Looking for recommendations...

[USMCRet]

I am looking to purchase an underwater housing for a Sony HDR-XR260V video camera. I have narrowed the choices down to a Equinox HD-5 or a Mangrove MVHS-L. As always, both housings seem to have their good and bad points.

The Mangrove has fully electronic controls that allow access to ALL of the cameras functions (a point I like) but is more expensive ($2200.00), has only a 1 year warranty, and comes with limited extras (spare O-rings, etc.) If I want to add a wide angle lens that will cost another $400.00 - $800.00.

The Equinox has a limited number of manual controls (Zoom Photo, Record Start/Stop, Power On/Off, White Balance) but is cheaper ($1350.00), comes with a 3 year warranty, has spare parts kit and 58MM Wide Angle Lens.

Both housings accept external color correction filters, but the Mangrove filters seem to be more expensive.

So..... has anyone out there had any experience with these 2 housings? What are your thoughts and/or recommendations?

Waiting to hear from you...


USMCRet

 

[diversteve]

I'm an electronic housing fan. I like to be able to access all the controls w/o having to move my hands to different controls w/o looking since I'm often focusing on keeping my subject in the frame. I shoot a lot of sharks, dolphins, rays and faster moving things so it works for me.

I've no exp. with either housing but my buddy has Aditech's 4320 lumen video light - it's well engineered and excellent.

For you having their distributor 2 hours away has to be a plus also. Might be very handy to drive it down for service/repair/upgrades if needed.

 

[KeithG]

+1 for electronic controls.

I am not familiar with either brand, but have used Amphibico video housings which are all electronic control. Having access to all camera controls is extremely useful. It also makes mounting the camera almost foolproof (you only have to plug in the single control cable & mic wires.)

When I switched to a still camera, I was a little nervous about all of the manual control holes in the housing. Each one is a potential point of failure. I have also seen too many people fiddling with the control rods trying to get them aligned properly in larger housings.

As for the price difference, you get what you pay for...

 

[USMCRet]

giffenk, I agree with you about each control hole being a possible failure point.

 

[KeithG]

The manual controls can also present a "soft failure" where the little rod does not align properly with the camera control and so you have a dive where you have a non functional control.

This is almost impossible on the compact p & s still camera housings. But larger "generic camera" housings have long rods and it is very easy for 1 or more to not align.