Marelux has released its underwater housing for the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II. The second-gen pro-level full-frame mirrorless camera features a back-illuminated, stacked 45MP sensor, shoots up to 30fps using its electronic shutter, and records 8K/60p RAW video internally.
Aiming to take full advantage of the R5II’s capabilities, Marelux’s anodized aluminum alloy housing features an ergonomic design with controls arranged around the built-in handles. A quick-release baseplate allows the camera to be easily inserted with precision and removed again. Dual locking levers ensure the housing is safely closed, while ports and extension rings are secured in place using another locking lever. The housing ships with a vacuum detection and moisture alarm system.
The housing is compatible with various novel accessories, including the Flashfuel FF2100, which combines a flash trigger and a power bank (for charging the camera as well as powering the flash trigger); and the Remote Shutter Module, which allows you to control the shutter remotely using the Marelux Artemis 4500 RMT video light.
The MX-R5II housing has an MSRP of $3,398 and can be ordered directly from the Marelux website.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
MX-R5II Housing for Canon EOS R5II Mirrorless Digital Camera
INTRODUCTION
Marelux housing has the industry leading design that’s not only more compact than other brands but also more simplified in mechanical structure to make it easy to assemble. With 125mm port diameter, the biggest in the market, users can easily install and uninstall cameras with large lens through the housing.
Marelux housing is built using uniquely anodized aluminum alloy which provides superb scratch resistance, sea water erosion durability as well as the attractive options of various surface colors. The housings maintain a perfect balance between sturdy body and lightweight. It has the best-in-class ergonomics with all the camera controls readily available at your fingertips including AF-ON and Q Menu.
Marelux housing can be connected to other innovative products made by Marelux, such as 180-degree Smart Viewfinder etc., making diving and underwater photography easier, safer and more enjoyable.
FEATURES
Flashfuel FF2100 (Manual Flash Trigger + 2100mAh Power Bank Combo)
Patented Design: Tailored for underwater photography and high-speed shooting, combining flash triggering and camera power supply in a single compact device.
Ultra-durable Trigger Performance: Powered by a single CR123A 3V lithium battery, it can handle up to 300,000 flash triggers before replacement.
Robust USB-C Power Output: Integrates a 2100mAh rechargeable battery, offering up to 30W output (5–20V), capable of powering your camera directly.
Remote Shutter Module
With an invention patent, the Remote Shutter Module is designed to enhance underwater photography by providing remote control capabilities to remotely control the camera shutter release via Marelux’s Artemis 4500 RMT Light (42703). It features an effective receiving distance of 10 meters and an optical signal receiving angle of 140 degrees, allowing for flexible positioning and reliable performance.
Dual Locking System
Requires little effort to lock it in place, while making it almost impossible to be unlocked by accident, and it will take only a second to open if needed for a battery change.
Manual Flash Trigger
The flash trigger can translate the electric signal from the camera into light signal, with an extremely long battery life of 10,000 triggers on only two CR2032 batteries.
Built-in Lock
Extension ring and port can be safely locked in place with the built-in locking system on the housing with one simple click.
Sturdy Baseplate
A 50kg force is applied to secure the camera with the design of the quick release baseplate, while being extremely convenient to operate.
Aquatica has announced its housing for the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. The second incarnation of the pro-level full-framer sports a new back-illuminated, stacked 45MP sensor, promising much greater readout speeds. The new hardware allows the camera to shoot full-resolution RAW images with AF at 30fps using its electronic shutter as well as record 8K/60p RAW video internally.
Hewn from aluminum, anodized and baked with tough powder coat paint, Aquatica’s housing features integrated handles, stainless steel push buttons, and compatibility with both native RF and legacy EF lenses (using a mount adapter and extension ring). The housing has a large-bore M24 port supporting HDMI 2.0 output to a recorder/monitor like the Atomos Ninja V+.
The housing can be ordered in four configurations: (i) with dual Nikonos bulkheads, (ii) with dual optical bulkheads and an LED trigger, (iii) with a single Ikelite bulkhead, and (iv) with Ikelite TTL capability (which requires the separate purchase of Ikelite’s DL5 Canon TTL converter). All versions include Aquatica’s Surveyor vacuum circuitry (pump, valve and sensor) as standard.
The housing is available for pre-order from retailers such as Backscatter at an MSRP of at $3,400.
When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Aquatica AR5 II: 20099
Price includes your choice of strobe connectors & our complete vacuum, sensor & pump system:
Double Nikonos
Single Ikelite-Manual
Dual Optical-Flash trigger included
Ikelite TTL capability
*Ikelite DL5 external converter required #46074
We are proud to present one of our latest housings: The AR5II for the Canon EOS R5 MKII Mirrorless camera! Continuing in Aquatica’s reputation for offering premium quality and at affordable prices, the AR5II housing has the finest ergonomics and control accessibility combined with the famed ruggedness of our all aluminum construction and distinctive hard coating.
THE CAMERA
The EOS R5 Mark II Mirrorless Camera is the multimedia professional’s solution for versatility, image quality, and intelligence. Features:
45MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Sensor
DIGIC Accelerator Processing
Dual Pixel Intelligent AF, Eye Control
8K 60 Raw/4K 60 SRAW/4K 120 10-Bit Video
Up to 30 fps, Pre-Continuous Shoot Mode
76m-Dot EVF with OVF Sim. View Assist
2″ Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
In-Camera Upscaling to 179MP
CFexpress & SD UHS-II Memory Card Slots
Wi-Fi 6E / Wi-Fi 6 Support
ABOUT THE HOUSING
As to be expected with all Aquatica housings, it is CNC machined from 6061 T6 Aluminum with a MIL-A-8625 anodized coating and added on top a baked on, extra tough powder coat paint. All control shafts and push buttons are made from T304 stainless steel. This, as for all our housings, will take a licking and keep going!
The AR5II housing supports not only the new RF mount lenses but also the EF mount by simply using our new adaptor extension ring #48474. This new adapter can easily be installed and will enable the AR5 housing to function with any previous Canon EF lens and its corresponding extension ring.
Surveyor monitoring system INCLUDED
What was previously an optional accessory, we are now including our field proven Surveyor Vacuum System (Pump, valve and sensor) as standard.
VIEWFINDERS
The Aquatica AR5 II housing is supplied with our Galileo type eye piece. This high quality and coated optical finder gives a bright and full view of the view finder. For those seeking the ultimate in viewing for still image, the optional Aqua View Finder, available in straight and 45 degrees version, are among the best of the industry, they can easily be installed in a matter of a few minutes by the user. The enlarged and enhanced image provided by the Aqua View Finder (#20054 & 20059) is second to none in clarity; it provides the photographer with tack sharp corner to corner viewing of the camera view finder for composing and critical focusing.
SPECIFICATIONS
Part Number:
20099-NK-VC: with double Nikonos bulkheads & complete Surveyor vacuum circuitry
20099-KM-VC: with single Ikelite bulkhead & complete Surveyor vacuum circuitry
20099-OPT-VC: with dual optical bulkheads, LED trigger & complete Surveyor vacuum circuitry
20099-KTTL-VC: with Ikelite TTL capability & complete Surveyor vacccum circuitry
*Ikelite DL5 External converter required #46074. Purchased separately from Ikelite.
Composition: Aerospace grade 6061 T6 Aluminum with MIL-A-8625 Anodized Coating then finished with a baked on, super tough, abrasion resistant powder coat paint. Control shafts and all push buttons are T304 Stainless Steel
HDMI: Large 23.75mm (.950 inch) HDMI Bulkhead Opening
Depth Rating: 90m ~ 300 ft. Can be upgraded to 130m, ~ 450 ft with our deep spring kit
Weight: 6.5 lb (2.94kg)
Dimensions: 9.50” x 7.10” x 5.96” (W x H x D) (241mm x 180mm x 151mm)
Port System: Compatible with all Aquatica DSLR sized Bayonet Mount Ports
SUPPORTED ACCESSORIES
Aqua View and Aqua View 45 & 180 viewfinders
Full line of the Delta 3 Arm System
5HD Monitor
Aquatica Close Up Kit
Aquatica Housing Lanyard K
RETAIL PRICE AT ONLY $3,399.00
For more information, please contact: info@aquatica.ca or call 514-737-9481
Nauticam has unveiled its latest housing, the NA-CV1, designed to accommodate Canon’s new point-and-shoot, the PowerShot V1, released in February 2025. The compact (aka vlogging) camera features a 22.3-megapixel 1.4-inch sensor (which is similar in size to Micro four Thirds, but with a 3:2 aspect ratio), a DIGIC X image processor, and a fixed zoom lens with a focal length range equivalent to 16–50mm f/2.8–4.5. Boasting Canon’s Dual Pixel AF II autofocus system, the PowerShot V1 can record uncropped 4K/30p video oversampled from 5.7K and achieves 15fps burst shooting with its mechanical shutter.
For the NA-CV1, Nauticam has opted to use their N50 port system but ship the housing with the N50 3.5-inch acrylic dome port, which allows the full 16–50mm zoom range out of the box. Switching to their N50 Short Port 25 gives users the opportunity to mount various Nauticam water-contact optics, such as the WWL-C (FOV: 130°–71°), WWL-1B (FOV: 130–80º) and SMC/CMC (via Nauticam’s bayonet mount adaptor). Like Nauticam’s other housings for compact cameras, users have the option of adding a tray and handles, an LCD magnifier, and a vacuum valve (via the housing’s M16 port)—the vacuum monitoring and leak detection system is pre-installed.
The NA-CV1 housing is priced at $2,000 and is available now from retailers such as Backscatter.
When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
INTRODUCING NA-CV1 FOR CANON POWERSHOT V1 DIGITAL CAMERA
The Canon PowerShot V1 Camera
Key Camera Specifications
22.3MP 1.4″ CMOS Sensor
16–50mm Equivalent f/2.8–4.5 Lens
Full-Width 4K 30p; 4K 60p with 1.4x Crop
10-bit Recording; Canon Log 3
Dual Pixel AF II for PowerShot
Optical Stabilization; 3-Stop ND Filter
Active Cooling Extends Shooting Times
The Nauticam NA-CV1 Housing
NA-CV1 is the latest iteration in a lineup of advanced housings for very capable compact cameras supported by Nauticam. Many features found on professional DSLR systems have been integrated into this system, and the result is an underwater housing that allows the user to harness the full potential of this advanced compact camera in the water.
The basic functions and ergonomic enhancements that Nauticam users have grown to know and love are incorporated in NA-CV1. The housing is machined from a solid block of aluminum, then hard anodized to seal out corrosive salt water. It is closed via a simple, yet secure locking rotary latch. The right side of the housing is sculpted to fit the palm of the user’s hand, and Nauticam’s two-stage shutter release lever provides clear differentiation between the half press and full press shutter release positions. All functions are clearly labeled.
The Nauticam leak alarm and vacuum monitoring system is installed as standard equipment. This system provides an audible and visual alert to any water entry in the housing, and when combined with an optional accessory M16 Vacuum Valve II (25625) the watertight integrity of the system can be tested before ever entering the water and monitored during every dive.
Expert product design, modern manufacturing techniques, top quality materials backed by a two-year warranty, and a critical focus on the user experience combine to produce the premier system for Canon Powershot V1.
The N50 Port System
The NA-CV1 ships with the N50 3.5″ Acrylic Dome Port that allows the full 16–50mm zoom range, but other ports are available from the N50 system. When combined with the 38703 N50 Short Port 25, you can add on the 83203 WWL-C for a converted FOV of 130 degrees to 71 degrees.
What’s in the Box?
NA-CV1 housing
N50 3.5″ Acrylic Port
Spare main housing O-ring (90131)
O-ring remover
CR2032 battery (for moisture alarm)
Lubricant
Set of Allen keys
Padded Housing Bag
Set of handle brackets with shutter release trigger
Recommended Accessories
25625 M16 Vacuum Valve II (Pushbutton Release)
25131 LCD Magnifier attachment Rails
25106 LCD Magnifier with Dioptric Adjustment
71206 Easitray II with left handle (with 2pcs 1/4” screws)
71207 Flexitray II with left handle (with 2pcs 1/4” screws)
71208 Adjustable right handle II (for Easitray II & Flexitray II)
38703 N50 Short Port with Bayonet Mount (To use with WWL-C or WWL-1B)
Monochrome images can be captured by looking around in our day to day scenes, architectural structures, landscapes at certain times of the day, or even by making use of coloured lights to bring in a monochromatic colour to the scene. If you have not shot monochrome images other than black and white, these images here will inspire you to observe your surroundings and capture more monochrome images.
If you were one of the nearly 50,000 attendees at the last Asia Dive Expo in Singapore—or any of the 30 previous editions of the hugely popular dive show—you will already know that ADEX is a must-attend event on the dive calendar. But the next one just got even more interesting, with the announcement of the first ADEX 360 BLU Awards.
Per the press release (below), the ADEX 360 BLU Awards will honor “outstanding individuals and organisations in the field of diving, innovation, ocean conservation, arts, and more,” with some 46 awards being given out during an evening ceremony on the second day of ADEX 32nd Edition in April 2026. The awards fall into four categories—“Sports & Education,” “Ocean Tourism,” “Arts & Science,” and “Individual Excellence”—and you’ll be pleased to know that “Photographer of the Year” is among them.
The nomination period is from June 1st to October 1st, 2025, with shortlisted nominees put to public vote between October 10th, 2025 and February 10th, 2026. Check out the press release below to find out more or head over to the ADEX website.
PRESS RELEASE
ADEX 360 BLU AWARDS 2026
Honouring Excellence: Celebrating the Industry and Community!
The ADEX 360 BLU Awards 2026 will honour outstanding individuals and organisations in the field of diving, innovation, ocean conservation, arts, and more. The diverse range of traditional and new award categories will recognise everyone who plays a role in this space, ensuring we celebrate contributions from both the industry and the community. We hope to celebrate leadership, sustainability, and creativity, while supporting marine conservation through a high-impact charity auction.
As part of the ADEX 32nd Edition Singapore Ocean Week, the longest-running and largest dive show in Asia, the ADEX 360 BLU Awards will be held on Saturday, April 11th, 2026, at Suntec Singapore. This ceremony is not only a celebration of excellence but a tribute to the passionate individuals, leaders, and changemakers who are shaping the future of diving and ocean protection.
Nominations are open to individuals and organisations worldwide and awards will be presented at both Asia and Global levels, with dedicated trophies recognising contributions across the diving world.
Award categories cover four key pillars, which are:
Sports & Education
Ocean Tourism
Arts & Science
Individual Excellence
Some of the awards include:
Diver of the Year – Celebrating a diver whose achievements have significantly advanced diving and marine exploration.
Ocean Hero of the Year – Honouring a changemaker whose impact and advocacy have made a real difference for our oceans.
Most Certified Dive Centre of the Year – Recognising excellence in dive training and outreach across the region.
Photographer of the Year – For imagery that captures the soul of the sea and the urgency to protect it.
Best E-Learning Platform of the Year – Acknowledging innovation in accessible, high-quality dive education.
Eco-Tourism Dive Resort of the Year – Celebrating leadership in sustainable diving and responsible travel.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Awarded to individuals whose lifelong dedication has shaped the global dive community.
The nomination period is open from June 1 to October 1, 2025. A shortlisting official committee will announce the Top 10 per sub-category by October 9, 2025, with public voting taking place from October 10, 2025 to February 10, 2026. Final winners will be announced live at the ADEX 360 BLU Awards Ceremony in April 2026.
Join us as we recognise those who inspire, protect, innovate, and lead in diving and ocean advocacy. The ADEX 360 BLU Awards 2026 are more than just awards, they are a celebration of our global ocean community.
ADEX 32nd Edition
The 32nd edition of the Asia Dive Expo, Asia’s largest and longest-running dive expo, will be held from April 10–12, 2026, at Suntec Singapore, during Singapore Ocean Week to celebrate ocean-related industries, culture, and conservation. ADEX 2026 will be dedicated to the Humphead Wrasse, raising awareness for its protection, and the Blue Revolution – Reduce, Innovate, Reuse: a commitment to promoting sustainability in ocean and diving practices. The show will feature diving innovation, ocean culture, sustainability, and community, from the TEK Asia Conference and underwater arts to tourism, tech, conservation, and beyond.
The Underwater Awards Australasia 2025 is now accepting entries. The premier underwater imaging competition focused on the Australasian region is a three-way collaboration between DPG, Underwater Australasia, and UW Images. This year, entrants are competing for prizes in nine categories, including the contest’s unique “Reels Showcase” video category, with the top image or video among the category winners receiving the distinction of “Best of Show.”
This year’s prize pool has increased in value by more than 40% compared to last year, to a total of A$70,000! The prizes include dive trips with the world’s top resorts and liveaboards as well as the latest underwater imaging equipment and dive gear—even an underwater photography drone and an underwater scooter with photographic platform. The prestigious judging panel comprises photo judges Tobias Friedrich, Jayne Jenkins, Matty Smith, Tanya Houppermans, Scott Portelli and William Tan; and video judges Philip Hamilton and Ross Long.
The competition will culminate in an exhibition and awards ceremony at Go Diving Show ANZ in Sydney, in September 2025. The exhibition will feature high-quality metal prints of the finalist entries in the photo categories. Made by the competition’s Printing Partner PhotoMart, the prints will be available for purchase at the show, with the proceeds going to Environmental Partners Australian Marine Conservation Society and Take 3 for the Sea.
Head over to UnderwaterCompetition.com to find out more about the categories, prizes and judging panel, and make sure to read the rules and guidelines carefully before submitting. Entry fees are US$10 per image or video entered. The competition closes on July 20th, 2025.
Each month, we explain a recent cost estimate, contract, or purchase order in the form of a Pricing & Negotiating article. By redacting the names of the photographer and the client, we can share useful information that would otherwise be confidential. You can read more about our Pricing & Negotiating services on the Consulting Services page of our website.
Concept: Portraits of business owners, and images of them interacting with products at a manufacturing facility Licensing: Unlimited use of up to 30 images for five years from first use Photographer: Portraiture specialist Client: Beverage brand
Summary
I recently helped a portrait photographer create an estimate and negotiate a project for a beverage brand. The client was launching a new product within a larger portfolio of beverage companies and wanted to capture portraits of business owners interacting with their products at a manufacturing facility. The images would help tell the story of the product’s origins and the people behind it.
The shoot took place over a single day and focused on five main setups with variations on the same themes. The photographer and crew worked to capture 30 final images. Although the client initially requested unlimited use across all media, based on the creative brief and our discussions, the images were primarily intended for use on their website and social media. While they were not willing to restrict media use, we did convince them to limit the duration of use to five years.
Fees
Traditionally, photographers in this market have undervalued usage, and local clients, such as this one, were accustomed to more conservative rates compared to other major markets. I priced each of the five main setups at $1,500, totaling $7,500, and added a creative fee of $2,500, bringing the total fee to $10,000.
Crew
We kept the crew lean, including a first assistant for both the scout and shoot days and a Digitech for the shoot day, all at rates appropriate for this market.
Styling
After a call with the agency, they asked that we include light prop styling in our bid, with a dictated prop budget of $750. We factored in a prop stylist for both prep and return time, in addition to the shoot day, and detailed the prop budget as instructed, while noting that the final amount would depend on the creative direction. We also added a hair and makeup stylist and noted in the “client provisions” section at the top of the estimate that the client would be handling their own wardrobe.
Equipment
We allocated $1,000 for the rental of the photographer’s own gear as part of the production.
Misc.
We allocated $750 to cover mileage, parking, meals, and any other unforeseen expenses on the shoot day.
Post-Production
We allocated a few hundred dollars for the photographer’s time to create a web gallery for the client and set a rate of $100 per image for retouching, allowing up to one hour per image for each of the 30 images they would select.
Feedback
The estimate was received well, but they asked if we’d be willing to reconsider the time limitation and grant perpetual usage. I suggested that we at least double the photographer’s fee, but we ultimately included an extra $5,000, bringing the total creative/licensing fee to $15,000. While I would have preferred a higher fee, I think the shelf life of these images would likely have been around three years.
AOI has announced its new housing for the Sony a7 Mark IV—the latest version of the Japanese company’s entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera. The Mark IV is built around a 33MP BSI-CMOS sensor and the Bionz XR processing engine, offering 10fps continuous shooting with AF/AE tracking and 4K/30p 10-bit 4:2:2 video with no crop. The UH-A7IV housing represents exciting new territory for AOI, which has previously only supported Micro Four Thirds cameras from Olympus and OM System, and makes sense given the newly released UIS-P1 strobe offering compatibility with Sony TTL.
The new housing is clearly designed to offer a compelling alternative to sophisticated but pricey aluminum housings or polycarbonate housings with only basic functionality. Controls are ergonomically positioned around integrated handles, there’s a built-in vacuum check and moisture detection system, and the non-proprietary AX port system means that ports and extensions for a variety of lenses are readily available. The housing features two fiber-optic ports and ships with an LED flash trigger supporting manual mode and Sony TTL (TTL, HSS TTL) with AOI’s UIS-P1 strobe as well as Backscatter’s Hybrid Flash.
A unique feature that sets the housing apart is the “Smart Multi Control Device,” which allows the user to switch between manual and TTL flash modes and features a miniature display that offers useful at-a-glance information about the flash modes and from the water depth monitor and the Vacuum Analyzation and Wet Detection System (VWS). The device uses a built-in rechargeable lithium polymer battery that takes 90 minutes to charge and allows for 18 hours of continuous operation.
Available now from retailers such as Backscatter, the AOI UH-A7IV is priced at $1,400.
When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.
PRESS RELEASE
New AOI UH-A7IV, Harnessing the Alpha Advantage Filling the Gap
For many users, the biggest hurdle in underwater photography is the extravagant cost of underwater housings for high-performance cameras, often priced at two to three times the cost of the cameras themselves. On the other hand, affordable housings available in the market frequently lack the reliability and features that inspire confidence. This leaves users with difficult choices: delay their plans, compromise on their ideal setups, or settle for less-than-optimal systems.
AOI has successfully carved a niche by offering high-performance underwater housings that combine user-friendly design, full functionality, and affordability for OM System cameras. Now, AOI aims to bring the same excitement and value to Sony camera users.
The Sony A7IV, though a few years old, remains a smart choice for many photographers. Known for its versatility, the camera boasts a high-resolution sensor, fast and reliable autofocus, and excellent dynamic range—all at a reasonable price in the full frame mirrorless segment. These qualities made it one of the most popular full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market, and it continues to hold its own against newer competitors.
Introducing the NEW AOI UH-A7IV Underwater Housing
The new AOI UH-A7IV underwater housing bridges the gap in the market for Sony A7IV users who find current options either too expensive, too basic, or both.
Accessing the Alpha Advantage
Camera manufacturers invest heavily in innovation, crafting modern cameras to meet diverse user needs. AOI’s design philosophy complements this vision by ensuring that its underwater housings are more than just waterproof enclosures—they are extensions of the cameras themselves.
The 3C’s of AOI’s design philosophy—Creative, Compatible, and Consumer-Centric—shine in the UH-A7IV.
Creative
Rechargeable Smart Multi Control Device with Mini Display: Clear instructions and status updates for various operations, including flash modes (manual and TTL), depth mode, VWS mode, alerts, control device battery status and depth indicator. To improve reliability and connectivity between the camera’s hot shoe and the housing’s Control Device, AOI has upgraded a cable-less connector.
Sony TTL and HSS Compatibility: Seamless integration with the AOI UIS-P1 strobe and Backscatter’s Hybrid Flash.
Improved VWS: The Vacuum Analyzation and Wet Detection System now incorporates an over-ride mechanism, to ensure proper vacuum sealing is conducted to prevent errors.
Built-in Ergonomic Handles: Easy access to buttons and effortless handling.
Compatibility
Non-Proprietary Port System: By utilizing a popular port system, a wide range of ports and extensions for different lenses are readily available.
Standardized Mounts: Compatible with aftermarket and AOI accessories including plug type ports for fiber optic connectivity.
Service-Friendly Design: Uniform buttons and O-rings simplify maintenance.
Consumer-Centric
Full Camera Functionality: Provides access to all key camera features.
Affordable Pricing: Lowers the barrier to entry for underwater photography for a full frame mirrorless camera.
User-Focused Engineering: Lightweight, travel-friendly, and easy to maintain.
Crafting an underwater housing is both an art and a science. AOI’s UH-A7IV embodies this harmony, balancing the capabilities of the Sony A7IV with the practical needs of photographers. The result is one of the most complete and user-friendly housings AOI has ever produced.
Red housing for a RED camera? Yup, in a surprising move, Isotta has unveiled its first housing for a pro cinema camera—the top-of-the-line V-Raptor X. Featuring the flagship DSMC3 modular body, the V-Raptor boasts an 8K VV 35.4-megapixel global shutter sensor offering 8K/120p and 4K/240p recording and 17+ stops of dynamic range. Previously sporting an adaptable Canon RF lens mount, the camera is now also available with Nikon’s Z mount for even more lens flexibility. (Remember this?)
Hewn from aluminum, anodized and painted signature red, the Isotta housing for the RED V-Raptor X looks to be an impressive piece of kit. Sporting Isotta’s classic single-handed open/close knob and built around the company’s B120 port system, the housing features a back that is entirely detachable from the front, and a lockable tray, allowing for easy insertion of the camera. All buttons and removable parts have double O-ring seals, and there’s a moisture sensor with LED indicator fitted as standard. As well as three M16 ports, there are two M24 ports, allowing straightforward connection of a monitor such as the Atomos Ninja V+. There’s also a full complement of M6 holes for attaching brackets, tripods, handles, etc.
Available now from retailers such as Backscatter, the Isotta housing for the RED V-Raptor X is priced at $8,965.
When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.
PRODUCT INFORMATION
RED V-RAPTOR [X]
Technical Data
Red color anodized aluminum body;
Ergonomic side handles, adjustable (via optional accessory);
Three M16 holes, one M24 hole and one M24 hole for using accessories such as vacuum systems, monitors;
Back housing completely detachable from the front housing;
Tray with lock for the easy insertion of the camera;
Single-hand closing knob for the back of the housing;
Aluminum buttons at the buttons with window for viewing the menu display;
Magnetic buttons and levers in aluminum for electronic control of the V-Raptor [X];
Double O-Ring seals on all buttons and removable parts;
Moisture sensor with LED indicator (replaceable battery);
Removable port B120 bayonet;
Safety lock on the porthole to prevent accidental opening;
Wide, rubber covered feet for solid footing on boat floors or sea floor;
Upper and rear M6 hole grid to apply various accessories (spotlight, spheres, handle, etc.);
Four M6 holes located on housing bottom side for different accessories such as brackets or tripods
Four pairs of M5 holes per side for attaching balls with plate;
Prepared for ISOTTA vacuum system (not included);
Working depth: 100 meters;
Commands
ON/OFF lever of the RED V-Raptor [X];
Ergonomic mechanical lever for movie shooting button, easy to use even with gloves;
My first camera had no battery. Its metering was done by a selenium cell that produced its own power when the light fell on it. Even by the standards of the time, it was as basic as it came.
This was in the early 1980s, and state-of-the-art then would have been cameras with shutter and aperture priority and perhaps a center-weighted metering system powered by a small coin-sized battery. Often, the shutter mechanism would also be powered by this, so if it ran out, the camera would not work.
All of this, in a roundabout way, leads me to say that I have seen a lot of technological advances in cameras and photography in general.
I am also aware that those technological advances come in peaks and troughs. I think that at the moment we are entering one of those troughs. Let me explain why.
Camera Revolutions I Have Seen
The first big photographic revolution that I witnessed was the introduction of autofocus. It was both pretty amazing and pretty slow. This innovation by Minolta led to most of the other manufacturers scrambling around trying to create their own autofocus systems. There were some odd attempts to build autofocus into lenses to save people from buying new cameras, but over a period of a few years, focusing developed into pretty much what we see today.
Perhaps the next revolution was the integration of CPUs into cameras. This allowed for more advanced metering and exposure modes and made life significantly easier for photographers.
The big one, of course, was the move from film to digital. This was, perhaps, the greatest single advance in the history of photography. It revolutionized and democratized photography.
The advent of sensors and CPUs has allowed camera manufacturers to push the boundaries of camera capabilities. The first digital cameras were basic compacts, but soon moved to the more familiar SLR, renamed DSLR. We moved from CCD to CMOS sensors, we entered a megapixel race, we saw the introduction of stabilization, first in lenses, then in camera bodies.
In 200,7 Steve Jobs stood on stage and showed us an iPhone. Little did we know then that it and its rivals would effectively kill the compact camera market and at the same time bring an entirely new generation to photography.
Just as smartphone cameras were becoming mainstream, mirrorless cameras arrived, signaling the long, slow, drawn-out death of the DSLR.
All of these were great leaps in camera technology. Yet none of them happened in the last decade.
It seems that at the moment, we are on a treadmill of yearly camera updates, each with incremental improvements but no revolutionary new features.
Two of my recent cameras demonstrate this. The Fuji X-H2 moved from a 26MP to a 40MP sensor and had better video codecs compared to the previous generation Fujis. Nice, but nothing special.
My Sony a7RV used the same sensor and better processing power as its predecessor. Again, it made it a significantly better camera but without being leaps and bounds ahead of the previous generation.
It feels like the camera manufacturers are trying to feed our FOMO by pushing out frequent new models offering “amazing” new features that actually offer the photographer very little in practical terms.
I suspect that whilst camera manufacturers have the ability to innovate, at the moment, there are some aspects that are holding them back. Chief amongst them is the way we view images.
The vast majority of images these days are seen on the screen of a smartphone. Some will be seen on a decent-sized monitor, and very few will be printed.
Pretty much any camera produced in the last 10 years is capable of way more quality than even computer monitors can display. This has effectively slowed down the megapixel race, as for the vast majority, huge megapixel counts are not needed.
Innovation in areas like autofocus and video output still continues but there is nothing revolutionary. It’s step by step, incremental improvements. Even Sony’s AI autofocus, whilst excellent, is not exactly a game-changing feature.
The fact is that modern cameras are “good enough” for the vast majority of photographers, and any new features tend to be overhyped in order to maintain sales of newer models.
There is one area where I think we will soon be seeing a technological advance, however, and we can see it happening already.
Computational photography is not a new thing. It has been an integral part of smartphone photography for many years now. It uses the power of a processor and programming to overcome the physical limitations of the smaller sensors and lenses found on phones.
Using this technology, smartphones are able to produce better images in low light and create shots with a shallow depth of field despite tiny sensors and wide angles.
This technology is ripe for modern mirrorless cameras. There is one area in particular, I think we will soon see advances – lenses. Fast, large-aperture lenses are both expensive to make and heavy to use. The advances in computational photography will allow manufacturers to produce smaller, slower lenses that are much lighter and use processors to improve low-light performance and give a shallow depth of field. Lenses already communicate a lot of information to the camera, and computational photography can use that data to create similar effects that we see in smartphones.
Purists will, of course, balk at this idea, but I am pretty confident we will be seeing it fairly soon. The profit margins on these lighter, more sophisticated lenses will be higher than on bigger glass. I suspect that in 10 years time we could well see a point where multiple focal lengths will not be needed, instead, the power of a processor combined with AI will enable us to zoom in, even after the fact. Rather than a simple sensor crop, these will be full-resolution zooms that maintain the correct perspective and compression, all from a single focal length.
For now, I suspect the cost of the processors is the main factor holding back mainstream camera manufacturers. That’s why, for me, at the moment, it feels like we are very much in a technological trough when it comes to cameras. When I moved from Fujifilm to Sony, it was more about quality control issues than camera technology. Both systems are great,t but neither offers anything revolutionary over the other.
I suspect it will be a few years of incremental improvement in technology. That will end when one of the major manufacturers has a big bang moment and puts powerful computational photography into a mainstream camera. My money is on Sony, let’s meet up in a few years to see if I am right.
