TL; DR
- Samsung participated in the “first” underwater expedition with a phone from Nat Geo Traveler India.
- Diver Malaika Vaz used the Galaxy S21 to take pictures of tiger sharks and other aquatic animals.
- It’s a promo, but it could also give sharks a better reputation.
Chances are you took your phone diving to take photos of aquatic animals, but probably not like that. Samsung took part in the supposedly “first” underwater expedition recorded on a smartphone with Nat Geo Traveler India.
National Geographic’s Malaika Vaz took a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with a protective case as her only photo device underwater while exploring Shark Island in the Maldives. She used the high-end phone to capture still images and videos from tiger sharks (the highlight of the expedition) to navigational hawksbill turtles.
Unsurprisingly (this is a promotional video after all) Vaz found the Samsung phone to be an ideal underwater companion. She was used to taking a lot of gear with her on a dive – the S21 Ultra allowed her to carry a single, reasonably portable device that was good at taking photos and videos.
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While this is clearly a marketing effort by Samsung, the video also makes a point on protecting underwater ecosystems. Tiger sharks are typically vilified, but Vaz pointed out that they are relatively harmless to humans (you can record them up close) as well as important parts of a larger ecosystem. With that in mind, Samsung’s video will be a hit if it leads to more respect for sharks, let alone the ocean as a whole.