which housing allows the best and easiest camera control?

[lizardqueen]

I'm ready to buy a new camera and underwater housing but would like to avoid the issues I've had in the past. Once I got to depth using a compact Sony camera in an Ikelite housing, the buttons were REALLY hard to push in. Also I'd like better usability than having 2 or 3 controls that need to go through long sequences to get to the thing you want, like on a GoPro. Give me a few more buttons that directly control what I'm trying to do.

I love the interface on the SeaLife DC2000 but want to do super macro, so I suspect it's probably too low end. I see people comparing it unfavorably to the Olympus Tough line, which I use topside and find the quality wanting.

Huge thanks for any ideas, opinions and thoughts on good options.

 

[arew+4]

If you find the TG series wanting, you are going to need to go DSLR, or Mirror-less equivalent. If you found Ikelite housings to be sub-par you will have to go with Nauticam, Subal, or maybe the higher end aluminum ikelite line will be ok

 

[Skeptic14]

My nauticam rx100 housing has been perfect, expensive, but sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

[lizardqueen]

People, thanks for weighing in. Based on the comments and prices it sounds like aluminum is better. The Isotta looks nice for the RX100. I was considering that or a Canon G7X instead of a DSLR in hopes they'd give me a bump up in resolution from my older 16mp Olympus. I'd try and experiment with renting but I really need this now.

 

[scubadada]

I have an old Canon G7X in a Nauticam housing with a vacuum check, it is fantastic

 

[Mod63]

Using an older Canon G16 in a Nauticam housing and a Oly EM1-Mk2 in an Isotta housing, both solid housings with a good placement of buttons and dials and each with it's particularities.

 

[Akimbo]

Unfortunately, buttons getting stiffer with increased depth is a characteristic of O-ring sealed push buttons. As mentioned, some are better than others but all will experience increased resistance. Greater design depths also requires stronger springs so pressure alone doesn't depress them. Stronger springs makes them stiffer in shallow water. Greater mechanical resistance on rotary O-ring sealed shafts is far less noticeable because of increased leverage. See O-rings for Divers

The Italian Easydive housings use electronic controls, which are inherently not depth sensitive. Their approach also allows greater flexibility in ergonomics and camera bodies that fit in the housing. They communicate through USB, IR, or Wi-Fi depending on the camera. Electronic controls are unnecessary for shallow recreational depths but it might be something for technical divers to investigate.

 

[deeper thoughts]

For what it is worth, very happy with the epl10 and Aoi housing

 

[dhaas]

AOI is the actual OEM manufacturer of Fantasea housings, the Olympus EP-L and TG series and they are great.

I've used and sold Ikelite, Aquatica and since becoming a Fantasea dealer (and actual user) the buttons on the Fantasea simply work great. With over 1,000 dives on my compact Fantasea FG7X II housing for my Canon G7X II it keeps chugging along and is light for travel and to dive with.

If you have to have aluminum then Nauticam is nice but Isotta is equally as nice and at a great price. I have heavy world travel dive friends with both compact and SLR Isotta housings and they love them.

Heading to Maldives tonight to get some new Manta and other shots

David Haas
Haas Photography Inc.
davidhaas4596@gmail.com

 

[hilljo88]

There are a lot of threads you can search here on SB on camera gear. You should probably start with what your budget is and what camera brand and type you want. Then you can look for the housing which is designed for that specific camera. Nauticam, Ikelite, Sea and Sea and others make high quality, but expensive housings. Fantasea is a well reviewed less expensive brand. SeaFrogs makes a budget housing that some photographers use with good results. The more expensive housings will cost about the same as an interchangeable lens camera itself. And if you want good macro shots, you will want to add one or more strobes to your kit.