DSLR Housings
Frequently Asked Questions:
If your budget is limited and you are only beginning to practice underwater photography, I would recommend not taking your DSLR underwater.
Diving with DSLR is cumbersome, complex and expensive. Cameras like the G16 / Nikon P7800 or Sony RX100 Mark 2 offer full DSLR-like controls at a fraction of the price and are much smaller in size and easier to maneuver underwater. They are also more flexible in terms of wide/macro shots and do not require changing lenses.
I would think that is the way to go. The underwater photo used market is a very good one so at any point you can sell your basic point and shoot gear and upgrade to DSLR.
With that said, as of yet no compact cameras is comparable all the way to a DSLR in terms of optical quality, speed and lens versatility so take into account you will compromise something by using a compact.
This question is asked very often due to the big difference in price between the 2 options.
An aluminum housing is normally 3D modeled and designed to a specific camera. Due to the fact that basically any shape and design can be CNC machined from this material, the housings are usually smaller , more contoured to the camera and more ergonomic. Having a housing body that is camera specific allows positioning the buttons in accurate locations and shaping the housing to a perfect grip.
In addition , Aluminum housings do not get warm in the sun thus don?t require any silica gel or other moisture absorbent to prevent the lens from steaming up.
Polycarbonate housings are usually molded in a universal size that fits more than one camera and then drilled to allow the camera specific buttons. This usually results in a larger , less ergonomic housing.
Aluminum housings are considered more reliable as the material will remain as good as new even after many years and thousands of dive, this is not to say that Polycarbonate ones are not reliable, just that in the long run Aluminum is probably better.
An underwater housing is almost always more expensive than the camera. This is due to the number of units made worldwide which is usually very small. For some cameras, it can be less than 20 units made worldwide. Even very popular housings for cameras like the Canon G series are made in the thousands and not more.. That is compared to the cameras themselves that are made in the millions.
The figure is usually 2 or 3 times the price of the camera. The only case where housings cost the same or lower than the camera is when the camera is a very expensive one like the Phase One, Hasselblad and others..
- Nauticam NA-D5 Underwater DSLR Housing for Nikon D5SKU: NA-17219Nauticam 17219 NA-D5 Underwater Housing for Nikon D5 DSLR Camera, Depth Rating: 330ft/100m * Made of: Aluminum
Learn More$8,292.00
Relevant Posts from Our Blog About DSLR Housings
-
Native Lenses vs. Wet Lenses for Underwater Photography
It used to be very simple. DSLR/Mirrorless underwater shooters would use native wide angle and macro lenses, whereas compact shooters relied mostly on ... Read More!
-
What’s the story with Ikelite TTL?
I get many people asking me about the different strobe connections and how to get TTL with Ikelite housings in various combinations so I thought IR ... Read More!
-
OM System TG-7 vs A Mirrorless Camera
It sounds funny to compare two cameras from different categories (one is a compact and the other is a mirrorless) but many people are facing that cons ... Read More!
-
The Complete Guide to Practicing at Home for Underwater Photographers
This article was originally written in 2020 when the pandemic restrictions were in place and people were completely locked to their home. I’ve a ... Read More!
Related Frequently asked Questions
-
How to prevent fogging in a DSLR underwater housing?
The fogging problem is very rare in DSLR or mirrorless housings, and mainly a problem with the smaller compact housings. The reason being that there ... Full Answer
-
How much would it cost to take my DSLR or Mirrorless camera underwater ?
Diving with a DSLR or interchangeable lens mirrorless camera can be complex, cumbersome and expensive. Parts and Cost In most housing setups, there ar ... Full Answer
-
What is a port for an underwater housing and why do I need it?
A lens port is the additional tube with a glass or acrylic element on the front that covers your lens and completes the housing. Without a port, your ... Full Answer
-
Can I use zoom on my camera underwater?
Yes, of course. With a compact camera, it’s very straightforward. The housing usually allows you to control the zoom knob and easily zoom in and ... Full Answer
- Camera Model 6D Mark II Remove This Item
- Camera Model D5 Remove This Item
- Camera Model Lumix ZS70, TZ90 Remove This Item
- Camera Model EOS 6D Mark II Remove This Item
- 1Dc / 1Dx Mark II 1 item
- 1DX Mark III 1 item
- 5D III, IV, 5DS, 5DS R 2 items
- 5D Mark II 1 item
- 5D Mark IV (Mark 4) 1 item
- 5DS / 5DSR 1 item
- 6D 1 item
- 70D 1 item
- 7D 1 item
- 7D Mark II 1 item
- 80D 1 item
- 90D 1 item
- D3100 1 item
- D3200 1 item
- D3300 2 items
- D3300 / D3400 2 items
- D40/D40X/D60 1 item
- D5 1 item
- D500 4 items
- D5500 / D5600 2 items
- D7100 1 item
- D7100 / D7200 3 items
- D7100/D7200 1 item
- D750 1 item
- D7500 2 items
- D780 2 items
- D800 / D800E 1 item
- D800, D800E 1 item
- D810 2 items
- D850 5 items
- EOS 1000D / Rebel XS 1 item
- EOS 100D / SL1 1 item
- EOS 1200D / T5 1 item
- EOS 1300D / T6 1 item
- EOS 200D / Rebel SL2 1 item
- EOS 250D / Rebel SL3 2 items
- EOS 550D / T2i 1 item
- EOS 5D Mark III / 5DS / 5DSR 1 item
- EOS 5D Mark III / 5DS / 5DSR 3 items
- EOS 5D Mark IV 3 items
- EOS 600D / T3i 1 item
- EOS 60D 1 item
- EOS 650d - T4i, 700D - T5i 1 item
- EOS 6D 2 items
- EOS 6D II 1 item
- EOS 77D, EOS 9000D 1 item
- EOS 7D 2 items
- EOS 7D Mark II 4 items
- EOS 800D Rebel T7i, Kiss X9i 1 item
- EOS 850D Rebel T8i, Kiss X10i 1 item
- EOS R 1 item
- Rebel t3i (600D) 1 item
- T6i (750D), Kiss X8i 1 item