Aquatica AD700

[exposure]

Hi There,

I am interested by the aquatica AD700. Any user here for a feedback? Not bought yet but don't want to make a mistake.

Y.

 

[AussieByron]

I owned a Aquatica AD90 and about to recieve my new Aquatica for the Nikon D7000. I like the build quality and precision feel of the machined alloy Aquatica housings. The customer service I have recieved has been excellent and a Aquatica representative (Jean; forum name Vis'art) often posts here.

He is the techincal adviser for Aquatica and can answer more of your questions regarding the AD700.

Regards Mark

 

[Viz'art]

Hi EXPOSURE, I can answer all the questions you have, no problem.

As for the D700, it is very popular with technical divers and Pro's for its High ISO performance, the late Wes Skile did the cover of the National Geographic (caves in Bahamas edition) with one, but most people tend to gravitates toward the more economical Nikon D90, D300s and now D7000, so there is not as many users out there as there would for the more economical housings and of thoses I know, they do not hang around forum much if at all.

All our housings are pretty much all based on the same machining and assembly techniques, so a lot of what you read or hear about one, will go for the other. Tech support I handle one on one with the user.

 

[danvolker]

Hi There,

I am interested by the aquatica AD700. Any user here for a feedback? Not bought yet but don't want to make a mistake.

Y.

I have the version for Canon 5dmark II, which is very close to the version you are looking for. The build quality is excellent, and the camera housing is easy to push through the water fast if you are chasing a turtle or other large marine life that wont hold still for you

Incidentally, when I wanted mine, I had a significant wait before the manufacturer would have its next batch of housings ready....there was one canera shop that stood out FAR BEYOND ALL OTHERS!!!! and this was AB SEA photo AB Sea Photo, Welcome to A B Sea Photo. Home of the worlds largest selection of underwater camera rentals and the smallest underwater camera housings by Oceanhaus. We have been serving underwater photographers in both the professional and recreationa

They listened to my issues, and rented me the housing I wanted for "peanuts" for the 3 weeks I had to wait for my own housing to be ready..I bought my housing through them, at a good price, but no shop I have ever been exposed to could match their service and experitise....they are in northern Ca , I am in Lake Worth Florida....doing business with them could not have been easier if their building was next door to my house!

You could rent the housing you want from them, see how you like it, and then buy one through them assuming you do. They rent to pro shooters all over the world, but you dont have to be a pro to rent from them

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Incidentally, when I wanted mine, I had a significant wait before the manufacturer would have its next batch of housings ready....there was one canera shop that stood out FAR BEYOND ALL OTHERS!!!! and this was AB SEA photo AB Sea Photo, Welcome to A B Sea Photo. Home of the worlds largest selection of underwater camera rentals and the smallest underwater camera housings by Oceanhaus. We have been serving underwater photographers in both the professional and recreationa

They listened to my issues, and rented me the housing I wanted for "peanuts" for the 3 weeks I had to wait for my own housing to be ready..I bought my housing through them, at a good price, but no shop I have ever been exposed to could match their service and experitise....they are in northern Ca , I am in Lake Worth Florida....doing business with them could not have been easier if their building was next door to my house!

You could rent the housing you want from them, see how you like it, and then buy one through them assuming you do. They rent to pro shooters all over the world, but you dont have to be a pro to rent from them

AB Sea is in Southern California, not Northern.

 

[danvolker]

AB Sea is in Southern California, not Northern.

Sorry, I was not too concerned about their exact address.
Dan

 

[exposure]

Thank you very much for these information. In fact, I started diving not too long ago and I have about 100 dives at the moment but the G9 I used underwater frustrates me a bit while on the surface I can use my D700. So I found an AD700 of second hand that make me rally think of going underwater with my D700. So that's why I was asking. Aquatica looks to have a very good reputation and was from the housing I was looking for even if it was not so early. Do you think there is something specific to check for a second hand?

By the way, I am very happy by my D700, that's an amazing body.

Y.

 

[danvolker]

Thank you very much for these information. In fact, I started diving not too long ago and I have about 100 dives at the moment but the G9 I used underwater frustrates me a bit while on the surface I can use my D700. So I found an AD700 of second hand that make me rally think of going underwater with my D700. So that's why I was asking. Aquatica looks to have a very good reputation and was from the housing I was looking for even if it was not so early. Do you think there is something specific to check for a second hand?

By the way, I am very happy by my D700, that's an amazing body.

Y.

Pressure test it without the camera in it..this being number one.....
Next would be make sure all the control buttons are working and not stuck.

The o ring on the face plate is a major bear to get out..the manufacturer suggests a thin credit card to carefully extract it with. It seals very well, but does need to be cleaned --if not every time after diving, every few times. With a used housing, I would expect you would want a new o ring for this.

The ports are easy to get the o ring out, and need cleaning for each dive day you do. You might want to strat with new o rings for these ports as well. Someone will need to show you how to do this.

After diving, take your camera out, close up the housing and soak it in fresh water for a hour or more.

Also, how you put your camera in and take it out of the aquatica is not that intuitive...my wife's Sea and Sea for her 5dmark II was simple and mindless to put the camera into or remove...the Aquatica is not. The body goes in without the lens on. With the seated lens in the bayonet, you can latch the faceplate on, then add a port or the lens at this point. You have to watch the zoom gear when you put the lens in, and the little lever that later will allow you to unlock the lens to remove it after diving. This is the issue with the lens off---it does not work if you dont pull the lens off first, etc.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

At least with Adm. Linda's Aquatica D40 housing, with SOME lenses
you can put the body in with the lens on. The 60mm and 105mm
(both the recent version with a motor), it will go in with the lens and port on
on. With the 12-24, the lens and port has to be off. It is a bit fiddly to
slide it in, lens off or on. Certain levers have to be in certain
positions, and with the lens on, the lens release lever has to be
rotated as the camera goes in. It's worth making a checklist.

With my Sea and Sea D300 housing, the camera just goes in,
no muss no fuss.

I don't find the back O-ring on Linda's Aquatica to be much of
a problem to get out. Patience is required to get it evenly
distributed when it goes back in.

 

[Warren_L]

About the main o-ring on the back of the housing - the more recent Aquatica models (as on my Aquatica D3 housing) use an angled o-ring channel which makes removing the o-ring more difficult. I have a Aquatica D200 housing and the o-ring channel is straight, which makes it somewhat easier to take the o-ring out.

However, I have not found the need to remove the o-ring frequently on my D3 housing to clean it. In fact, I think I remove it maybe once every several months (if that, even), depending on how much diving I do. As long as the o-ring is seated properly and is clean on the surface, you should be good to go. I have found that the o-ring channel is snug enough that even fine sand and other particles cannot get in there, and simple wipe with a damp tissue or cloth does the trick. I always run my finger several times around the o-ring to feel for particles and to make sure any lint or hair that may have fallen on the o-ring is removed.

When I first got the D3 housing I remarked to Jean (from Aquatica) how difficult it was to remove the o-ring to clean, as I did that regularly with the AD200 housing. He just said to me there's no need to remove it on a regular basis, just once in a while. It's been nearly 3 years and probably 500+ dives with that camera and I've only removed that o-ring half a dozen times to clean it. In fact, it may be more of a risk taking it out often as you then run the higher risk of getting something in the channel, and as Chuck points out, it can be tricky getting it back into the groove evenly. Most times it looks to me it doesn't need to come out, so I don't do it.