– Are they reliable? Will my precious camera stay safe and dry?
As mentioned above, Ewa Marine have 40 years of experience, so they know what they’re doing. As long as properly maintained and handled, with periodical integrity inspections to make sure the housing is still sealed, your gear should be safe. Most floods occur due to human error, such as installing in a rush, forgetting pre-dive checks, using excess force when inserting the camera, etc..
It’s important to remember that the ocean is the world’s harshest environment and no housing in the world can ensure 100% guaranteed seal for life.
– Can I use all the camera’s functions?
No. However, most of the controls will be within reach, some of them easier to reach and some harder. Zooming is possible but not always easy and might get harder in depth. Shutter button is always accessible with a special finger pocket. It’s important to follow the guidelines for adding initial air before going under according to manufacturer instructions, to make the controls easier to reach.
– Can I fit the XXX lens in the housing?
The housings come in two different types – the 100’s or the non 100’s (for example, U-B vs U-B100).
The “100 type” can fit lenses with a thread of 77mm or 82mm while the “non 100” can fit lenses with a thread of up to 72mm.
The Z types (Such as U-BZ) have longer lens compartments to fit zoom lenses such as 70-300mm.
– What’s the best lens to use with the housing?
That depends on your type of photography. For videos it would be best to get a regular wide angle lens. For photos you can try an ultra wide such as Sigma 10-20mm or even Tokina 10-17mm but remember that you will probably encounter significant vignetting on the widest mode.
If you just want mid range shots, even a 50mm could work, as well as macros with the 60mm lenses.
If you are using this for outdoors, such as Kayaking or hiking in the rain, perhaps a telephoto lens might be in order with the zoom housings.
– How deep can I go with them?
There are 2 different types for different depths.
Most of the housings are good for down to 65ft/20m. The ones marked with P can be used deeper, down to 150ft/50m. (Such as U-AXP100).
However, the best environment for these housings would be shallow water and pool dives, since the controls become harder to handle at depths and the risk of improper installation and insufficient air added before the dive, can cause harmful stress on the camera itself.
– Which model would fit my camera and lens?
You are welcome to consult with our experts on that. Another option would be to use Ewa Marine’s website which has a product finder on the top right side. Simply search for your camera model and see the compatible options, then search for them on our store.
Browse Ewa Marine Housings here
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