On this page · 8 sections
- How to Read a Waterproof Rating
- IPX8 vs IP68: Same Water Test, One Extra Dust Claim
- IP67 vs IP68: The Second Digit Sets How Far It Can Go
- Water Resistant vs Waterproof on an Action Camera
- What a Waterproof Rating Doesn't Cover
- What Manufacturers Don't Publish
- Frequently asked questions
- The Meters Figure Is the Rating That Counts
◆ Key takeaways
- In IPX8 vs IP68, the water digit is identical and only the dust claim differs.
- Neither code gives a depth. The meters figure printed next to it is the spec.
- Insta360 lists the Insta360 X6 as IP68 on its product page and IPX8 in its manual, with 20m in both.
- GoPro publishes depth ratings and no IP code at all.
- Every rating is a lab test on a new camera in clean fresh water.
How to Read a Waterproof Rating
IP stands for Ingress Protection. Codes come from IEC 60529, the standard titled "Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)," whose current consolidated edition 2.2 was published on August 29, 2013.
The first digit covers solids, on a scale of 0 to 6. The second covers liquids, on a scale of 0 to 9. An "X" in either slot means the manufacturer made no claim for that category. Nothing on the label tells you whether the test was skipped or never published.
Four codes do most of the work on action cameras and their accessories:
| Code | What IEC 60529 defines |
|---|---|
| IPX4 | Splashing water from any direction |
| IPX7 | Temporary immersion, up to 1m for 30 minutes |
| IPX8 | Continuous immersion beyond IPX7 conditions, on terms the manufacturer declares |
| IP6X | Dust-tight |
What IP68 Means
The IP68 meaning is two claims in one code. The 6 says the enclosure is dust-tight, and the 8 says it survives continuous immersion beyond the IPX7 test, at a depth and duration the manufacturer declares.
DJI rates the Osmo Action 5 Pro and the Osmo Action 6 IP68 and publishes 20m for each without a case. Check US availability before you plan around either. On September 28, 2026, the Action 5 Pro was out of stock at DJI's US store and in stock at B&H. DJI does not officially sell the Action 6 in the US.
What IPX8 Means
IPX8 carries the same water claim with no dust declaration. Insta360 rates the GO Ultra and GO 3S cameras IPX8 and publishes 10m (33ft) for each. The GO Ultra page makes no dust claim at all, so its code tells you nothing about sand either way.
IPX8 vs IP68: Same Water Test, One Extra Dust Claim
Side by side, the two codes differ in one row:
| IPX8 | IP68 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dust digit | X (no claim) | 6 (dust-tight) |
| Water digit | 8 | 8 |
| Depth stated by the code | None | None |
| Who sets depth and duration | Manufacturer | Manufacturer |
◆ Key finding
The 8 carries no number. On any action camera, the depth in meters printed beside it is the spec that decides whether the camera goes in the water.
Here is what current cameras publish:
| Camera | Published code | Bare depth | Cased depth | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insta360 X6 | IP68 (product page), IPX8 (manual) | 20m | 60m (197ft), Invisible Dive Case Pro | Sources disagree on dust, agree on depth |
| Insta360 Ace Pro 2 | not published | 12m (39ft) | not published | Product page says "waterproof to 39ft (12m)" |
| Insta360 GO Ultra | IPX8 camera, IPX4 Action Pod | 10m, camera only | 60m, dive case | No dust claim |
| Insta360 GO 3S | IPX8 camera (lens guard fitted), IPX4 Action Pod | 10m, camera only | 60m, dive case | Pod is splashproof only |
| GoPro HERO13 Black | not published | 10m | not published | Depth only |
| GoPro MISSION 1 | not published | 20m | not published | Depth only, no housing needed |
| DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro | IP68 | 20m | 60m, Waterproof Case | US stock varies |
| DJI Osmo Action 6 | IP68 | 20m | 60m, Waterproof Case | No official US sale |
| AKASO Brave 7 LE | IPX7 ("water-resistant") | not published | not published | FAQ answer gives "Between 10 and 80 feet" |
Swipe for 2 more columns →
Sources: Insta360, GoPro, DJI and AKASO product and spec pages (checked Sep 30, 2026). X6 manual code as reported in ACA's X6 review (checked Sep 28, 2026). DJI US status checked Sep 28, 2026.
Insta360's two X6 sources disagree only on the dust claim. We publish both codes and use the 20m depth, the figure that matters once the camera is wet.
Cased depth is its own rating. The X6 goes from 20m bare to 60m in the Invisible Dive Case Pro, while the GO Ultra and GO 3S go from 10m to 60m cased. Past the bare figure, the Insta360 dive cases decide how deep a camera can go, whatever letter sits on its body.
Does the dust digit matter on a camera? Sand works its way into door seals and port covers at the beach, so a declared dust-tight test is worth having. An X leaves that question open.
IP67 vs IP68: The Second Digit Sets How Far It Can Go
IP67 and IP68 are both dust-tight. The second digit is where they split. IEC 60529 defines 7 as temporary immersion, up to 1m for 30 minutes, and 8 as continuous immersion beyond that, on terms the manufacturer declares.
None of the cameras in the table above publishes IP67. The comparison comes up more for phones and for the gear around a camera, like mics and remotes.
IPX7 vs IPX8 on Budget Cameras
AKASO labels the Brave 7 LE "IPX7 water-resistant." IPX7 is a 1m-class immersion test, and AKASO's product page prints no clear bare depth beside it. Its FAQ answers "How deep can I use this camera?" with "Between 10 and 80 feet," without saying whether that means in the case.
An IPX8 camera with a published depth answers the same question in one number. Among the picks for the best camera for snorkeling, the Brave 7 LE is the one that goes into its housing before it goes under.
Water Resistant vs Waterproof on an Action Camera
Neither "waterproof" nor "water-resistant" is part of an IP code. The code is two characters after "IP," and the words around it belong to the manufacturer.
Insta360 calls the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 "waterproof to 39ft (12m)" and prints no IP code on its product page. AKASO pairs "water-resistant" with IPX7. Neither word tells you how deep.
Is a GoPro waterproof? GoPro says the HERO13 Black is "waterproof to 33ft," and it rates the MISSION 1 "waterproof up to 66ft (20m) depth without the need of a housing." Neither carries a published IP code. The MAX2 stops at 5m (16ft), so the answer to how deep a GoPro can go changes with the model.
At the far end sits the Insta360 Luna Ultra. Insta360 states that it is not dustproof, waterproof or splashproof, so there is no rating to decode. Keep it away from spray.
What a Waterproof Rating Doesn't Cover
Every rating in the table above is a factory measurement on a new camera, held still, in clean fresh water. The ocean offers none of those conditions for long.
Pressure builds quickly with depth. NOAA's explainer on how pressure changes with ocean depth puts it at one extra atmosphere for every 10.06m (33ft) you descend. The rating comes from a static test, and jumping off a boat or taking a wave adds load that a still camera in a tank never feels. A depth rating is not a dive plan.
DJI puts its own limits in writing. The Osmo Action 6 spec page says not to use the camera in hot springs. It also recommends the Waterproof Case "for long-term underwater shooting or in environments with high water impact pressure."
Salt is the slower threat. It dries into crystals, and salt left on a seal degrades the rubber, so action camera water damage recovery after the sea starts by rinsing the salt out.
The Parts That Don't Share the Rating
A code covers the camera as the manufacturer tested it, sealed. On the GO Ultra and GO 3S, the camera is IPX8 and the Action Pod is IPX4 splashproof, so the pod never goes under bare. Insta360 says its dive case for the GO 3S takes the camera and Action Pod together to 60m.
The Insta360 GO 3S earns its IPX8 only with the lens guard fitted. B&H's listing shows IPX4, which matches the pod's code and misstates the camera's. DJI's instruction for the Action 6 is to close the battery compartment cover and the USB-C port cover, then tighten the Glass Lens Cover, before it goes in.
◆ Warning
An IP code assumes every door, port cover and lens guard is closed and seated. A grain of sand under a door seal puts the camera outside the conditions it was tested in.
What Manufacturers Don't Publish
The spec pages we checked leave most of the useful detail out:
- An IP code for any GoPro camera, the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 or the Insta360 X5, whose product pages list depth only
- The immersion duration behind the "8" on any camera in the table above
- Dust-test results for the IPX8 cameras, the GO Ultra and GO 3S
- A salt water, chlorine or hot-water rating, from any brand
- A service life for seals and gaskets, or any point at which the rating should be re-checked
- One agreed code for the X6, which Insta360 publishes two ways
Frequently asked questions
Is IP68 Waterproof?
Yes, IP68 is waterproof to the depth and duration the manufacturer declares, since the 8 means continuous immersion beyond the 1m IPX7 test. It does not mean 100% waterproof for the life of the camera. The test uses a new device in clean fresh water, and seals wear with age, sand and salt. Check the published depth first.
Is IPX8 Enough for Swimming?
Yes, IPX8 is enough for swimming as long as you stay within the depth the manufacturer prints next to the code. Pool and surface swimming sit well inside a 10m rating. Close every door and cover before you get in, then rinse the camera in fresh water afterward, because neither chlorine nor salt is part of the test.
Can IP68 Survive a Shower?
Yes, an IP68 camera can usually survive a cold shower, provided every door and cover is sealed. Hot water and steam are the problem. Neither is part of the immersion test, and DJI tells Osmo Action 6 owners not to use the camera in hot springs. Keep rated cameras out of hot showers and saunas.
What Is the Highest Waterproof Rating?
The highest waterproof rating for immersion is 8, as in IPX8 or IP68, which covers continuous submersion on terms the manufacturer declares. IPX9 and IP69K carry a higher number, but they test high-pressure, high-temperature water jets and state no depth. On an action camera, compare the meters figure printed beside the code.
Does Water-Resistant Mean It Can Go in Water?
No, water-resistant does not mean a camera can go underwater on its own. The word is a manufacturer's label with no fixed test behind it. Look for an IPX7 or IPX8 code, and ideally a published depth in meters. If neither appears, keep the camera in its housing whenever it's near water.
The Meters Figure Is the Rating That Counts
Insta360 printed two codes on one camera and the same 20m on both. In IPX8 vs IP68, the character after "IP" only changes what the maker claims about dust. The depth decides how far the camera can go, and a clean, closed seal decides whether it comes back dry.
Below snorkel depth, the housed figure becomes the one to read. All four picks for the best camera for scuba diving reach 60m in their housings, the X6 included.