These are the best medium format cameras for underwater photography, chosen for their ability to deliver extraordinary image quality in the most demanding aquatic environments. Though medium format systems aren’t typically built for submersion, the combination of exceptional resolution, tonal fidelity, and with the right housing, reliable handling ensures they can capture vivid marine life, textures, and dramatic underwater scenes. Unrivaled resolution reveals marine detail. Medium format cameras—such as those boasting 100+ megapixels—offer detail and richness that smaller systems can’t match. When shooting coral formations, intricate reef patterns, or the iridescence of fish scales, the extra resolution gives you the power to crop tightly or print large without losing subtle underwater nuances. Tonal depth excels in challenging light. Underwater light is notoriously unforgiving—color fades, highlights can blow out, and shadows collapse. Medium format sensors’ wide dynamic range and smooth tonal roll-off preserve detail in shimmering water surfaces and deep shadows alike, making balanced captures of seascapes and marine subjects possible in a single exposure. Robust look with weather sealing—or add a housing. While medium format bodies aren’t inherently waterproof, many are built with sturdy, weather-sealed designs. Used within quality underwater housings—like those from AquaTech—systems such as the Hasselblad X1D II 50C have been taken underwater successfully, allowing seamless maneuvering around marine life for haunting portraits of whales, turtles, and reef ecosystems Hasselblad . Lens clarity and color fidelity matter. Medium format delivers superb color detail and clarity—perfect for capturing the nuanced hues of a reef or the texture of kelp in low-contrast waters. The sensors and lenses bring out transparency and subtle sheen in aquatic environments. Workflow convenience for dive sessions. With tethering and live-view features supported by modern medium format systems, photographers can review shots quickly through housings with remote monitors and adjust exposure or focus in real time—crucial when conditions are fleeting and light is dim. Efficiency rewards intentional shooting. Underwater environments demand care, deliberation, and steady composure. The thoughtful ergonomics and mindful handling of medium format systems lend themselves well to careful framing, patient focus pulling, and immersive storytelling beneath the waves. Whether you’re documenting vibrant reefs, shooting fine-art marine life portraits, or crafting cinematic underwater scenes, the best medium format cameras for underwater photography pair the clarity, tonal depth, and image fidelity of large-format sensors with rugged, thoughtful design—transforming diving adventures into richly detailed visual narratives.