Nauticam NA-550D Canon Rebel T2i Housing Photos

Nauticam has finally released photos of the worst kept secret in the history of housings, the NA-550 for Canon Rebel T2i/550D/Kiss X4. Finally, a high end housing worthy of your new Jackie Chan Rebel!

All kidding aside, the camera has a lot of potential on both still and video fronts, and hopefully this housing helps its users realize it.

From the above image, you should see the AV +/- lever tucked away under the handle, and a new paddle for ISO reached by the fingertip of your right hand. AV +/- routes the control control (shown below, above and right of lcd) out to the user's fingertips. This is a two position switch, with an engaged and a disengaged position. In manual mode, with the lever disengaged shutter speed is adjusted by the command dial, and when engaged f-stop is controlled. The ISO Paddle is a feature built for and requested by video shooters. When shooting video, f-stop is set to yield a desired dof, and shutter speed is set often to control motion effects. ISO and external lights are the only factors left available for adjusting exposure, making this control an important one to access from the right grip.

The housing now features a two stage shutter release mechanism that is much more sensitive than previous levers. With this mechanical system you can clearly feel half press, and have to pull noticably harder to actuate the shutter. This is much more tactile than other mechanical systems I've used.

The silver button below and to the right of the lens port in the above image is a new lens release lever. This allows a lens with a large zoom gear in place to be removed from the front of the housing only by opening the port. The lens release mechanism does not obstruct the removal of a camera with a lens and zoom gear attached from the back of the housing, either.

The housing back features new locking latches, a rocker key for star and focus point selector, a piano key for the quick control button, and sophisticated routing of the playback control from below the four way controller on the camera to the left handle for easy activation underwater.

NA-550 is the smallest housing built by Nauticam, shown here next to 7D.

USA Retail Price is $2300, and coming to a Nauticam dealer near you on June 14. The official announcement is here:

http://nauticamusa.com/?p=558

The new locking latches are an interesting twist. How do those work?

Steve

The new locking latches are an interesting twist. How do those work?

 

Steve

I told you we bought the 7d housing too soon. No more pinched fingers.

Bill

Looks like it's going to be well worth the wait!

Here are some renderings of the Nauticam NA-550D that show some additional detail in regard to the latches and ISO paddle:

Detail of the fingertip ISO paddle lever. This lever now extends a bit farther to allow reach from the handles. ISO is a key control for exposure with T2i video.

Detail of the locking latch. The latch has both a locking release button and a mechanical catch.

Locking latches in open position

Detail of locking latch in open position

More detail here:

http://nauticamusa.com/?p=609

and

http://nauticamusa.com/?p=558

Cheers,

Chris

Here are some pics and a quick video clip from my first outing with T2i:

Shot with Canon 18-55mm kit lens

Shot with Canon 18-55mm kit lens. The 18-55 get around a 1:2 reproduction ratio.

Shot with Tokina 10-17mm

Shot with Tokina 10-17mm

[vimeohd]12906613[/vimeohd]

The compression is a bit unfair to the nice blues I got on this video.

More here:

http://nauticamusa.com/?p=729

Cheers,

Chris

[edited to embed the vimeo and add captions]

Here are some renderings of the Nauticam NA-550D that show some additional detail in regard to the latches and ISO paddle:

 

Cheers,

Chris

Should I dare to ask if this may perhaps become an upgrade in the newer 7D Nauticams?

Ducking for cover,

Bo

Should I dare to ask if this may perhaps become an upgrade in the newer 7D Nauticams?

 

Ducking for cover,

 

Bo

Hi Bo,

No need to duck, it's a fair question; NA-7D now has locking latches too, but they of the traditional stainless steel style.

thanks,

Chris

Hi Bo,

 

No need to duck, it's a fair question; NA-7D now has locking latches too, but they of the traditional stainless steel style.

 

thanks,

 

Chris

How do we early adopters get the upgrade on the 7D latches? Inquiring minds want to know.

Steve

How do we early adopters get the upgrade on the 7D latches? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Steve

Hi Steve,

Short answer is that it can't be upgraded, as it requires a change in the housing body.

The 7D I am diving has the non-locking latches, and I personally don't have any qualms about using it, but I recognize that others might take comfort in having the locks.

Cp

Locks would have been nice but what the heck, a Nauticam housed 7D is still the mutts nutts... And I'd like to see Edward supporting the new Sigma 8-16mm rectilinear, please?

Locks would have been nice but what the heck, a Nauticam housed 7D is still the mutts nutts... And I'd like to see Edward supporting the new Sigma 8-16mm rectilinear, please?

I got to shoot the 8-16mm on 7D recently; am working on a blog post on it in my copious spare time. :-)

Cp

I got to shoot the 8-16mm on 7D recently; am working on a blog post on it in my copious spare time. :-)

 

Cp

So zoom gear is available? (holding my breath...)

So zoom gear is available? (holding my breath...)

It is in the works; I will try to find out the status for you. For my dive, I concocted a custom gear.

Here's a quick images from the lens... I was using 7D the Zen 230mm dome - this lens demands a very large dome like this. I'll post more once I get my blog entry done.

Shot at 8mm. Objects are closer than they appear!

NA-550 is the smallest housing built by Nauticam, shown here next to 7D.

 

Where did you get this pic of the 7D? How come it has a lens release button?