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Hey @samchchiu Thanks for your review! I'm looking into this housing and landed here :) Did you manage to test a little more the AOI housing ? Maybe during your January trip ? I'm curious about the flash trigger and the possibility of using it with a Sea&Sea YS-D3 in TTL mode. Are you happy with its flash-triggering capabilities ?

I have the deepshot zoom gear for the 14-42mm and it's really well made and reliable. A Nauticam gear costs more than the lens itself. Crazy! Yes, the mega ois it's better than the PZ. Years ago you could find the PZ version branded Meike on Ali for 40 euro...

I think there is only one version. It is hardness 68D vs 95a or 90a, etc for standard TPU. I looked the Shore Scale for reference: The Shore A Hardness Scale measures the hardness of flexible mold rubbers that range in hardness from very soft and flexible, to medium and somewhat flexible, to hard with almost no flexibility at all. Semi-rigid plastics can also be measured on the high end of the Shore A Scale. The Shore D Hardness Scale measures the hardness of hard rubbers, semi-rigid plastics and hard plastics.

Thanks @Dave_Hicks I have used a harder Bambu Labs TPU for AMS, I didn't realize that they made this softer version as well. I will look into it.

Well I made the big jump to an A7RIII with the 12mm, one dive in ambient light only. I think I may have camera position within the housing issues. Both lenses don't seem to focus particularly sharp or on infinity. Both will focus sharp but very close on land. Any thoughts from the brain trust?

I think you'll find these are taking a lot of cues from Marelux, possibly even the OEM.

Looks like the RF-S 18-150mm is also being used underwater now.

I have shot about 15,000 images with a pair of Apollo S strobes and had no issues. I used them first in manual and later moved to TTL with the UWT internal and external flash triggers having shot about 12,000 of the 15,000 in TTL, again no issues and the most accurate TTL I have ever used. You may also want to have a look at the new Apollo Y strobes which are very competitively priced V specs.

As a cold water Sony shooter I prefer the ergonomics of the S&S (I'm on an original set of D2) vs the Z240 that I've also used. Mainly the manual pre flash cancel is easier to activate and the color change showing mode. I'd like to see some longer term reviews of the new strobe they just released and hopefully these D2s last until the durability on those is known.

Welcome! What body did you upgrade to?

There are 3D printing models for a simple zoom gear, which doesn't allow the macro function but otherwise works. I find with that lens using a diopter gets you similar performance to the macro function. It's just a little more work to juggle underwater. The port 29 is probably the simple option for your existing lenses.

Been diving a D3 for several years and no issues other than a minor flood which I was able to clean out and put a new cap on it. Continues to work as advertised. Also shooting a D1 that I've had since 2013 and it's still working well. Another D1 I had....not so much.

The lens will fit in the port and autofocus just fine. A zoom gear is necessary, of course. There are a couple of cheaper solutions out there including the Deepshot and at least one other. However note that they don’t provide access to the macro functionality, only the expensive Olympus gear and port will allow that.

There were certainly a number of reports some years ago of issues around the Sea & Sea D2 strobes. At the time some users thought the D2J resolved the problems. I don’t think there have been an unusual number of problems reported with the D3.

I don't know the details because I have never used it, but I believe there are ways to use the 12-50 lens in a 65 port without the expensive gear. Also deepshots in the UK offers a gear for that lens under $100, although I am unsure what it can do. I suspect others here can explain all of this. I have always heard far more enthusiasm for the Panasonic 14-42 mega (not the collapsing PZ) with the wwl than any of the other lenses for this purpose, but I have not compared them. That lens requires the 35 flat port. That port, with either a 10mm or 30mm extension ring then works with the various 30, 45 and 60mm macro lenses for the M43 system. In other words, with just the 35 port and the 30mm ER, you could shoot with the WWL or the 45 macro or 60 macro, saving a bit of $ on ports and less to pack for travel. Just something to think about.

From what I understand, there were a lot of issues with the D2 when it came out, which was mostly resolved with the D2j release. All I can say is I've been diving S&S strobes for 20+ years, starting with YS-25a's, then a pair of YS-110a's for many years, and now with D3's for the last few years. I personally have never had any issues, following normal maintenance, o-ring inspection and lubrication, and storage practices.

Been to Cozumel many times and never paid a tax including twice last year. However, there is a report now on Scubaboard of two persons paying upwards of $500. Per this (sketchy) report one had two systems and the other had a nauticam, a GoPro and a camera with a phone!. Here is the thing, I have been asked how many cameras I have and my answer is an honest one camera. If I start going on about a GoPro, a phone and whatnot who knows what the result might be. Also, I have not gotten the "red button" in any more recent trips. Another unknown.

As what will likely be my final follow-up on this matter: I never heard back from AOI. However, after exchanging with Fantasea, they reviewed the situation, and informed me they had discussed my case with AOI and directed me back to AOI, who would try to assist in a more suitable way. My previous email to them had not received any response, but I emailed AOI again after the Fantasea update. I followed up more than once before finally receiving a reply. The response I eventually received from AOI was as follows (quoted in full for transparency): Thank you for your continued follow-up and patience regarding the UCL-50LF diopter (Serial Number: UL30012889). We appreciate your clarification that Fantasea has referred you back to AOI, and we’d like to formally align on the service framework for this product. As previously communicated, this model is exclusively distributed and supported by Fantasea’s global sales & after-sales network. While AOI does not directly provide end-user support for Fantasea-distributed products, we are willing to offer a one-time technical service as a goodwill gesture, subject to the following terms: Service Quotation & Terms Inspection & Cleaning Fee: US$120 (covers initial assessment, disassembly, and cleaning of internal fogging/traces). This fee is non-refundable, even if additional repairs are declined. Parts & Additional Repairs: If inspection reveals damaged components (e.g., seals, optics) requiring replacement, we will provide a supplementary quotation with part costs and labor fees. Spare parts are sourced exclusively for Fantasea-authorized services, and we cannot sell parts directly to end users. Shipping Responsibilities: You are responsible for all inbound shipping costs, insurance, and customs clearance to Hong Kong. We recommend using a trackable courier (e.g., DHL, FedEx) to avoid loss. Return shipping costs (to Japan) will be quoted separately upon completion of service, and must be settled before shipment. Warranty: The service includes a 3-month warranty only for the specific issue addressed (internal fogging/cleaning). It does not extend to new damages, normal wear, or unrelated component failures. Holiday Schedule: Our technical facility will be closed for the New Year holiday from next week until end of Feb. All incoming units received will be processed operation resume. Please account for this extended timeline when planning shipment. Next Steps (If You Wish to Proceed) Confirm your acceptance of the above terms via reply email by Feb 10, 2026 (to ensure we can log your request before the holiday). **** I replied that in my view, a non-refundable USD $120 inspection and cleaning fee before any parts, additional labour, return shipping, or customs fees are even considered is not a reasonable or good-faith solution, and could not really be called a goodwill gesture... Once international shipping to Hong Kong, return shipping to Japan, customs handling, VAT, and potential additional parts are included, the total cost necessarily exceeds the retail price of a new UCL-05N. In practical terms, this offer means paying more than the cost of a new lens simply to enter an open-ended repair process with no upper cost ceiling, which is economically irrational, especially since the proposed structure guarantees that repair exceeds replacement value. AOI then offered to reduce the inspection fee by US $6, from USD 120 to USD 114, with all other terms unchanged. Shipping, customs, labour and any additional parts remain excluded, and same limited three-month warranty. I explained that a USD 6 reduction does not alter the underlying economics. The repair path remains more expensive than replacement, for a lens that was designed and manufactured by AOI (references to distribution structure or co-branding do not change that). I will not proceed under these terms and consider the matter unresolved. There has been no further response from AOI. *** The practical outcome is that I am left with no viable repair option, only a process that costs more than buying a new lens. To be clear, I was not asking for free service, but for a solution that reflects basic fairness, proportionality, and an understanding of customer experience. This could have taken the form of a significantly reduced replacement cost, a refurbished unit, a capped repair fee clearly below the price of a new lens, or another concrete solution that does not place the customer in a worse position than simply discarding the product. Frankly, I do not understand how a company can consider this an acceptable way to handle a product issue. From a customer standpoint, this is not support. It is a mechanism to formally close the case without providing a viable outcome. Caveat emptor.

Sea&Sea seems to have quite a bit of chatter around reliability/durability but unclear to me how much is because they've sold so many of them. That is a very attractive price, I was pretty tempted by the specs of the Marelux S's but I don't know anyone who uses them, but that could change the equation a fair bit.

This is interesting. it looks like a direct knockoff of Nauticam on many of the features.

I shoot an A6100, in a Nauticam A6400 housing, with the Tokina 10-17 or Zeiss Touit 50mm macro. I use a pair of YS-D3's and they're excellent. The snoot is great for macro, and they're plenty powerful for WA, especially with the dome diffusers. You can also get them for $500 a piece from divervision in japan. Sea&Sea YS-D3 DUO Strobe – DiverVision Underwater Photo Equipment

I'd be interested in some experiences and thoughts on mid-range strobes. Right now I am shooting with a Sony A6400 in a Seafrogs / Salted Line housing which I will eventually upgrade, I'd rather upgrade the strobes first, but am uncertain if I would stick to a mirrorless/APC or look to upgrade to FF, as I do prefer a smaller rig overall. Most commonly I shoot with the Sony 10-18mm rectilinear lens behind a 6" dome or a converted Tokina 10-17mm fisheye, so focused on wide angle without any great interest in macro, at least not yet. Most of my diving is local, however I'd still like to be able to travel reasonably easy given I do take the occasional trip and liveaboard. I have only used old secondhand Sea & Sea strobes (YS-110a and YS-27) in manual so almost anything will be an upgrade. In general my preference is for smaller/lower weight, <=$1000 USD per strobe and reasonable power to support wide angle shots in the context of my current system. I would prefer 18650s or other Li-ion batteries, but I do already have plenty of NiMHs from my existing strobes so it isn't a major consideration. With that in mind the three strobes that have got my attention are the following, but also open to others; Sea&Sea YS-D3 Marelux Apollo S Backscatter Atom Outside of the obvious spec differences, any particular other items to share on light quality, ease of use, etc.? Given the long timeframe so far I'm going to assume Inon 'Z335' still isn't going to be available any time soon.

Well greetings, old chap - and a jolly warm welcome to our august forum (another stereotypical greeting, eh 😉) Really great to have you with us, ubiquitous (there's a user name that takes some careful spelling.)

Port 65?? Umh.. I have already port 45+20mm ring… it would be interesting if I can use my port! Thanks for the idea.. Ps: after thinking at this idea I checked the price of the Nauticam zoom gear for the 12-50.. 😱😱😱😱 it cost like the wwl1….. a little too much 😬😬