Nauticam vs Aquatica
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PatW
Contributor
I have used the Nauticam housing for the Nikon D7000. Before that I had an Ikelite housing for the Canon G11. The Ikelite housing is inexpensive and well built. But it is rather clunky in that it is a box which they stick the camera into and then use a sort of jury rigged control system. The control system works well enough but over time can become less precise or even not that responsive.
The Nauticam housing has very good controls. The housing is designed for the particular camera body so it fits like a glove and the controls are much better aligned. Also, fitting like a glove, means that the housing is far more compact. Of course, it is more expensive too. I like my Nauticam housing quite a bit. I have not had any problems with it. I would recommend it.
I have not used the Aquatica housings but I know that they enjoy a good reputation.
The Nauticam housing has very good controls. The housing is designed for the particular camera body so it fits like a glove and the controls are much better aligned. Also, fitting like a glove, means that the housing is far more compact. Of course, it is more expensive too. I like my Nauticam housing quite a bit. I have not had any problems with it. I would recommend it.
I have not used the Aquatica housings but I know that they enjoy a good reputation.
Nauticam depth limit is 100m. Aquatica makes a deep spring option that is rated to 500ft.
muzikbiz22
Contributor
Larry C is correct here. I have an Aquatica T2i rig. The housing is built like a tank. It's in the water darn near every weekend. I've traveled with it on planes, boats, etc., and it just delivers. Not saying the Nauticam doesn't, because I hear nothing but great things about them, as well. The Nauticam's are sexier looking, I will give them that. The Aquatica will go deeper to 500 feet, with the "upgrade". I've had mine down to Recreational limits, 130 feet, but I am looking to go deeper with a rebreather in 2013. The housing is the last thing I'm worried about
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I use an Aquatica with my Canon 5d markII..Have had it well over 200 feet, and after 2 years of heavy use, it is impressively tough and impervious to the ocean effects that wear on many camera systems.
Not that this is really relevant to the question, but I was just in a conversation last night about what a camera guy or girl is going to be able to do if their buddy has a sudden air failure or OOA emergency......
As a DIR diver, donating to an OOA diver is very easy with a 7 foot primary...but, it gets complicated when you want to hold on to $5000 to $10,000 worth of camera gear durring the emergency event....some months ago on a night dive I had a diver from the group I went down with on a night dive, swim up to me and show me her pressure guage at about 500psi, 95 feet down durring the Jewfish Spawning.....So I yanked my reg out of my mouth, offered it to her...but she would not take it....( apparently her idea was to let me know that when she dissappeared in another 2 minutes, this would be why)....the thing is, having just one hand to work the reg with, is a poor plan. Getting it re-routed really required 2 hands, meaning I had to hold the camera between my legs...not optimal.....and still the bigger issue is if you need both hands to do the donation of someone really close to drowning from being OOA. You don't have time to clip anything off, and really you need to instantly let go of your camera.....not a good thought!!!
My solution is to have a clip on the camera housing a bolt snap can connect to....a line long enough to snap on to my crotch strap( like we do with a scooter), and after jumping in to the water off the platform, you clip the camera on, and leave it like this till your are ready to get back on board the boat....then you unclip...you DO need a way to "contain/wrap/get the line or strap secured" so that it can't "catch" on anything as you hand up the camera to the deckhand.
Diving the system, if you ever do have a diver come up to you that is having an OOA emergency, now you can instantly drop your camera and it will just sink 2 feet and be firmly attached to you while you prevent a death....so now the camera diver does not have to be the worst buddy imaginable....
Since you are on a houseing hunt, this might be a good time to think about things like this, along with a soft Polar Cooler to use to store your housing on the boat with when not in the water.....you fill them halfway with water at the dock before leaving, then you have the perfect place for your camera to be placed when you hand it up to the deckhand after first dive...you don't want salt crystals to form, so the camera needs to be in fresh water....but not with 5 other camera floating with it to scratch it!!!
48 Pack Green - Polar Bear Coolers ( I use one of these).
Not that this is really relevant to the question, but I was just in a conversation last night about what a camera guy or girl is going to be able to do if their buddy has a sudden air failure or OOA emergency......
As a DIR diver, donating to an OOA diver is very easy with a 7 foot primary...but, it gets complicated when you want to hold on to $5000 to $10,000 worth of camera gear durring the emergency event....some months ago on a night dive I had a diver from the group I went down with on a night dive, swim up to me and show me her pressure guage at about 500psi, 95 feet down durring the Jewfish Spawning.....So I yanked my reg out of my mouth, offered it to her...but she would not take it....( apparently her idea was to let me know that when she dissappeared in another 2 minutes, this would be why)....the thing is, having just one hand to work the reg with, is a poor plan. Getting it re-routed really required 2 hands, meaning I had to hold the camera between my legs...not optimal.....and still the bigger issue is if you need both hands to do the donation of someone really close to drowning from being OOA. You don't have time to clip anything off, and really you need to instantly let go of your camera.....not a good thought!!!
My solution is to have a clip on the camera housing a bolt snap can connect to....a line long enough to snap on to my crotch strap( like we do with a scooter), and after jumping in to the water off the platform, you clip the camera on, and leave it like this till your are ready to get back on board the boat....then you unclip...you DO need a way to "contain/wrap/get the line or strap secured" so that it can't "catch" on anything as you hand up the camera to the deckhand.
Diving the system, if you ever do have a diver come up to you that is having an OOA emergency, now you can instantly drop your camera and it will just sink 2 feet and be firmly attached to you while you prevent a death....so now the camera diver does not have to be the worst buddy imaginable....
Since you are on a houseing hunt, this might be a good time to think about things like this, along with a soft Polar Cooler to use to store your housing on the boat with when not in the water.....you fill them halfway with water at the dock before leaving, then you have the perfect place for your camera to be placed when you hand it up to the deckhand after first dive...you don't want salt crystals to form, so the camera needs to be in fresh water....but not with 5 other camera floating with it to scratch it!!!
48 Pack Green - Polar Bear Coolers ( I use one of these).
Given the amount of $ you're going to spend, it may be worth your while to drive up to Montreal and talk directly with Aquatica. I flew there and it was worth it.
For example, I've had the stiff spring option put in after chatting with them (it was an unpublished option at the time). They'll listen to your needs and give you choices that aren't in the catalog.
As an aside, you might consider sniffing around for a "one generation old" housing and body. The lenses will be the same; however, you'll easily be saving 75%, from new cost, on the housing and camera body.
All the best, James
For example, I've had the stiff spring option put in after chatting with them (it was an unpublished option at the time). They'll listen to your needs and give you choices that aren't in the catalog.
As an aside, you might consider sniffing around for a "one generation old" housing and body. The lenses will be the same; however, you'll easily be saving 75%, from new cost, on the housing and camera body.
All the best, James
mcliffy2
Registered
Ditto what fdog said -- If you don't already have a DSLR, you might wait a bit. Canon is supposed to announce the 7D Mark II soon, and you could pick up an old 7D setup for a fraction of the price once they do. Or you could probably get a 5D Mark II setup right now for a very good price.
Why not get a hardshell cooler that would do the same job and still be strong enough to protect the camera from physical damage (somebody stepping on it or dropping something on it, etc.)??
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The soft coolers are much easier to move around in your car, and in fact, offer good padding protection....as large as they are with water in them, it is unlikely for anyone to put anything on top of the...Sandra and I have both used these for 2 years on charter boats, with perfect results...
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