Testing the Fantasea QRS System

Fantasea have recently released a complete bayonet system for their housings – the QRS (Quick Release System). We took it for a spin to check if it’s worth getting! (spoiler alert – it is!)

Wet lenses are awesome. Many compact and mirrorless shooters use them on a regular basis, as well as DSLR shooters who use diopters. Even though 67mm is an industry standard, it’s a bit of a hassle to screw the lenses in and out every time, not to mention screwing it onto the lens holder!

By the time you’re done switching, the shark may be gone, the blue ring octopus disappeared, and the nudibranch fell asleep! Enter the QRS system! The bayonet type QRS is designed to facilitate lens switching and shorten the switch time significantly.

The system consists of a mount that goes on the front of your port ( FA-4050 ), a mount on the lens ( FA-4067 or FA-4069 ) and a lens holder that fits on your arms ( FA-4061 ), to stow the lens when not in use.

See more details here

You can get adapters for most lenses, whether wide angle or macro. Fantasea have made the housing adapter universal, so while it’s a perfect fit for the Fantasea housings, it can also be adapted to fit almost any brand, provided the port has a 67mm thread on the front.

Check out the video below showing how easy the system is:

Note that some lenses will require a special adapter, to make sure the lens is properly aligned with the port. For example, the Fantasea-AOI UWL-400F requires a unique adapter, since the universal one positions it too deep so it hits the port.

Lenses tested and confirmed compatible with the QRS:

Close-up lenses:

Fantasea UCL-09F, UCL-05F, UCL-06F, UCL-900F

Inon UCL-165

Nauticam CMC-1, CMC-2, SMC

Subsee +5, +10

Wide angle lenses:

Fantasea UWL-09F*, UWL-09PRO*, UWL-400F*, UWL-04

Kraken KRL-02

Inon UWL-H100**

* Special mounting ring required (sold separate)

** Severe vignetting. It fits but far from ideal in terms of optical performance.

Conclusion

Overall, I was very happy with the QRS system! It works great, does exactly what it’s supposed to do and universally compatible with plenty of different brands.

It’s bit more of an investment when purchasing your kit, but it’s well worth it underwater where every second counts!

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Ran Mor

Sales and Marketing at Mozaik Underwater Cameras

Ran is a professional photographer for over 14 years. His passion for scuba diving and photography has pushed him to combine his profession and hobby and become a professional underwater photographer. Teaching is one of his greatest passions and over the years he has shared his experience with many divers and aspiring photographers. Along with his wife Danielle, an experienced Scuba Instructor, they have founded Dive and More, leading dive trips and UW photo workshops all over the world. Ran is also an electrical engineer and an avid internet marketing specialist.
Visit his personal portfolio at www.ranmorphoto.com.