, for most users Photos is the best choice as you can view/share your captures in that familiar environment. For specialized/advanced use cases, In-App can provide additional features.

My RAW images do not use the full resolution of the sensor

When might adjusting the level of UWACOLOR processing be beneficial?

Any time you're not satisfied with the results of UWACOLOR processing, particularly if blue tones are too strong (oversaturated) you can try medium or low processing levels.

Keep in mind that UWACOLOR processing applied during video capture is permanent. For full flexibility, capture without UWACOLOR processing, and apply UWACOLOR processing later from the playback screen.

Why is the UWACOLOR button sometimes not visible in playback mode?

The UWACOLOR processing button on the playback screen is a powerful tool, but you might notice it's sometimes unavailable, or appears with a blue frame. Here are the common reasons why:

The File is Already a UWACOLOR-Processed Result

If you are viewing a photo or video that has the small UWACOLOR logo in its information bar, it means this file is already the result of a color correction process. You cannot re-process a file that is already a result of UWACOLOR processing.

A Corrected Version Already Exists

You Are Zoomed In

When viewing a single photo or video, the color correction button is hidden while you are zoomed in. Zoom all the way out to see the button again.

Not in Selection Mode (List View)

When viewing your media library as a list, you must first tap the "Select" button (the icon with a checkmark) to enter selection mode. The UWACOLOR button only appears after you enter this mode and select at least one eligible item.

I see UWACAM is using a lot of storage on my phone but I have deleted all the captures - why?

If you go into your iPhone Settings, under General > iPhone Storage, you can check how much storage space each app uses.

You might notice that UWACAM is using a large amount of storage space even though you have deleted all or almost all captures from in UWACAM.

This might happen if you have your storage set to "In App".

In this case, when you delete a capture, it is in fact moved to "Recently deleted" items, from where you could recover it in the next 30 days if you so wish.

The "Recently deleted" items are accessible from the Files app.

If you see your deleted files in there, you can permanently delete them, which should reduce the storage space used by UWACAM.

If you still feel UWACAM is using to much storage space, please contact support@uwacam.com

Can I use UWACOLOR processing on videos/photos that were NOT captured with UWACAM?

Unfortunately, our UWACOLOR processing was first designed as a real-time process, which we then also adapted for post-processing. To function properly, it requires additional information that we collect when capturing the video, and that is not available in videos not shot with UWACAM. This is the reason why we do not offer the processing of "external videos"; the result would not be optimal with the algorithm we currently use.

That being said, if you would be interested in using UWACOLOR processing "outside" of UWACAM, please drop us a line at support@uwacam.com and describe your use case. If we see enough interest we might consider building something in the future that can process "external videos".

The External DiveVolk Shutter (available in the DiveVolk Online Shop) is a great choice to easily take photos and start/stop video recording with UWACAM with improved ergonomics and in more challenging situations — for example if you are wearing thick gloves.

I captured a RAW photo, and it is stored in the Photos app. Why does it look blurry in the Photos app?

When you capture a RAW photo, UWACAM inserts a thumbnail into the RAW photo file as a preview.

The Photos app uses that thumbnail until it has (after a certain amount of time) built its own higher resolution preview. Until then the photo may appear blurry, however the RAW data has been captured in full resolution. If you come back to the Photos app later, it should show a better quality image.

If you prefer, you can change the size of the thumbnail that UWACAM inserts, in Pro mode, by going to Settings > Camera (red) > Photo Setup > Advanced > RAW Thumbnail. Depending on your setting the file size of RAW photo files generated by UWACAM may change slightly.

Shutter angle vs. shutter speed

Coming from photography, you may be used to shutter speed (a duration of time, like 1/50th of a second). In filmmaking, especially on high-end cinema cameras, shutter angle is typically used (measured in degrees).

This terminology comes from traditional film cameras, which used a rotating disc shutter. The "angle" refers to how much of that 360-degree disc is cut out to let light pass through.

Here are more details on how shutter speed translates to angle and how to set them up.

1. The golden rule: 180°

The standard "cinematic look" relies on the 180-degree rule. This provides motion blur that feels natural to the human eye.

If you are shooting at the standard 24 frames per second (fps), a 180° shutter angle is equivalent to a shutter speed of 1/48 (often rounded to 1/50 on digital cameras). A 360° shutter angle always gives you the slowest shutter speed possible for a given frame rate (which is 1/framerate), in this case 1/24 of a second.

2. Why use angle instead of speed?

The beauty of using shutter angle is consistency.

Using a dive mask with magenta colored glass with UWACAM

Overview

Magenta lenses are designed to alter color perception underwater. Because water absorbs red light wavelengths at depth, these lenses compensate for the loss, restoring red tones and improving overall color contrast for the diver.

Interaction with Backlit Screens

When viewing a smartphone screen underwater (such as an iPhone), the device displays the "natural" blue/green environment captured by the sensor (assuming color correction features like UWACOLOR are disabled). Magenta lenses may neutralize this blue cast, causing the on-screen image to appear more natural to the diver's eye than it actually is on the device.

Impact on Post-Processing and White Balance

It is critical to distinguish between the diver's visual perception and the digital data captured by the camera:

Operational Guidelines

To ensure optimal results when using magenta lenses, adhere to the following best practices:

Purchasing Recommendation

Custom (prescription) lenses with color correction can be a significant investment. It is advisable to contact a dive shop to rent or loan a standard non-prescription mask with magenta glass for testing purposes prior to purchasing custom optics.

You will create a tiny "program" to do the work for you in 30 seconds.

First, be sure to create an empty target album (e.g. UWACOLOR) where you want to add the processed photos 

1. Open the Shortcuts app (pre-installed on all iPhones).

2. Tap the + (plus) icon in the top right to create a new shortcut.

3. Tap Add Action and search for "Find Photos".

4. Tap "Find Photos" to add it. You will see a block that says "Find Photos on Device".

5. Tap Add Filter. Use these settings:

   • Album is [Select your Source Album] (If you want to search your whole library, leave this as "Recents").

   • Name contains _v (Tap the "+" to add a second filter, tap "Date Taken" and change it to "Name").

     Turn on the LIMIT function for testing, so only a few photos are processed at first.

6. Tap the search bar at the bottom again and search for "Save to Photo Album".

   • It will automatically connect to the previous step.

   • Tap the empty album name field and select your Target Album.

7. Tap Done or the Play button (bottom right) to run it.

Result: All photos with _v in the filename will be instantly added to your new album.

Note on "Moving": In iOS, photos technically live in your main Library. Adding them to a new album doesn't delete them from the old one. If you want to remove them from the source album, you can add a "Remove from Album" action to the end of the shortcut above.

Here are screenshots on what the shortcut could look like. In this case I have turned on the "LIMIT" function so only five photos are processed for testing.

If I change parameter XYZ in PRO mode, does that carry over to AUTO mode?

No. While you can switch between PRO mode and AUTO mode any time, the settings in each mode are completely separate.

Red Filter, Video Lights, and UWACOLOR Processing

When recording video, only one camera button is shown. Can I switch/zoom through cameras while recording video?

Short answer: Yes, you can, if you switch Camera Blending ON

Where to find Camera Blending

With Camera Blending ON

With Camera Blending ON, you can switch cameras while recording video and UWACAM will make the transition as smooth as possible. When using the zoom control you can also zoom through all cameras. This behavior is similar to the standard camera app. It does have some drawbacks, in that manual focus, ISO and other manual settings are not available.

With Camera Blending OFF

With Camera Blending OFF, UWACAM stays on the selected camera while recording video. You can zoom within that cameras range, but UWACAM will never switch cameras while recording to avoid potentially annoying jumps in the recorded footage.

You can also read about some more background info regarding Camera Blending here.

Trouble Focusing with the 5x Camera

Please switch on camera blending which can help with this issue. Note that with camera blending ON, full manual focus control and other manual controls are not available, however the automatic focusing experience may be improved.

How to Change the Setting

Understanding UWACAM Camera Blending

To fully understand what camera blending does and what the pros and cons of using it are, we need to start with some background info.

Understanding Minimum Focusing Distance

Every camera lens has a minimum focusing distance—the closest distance at which it can maintain sharp focus. While Apple does not list these distances in its technical specifications, observations suggest that the 5x telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a minimum focusing distance of around four feet (121 cm). The 4x telephoto lens on the iPhone 17 Pro has a minimum focusing distance of about 3.2 feet (100cm).

On a traditional camera system, moving too close to the subject would simply result in a focus failure, causing the image to appear blurry.

However, on an iPhone, if you get too close while using the telephoto camera and the STANDARD camera app, the device automatically switches to a digitally zoomed-in crop from the main (1x) camera.

This behavior is similar to how macro mode works on recent iPhones, where the device automatically transitions from the 1x lens to the 0.5x ultra-wide lens to achieve a closer focusing distance.

Impact on Image Quality

While this automatic switching ensures that the subject remains in focus, it comes at a cost: noticeable image quality degradation due to the digital zoom applied from the 0.5x or 1x sensor rather than using the dedicated 5x optical lens. Additionally, there are some further limitations: Image resolution in general is limited to 4k resolution. And when recording video you might notice "jumps" in the footage when the device switches cameras automatically.

This is Why UWACAM Gives You a Choice

You can turn camera blending ON, which makes UWACAM work very similarly to the STANDARD camera app. It switches cameras automatically and applies digital magnification to make handling effortless. Focus adapts to the situation, which can be helpful if there is a lot of action under water. The tradeoff is that in some situations image quality may suffer, and when focusing during a video capture the camera switch may be visible on the captured footage.

Or you can turn camera blending OFF, so UWACAM does not switch cameras automatically to magically achieve focus. Therefore with camera blending OFF, if you are too close for the current camera to achieve focus, switch to the 1x or 0.5x camera instead. This gives you full manual control, with no digital magnification automatically applied, and it gives you the best possible capture quality at any time. If you still want to get a closer view, you can use the zoom feature.

How to Change the Setting

References: David Nelson – Minimum Focusing Distance on iPhone 15 Pro Max 5x Camera

Photo Aspect Ratios in UWACAM

Currently UWACAM only supports the native photo ratio of the built in camera.

We thought about offering other aspect ratios such as 16:9, however we did not prioritize it as the regular iOS camera app actually always takes a full frame picture and simply crops it when storing it (and it adjusts the camera preview to the selected aspect ratio).

How to Verify This

This can be verified easily: Capture a photo in 16:9, then go to

The full 4:3 image will be restored.

Our Recommendation

Therefore in our opinion capturing a full frame and then consciously cropping the desired framing later on is a better choice. If you want help in framing the image, consider enabling one of the aspect ratio overlays which are available in PRO mode.

When sharing a single photo from playback mode, you can automatically crop it to 16:9. To use this feature, make sure 'Share Crop Mode' is enabled in the settings.

If you have a specific use case where capturing a full frame image and cropping it later on is not effective, please let us know.

What color space does AUTO mode capture videos in?

AUTO mode, which is designed for beginners and casual users, uses Rec.709 color space.

If you want to select which color space to use, and have full control over all parameters, please switch to PRO mode.

What color space are the built-in LUTs designed for?

The built-in LUTs are designed for Rec.709 color space. We are working on LUTs for other color spaces, these will be included in a future update.

I use LUTs in PRO mode, my videos have a pink hue

The built-in LUTs at this time are designed for Rec.709 color space. Be sure you use this color space in combination with built-in LUTs.

What settings in PRO mode are global, and what does that mean?

In PRO mode you can save up to six presets for quick recall. Presets contain almost all settings. However some settings are global.

You can easily see which ones those are, if you view settings using the "View current settings" button in the yellow "gear" menu in PRO mode, as you page through the settings, some have a little globe in front of the setting name.

These are global settings. This means if you store a preset, and later on change a global setting, this setting carries over to all previously stored presets.

Are the built-in LUTs the same LUTs as in Matthias Lebo's iPhone LUT Pack?

Is it possible within UWACAM to apply a LUT/UWACOLOR processing to a video after it has been captured?

In PRO Mode, if you select HEVC or H264 in video format, is the HDR option enabled?

iOS: I would like to use UWACAM in a different language

The UWACAM user interface language is determined by the language set for the iOS on your device.

You can however override this, if you go to the Settings App > Apps > UWACAM > Languages.

Here you can change the user interface language. UWACAM supports English, German, French, Italian and Spanish at the time this technote was written.

ANY change you make in the Settings App related to UWACAM will restart UWACAM.

Why are the frame rates in some combinations of video codec and resolution restricted?

During tests we encountered issues with some combinations of video codecs and higher framerates, particularly with all the overlays like histogram, zebra and focus peaking enabled.

The device temperature increased more rapidly than expected and this led to stopped captures after a short time.

We are working on improving this, one challenge is that particularly at 120 FPS the device is already running at the limit as it is, and adding the extras like histogram, zebra and focus peaking doesn't improve the situation.

For the moment we put in this limitation to avoid issues where the device might warm up too much while in the case. While this would never create any kind of critical problem, it might lead to a bad user experience where captures would be stopped again and again due to high temperature if the device can't cool down again during a dive.

Simultaneous photo and video capture

Depending on the device there may be limitations as outlined below:

RAW Photo Format Support

Short answer: if you can shoot RAW with the built-in camera app of your iPhone, then UWACAM will support RAW as well.

Details

Regarding Older iPhones

How can I share a (large) capture with support?