MOSCOW, April 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIVEVOLK, a global leader in smartphone underwater housing technology, today announced its role as a founding partner and exclusive Mobile Photography category sponsor of the Underwater Photo Awards (UWPA), Russia’s first international underwater photography competition in a decade. The inaugural awards ceremony took place on February 21, 2026, at the Moscow Dive Show.

The competition’s debut season attracted over 1,000 photographs from more than 100 photographers representing 11 countries, competing across 8 categories that span professional camera and mobile photography, scuba diving and freediving.

Chinese photographer Jack Ho (何凯东, also known as Kaidong He) won the UWPA Mobile Photography gold with his macro work “Glimpse” (深邃之眼), captured using a Vivo X100 smartphone with SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum V2 underwater housing. This victory makes Jack Ho the first photographer in history to win the mobile/smartphone underwater photography category at two major international competitions in the same season — having already won the inaugural UPY (Underwater Photographer of the Year) 2026 Smartphone gold in London, also exclusively sponsored by DIVEVOLK.

Image: The UWPA 2026 awards ceremony took place at Moscow Dive Show, one of Russia’s largest diving exhibitions

The UWPA 2026 awards ceremony took place at Moscow Dive Show, one of Russia’s largest diving exhibitions.

Jury Reaction: “Is This Really Shot on a Phone?”

Jack Ho submitted seven works to the UWPA competition, and all seven advanced to the finals — an extraordinary achievement that underscores the consistency and quality of his smartphone-based underwater photography.

The UWPA jury panel, composed of leading Russian underwater photography masters, were initially skeptical that the images were captured on a smartphone. Only after reviewing the original phone files did they confirm the authenticity of the work — and expressed genuine astonishment at the results.

Jack Ho, who was on vacation in the United Kingdom during the awards ceremony, commented:

“I believe mobile underwater photography will only get stronger. As the price barrier continues to drop, more newcomers will be able to create outstanding underwater images.”

Image: “Glimpse”by Jack Ho — UWPA 2026 Mobile Photography Winner. Shot with Vivo X100 + DIVEVOLK housing

“Glimpse” (深邃之眼) by Jack Ho — UWPA 2026 Mobile Photography Winner. Shot with Vivo X100 + DIVEVOLK housing.

The Prizes: DIVEVOLK’s Complete Underwater Smartphone Ecosystem

All three Mobile Photography category prizes were DIVEVOLK products — each representing a distinct approach to underwater smartphone photography:

1st Place Prize: SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum V2 Underwater Housing

The SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum V2 is DIVEVOLK’s premium underwater smartphone housing, engineered for photographers who demand the highest build quality:

Depth rating: 60 meters (197 feet)Full touchscreen control: Proprietary underwater touchscreen technology — no Bluetooth, no lagUniversal compatibility: Supports a wide range of flagship smartphones across iOS and AndroidHigher-grade aluminum construction with improved O-ring sealingWider internal cradle accommodating larger and thicker phonesModular accessory system: Newly added cold shoe mount and built-in 67mm adapter ring, easily compatible with macro lenses, wide-angle lenses, dome ports, and dive lights

This is the same housing line that protected Jack Ho’s Vivo X100 when he won the UPY 2026 Smartphone category in London — now proven across two major international competitions.

Image: DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum V2 underwater smartphone housing

2nd Place Prize: SeaTouch 4 MAX PLUS Advance Macro Kit

The Advance Macro Kit is a complete macro photography package built around the top-of-the-line SeaTouch 4 Max Plus housing:

SeaTouch 4 Max Plus housing — widest phone compatibility (up to 180mm), precision-machined aluminum, vacuum seal test systemProfessional macro lens +18 for extreme close-up work on subjects like nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses, and coral polypsMacro video light SL20 for illuminating tiny subjects at close rangeSnoot, highlighting the subject while softening the backgroundEverything pre-matched for compatibility — no guesswork required

The runner-up prize for this edition was awarded to Darya Gaevskaya (Russia) for her work “Circle of Communication”.

Image: DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Advance Macro Kit

3rd Place Prize: SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Ocean Kit

The Ocean Kit is designed for wide-angle and scenic underwater photography:

SeaTouch 4 Max Plus housing0.6X wide-angle lens for expansive reef panoramas, large marine life, and swim-throughsRed filter for restoring warm colors absorbed by the water columnFilter and lens holder plus protective carrying case

Image: DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Ocean Kit

The third-place prize was awarded to Nikolay Bashechkin (Russia) for his work “This Amazing Underwater World!”, captured using a DIVEVOLK housing.

Together, these three kits represent the full spectrum of DIVEVOLK’s underwater smartphone photography ecosystem — from premium housing to dedicated macro and wide-angle solutions.

Art Category: DIVEVOLK SL20 Dive Light

DIVEVOLK also sponsored the Art category, with the prize being the SL20 Dive Light:

2,000 lumens — sufficient for macro fill lighting and close-range reef photographyCompact, pocket-sized form factorDirect USB Type-C charging — no external charger neededRed light mode for specialized use and night diving

Image: The Art category prize DIVEVOLK SL20 Dive Light (2,000 lumens)

The Art category prize: DIVEVOLK SL20 Dive Light (2,000 lumens).

DIVEVOLK’s Deep Integration with UWPA

Founding Partner — Brand logo on the official partner wall alongside Dive Photo Team, OpenDive, Aquatics, and other industry namesTrophy Co-Producer — The glass competition trophy was manufactured in China with DIVEVOLK’s participationExhibition Contributor — The curated 20-work exhibition included mobile photographs shot with DIVEVOLK housingsBooth Presence — DIVEVOLK exhibited at Moscow Dive Show, showcasing SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Close Shot Kit

Image: At Moscow Dive Show, numerous shortlisted entries were captured using DIVEVOLK housings

At Moscow Dive Show, numerous shortlisted entries were captured using DIVEVOLK housings.

All Category Winners

The UWPA debut season attracted over 1,000 photographs from more than 100 photographers representing 11 countries, competing across 8 categories:

Wide Angle: Tony Cheng (Taiwan) — “Sea Canary”

Macro: Shengwei Luan (China) — “Circles”

Underwater Life & Animal Behavior: Nadya Kulagina (Kazakhstan) — “Hunting”

One Breath (Freediving): Airat (Russia)

Art (DIVEVOLK-sponsored): Stanislav Dobysh (Russia) — “To the Train”

Environment & Ecology: Konstantin Novikov (Russia) — “No Way Out”

Mobile Photography (DIVEVOLK exclusive): Jack Ho (China) — “Glimpse”

Russia: Mikhail Korostelev (Russia) — “Beluga Portrait”

Photographer of the Year: Mikhail Korostelev — recognized across the Wide Angle, One Breath, and Russia categories.

Image: UWPA 2026 winners at the awards ceremony during Moscow Dive Show

UWPA 2026 winners at the awards ceremony during Moscow Dive Show.

About DIVEVOLK

Founded in Zhuhai, China, DIVEVOLK is a global technology company specializing in smartphone underwater housings and accessories for diving, snorkeling, and marine photography. The company’s flagship SeaTouch 4 Max product line delivers professional-grade underwater smartphone photography capability at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional camera systems.

The revolutionary SeaLink UW Smartphone Dada Transmitter enables phones to receive signals at depths of up to 30 meters underwater, supporting features such as live streaming and video communication across multiple platforms. DIVEVOLK was honored as ScubaLab's Best Buy in 2024 and twice won the Dive Award of Innovation in 2024 and 2026.

DIVEVOLK products are sold worldwide through authorized retailers. The company is committed to making underwater photography accessible to every diver and to advancing the technology that enables it.

Website: www.divevolkdiving.com

Image: DIVEVOLK product lineup

Editor’s Notes

High-resolution images of the Mobile Photography winning works, ceremony photos, and DIVEVOLK products are available upon request.Full UWPA 2026 results and jury info: uwp-award.ru/#jury

DIVEVOLK Marketing & Communications

Contact Name：Lexi

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.divevolkdiving.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at 

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Image: https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=OTY4MzMxNSM3NTE3MTk5IzIzMDgyNzg=

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/MzI5ZWVhMDItODhmNy00ZGE3LWIxYjctOTQ0YzY0ZDcwOTRjLTEzMTk4MjgtMjAyNi0wNC0wMi1lbg==/tiny/Divevolk-Zhuhai-Intelligence-T.png Image: Primary Logo

The UWPA 2026 awards ceremony took place at Moscow Dive Show, one of Russia’s largest diving exhibitions

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/f46e27c9-ac3b-4305-91d4-a3f84df2d91e/medium/the-uwpa-2026-awards-ceremony-took-place-at-moscow-dive-show.png

The UWPA 2026 awards ceremony took place at Moscow Dive Show, one of Russia’s largest diving exhibitions

“Glimpse” by Jack Ho — UWPA 2026 Mobile Photography Winner. Shot with Vivo X100 + DIVEVOLK housing

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/a34b561a-f068-4bed-9152-cfa7ed11e9d3/medium/glimpse-by-jack-ho-uwpa-2026-mobile-photography-winner-shot.png

“Glimpse” by Jack Ho — UWPA 2026 Mobile Photography Winner. Shot with Vivo X100 + DIVEVOLK housing

DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum V2 underwater smartphone housing

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/4876d278-bdbc-4dbc-b1fe-c911050f5195/medium/divevolk-seatouch-4-max-platinum-v2-underwater-smartphone-ho.png

DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum V2 underwater smartphone housing

DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Advance Macro Kit

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/e96c0c6f-3d97-4e3b-a72f-3d12013a56e5/medium/divevolk-seatouch-4-max-plus-advance-macro-kit.png

DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Advance Macro Kit

DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Ocean Kit

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/35473598-acf9-41f2-8820-dd9d196f58b8/medium/divevolk-seatouch-4-max-plus-ocean-kit.png

DIVEVOLK SeaTouch 4 Max Plus Ocean Kit

The Art category prize DIVEVOLK SL20 Dive Light (2,000 lumens)

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/084925cd-0d7b-4251-a9a4-118b5d17123f/medium/the-art-category-prize-divevolk-sl20-dive-light-2-000-lumens.png

The Art category prize DIVEVOLK SL20 Dive Light (2,000 lumens)

At Moscow Dive Show, numerous shortlisted entries were captured using DIVEVOLK housings

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/4ee82974-50e4-4209-981d-4e1cddd6d442/medium/at-moscow-dive-show-numerous-shortlisted-entries-were-captur.png

At Moscow Dive Show, numerous shortlisted entries were captured using DIVEVOLK housings

UWPA 2026 winners at the awards ceremony during Moscow Dive Show

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/c720c123-9771-4f5c-9954-878a6228507f/medium/uwpa-2026-winners-at-the-awards-ceremony-during-moscow-dive.png

UWPA 2026 winners at the awards ceremony during Moscow Dive Show

DIVEVOLK product lineup

Image: https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/41691021-9aa9-45cc-a55c-09f0fa145aa9/medium/divevolk-product-lineup.png

DIVEVOLK product lineup

Source: Divevolk (Zhuhai) Intelligence Tech Co., Ltd