Nauticam Viewfinder vs Aquatica Aquaview

Hi All,

I recently purchased and used the Nauticam Viewfinder on my Aquatica housing. Must admit its a very impressive bit of kit and will get a very good work out in near future.

I happen to fall accross a Aquatica Aquaview viewfinder at a very cheap price and of course bought it......it was a deal too good to refuse.

I havnt recieved the Aquaview yet but would like to know others opinion on the comparison between the two viewfinders in their Aquatica housings. I heard that the Aquaview allows a little more room to view the rear LCD display.

Another question I have for anyone who uses either the Nauticam VF or Aquaview is how often do you remove the viewfinder and check and lubed the o-rings. I noticed that the Nauticam manual with my Viewfinder states after each day of diving? What does the Aquatica recommend for the the Aquaview?

Regards Mark

Lucky you!

I take my Aquaview off when I travel with my housing, it is very easy to do. It makes it more slimline to pack especially when you pack it in halves. I chose the Aquaview over the Nautiview as it doesnt block the LCD view whatsoever, its made for the housing after all. They seem to try and promote the Nautiview with their easily adjustable dioptre which is useless unless you share it with other divers. you can adjust the Aquaview too, but not while you are using it, which is no problem at all, and best I feel just in case you knock the adjustments during a dive by mistake

I would still love to hear of your comparison when you get it, I would mind a 45 deg view at life too

Another question I have for anyone who uses either the Nauticam VF or Aquaview is how often do you remove the viewfinder and check and lubed the o-rings. I noticed that the Nauticam manual with my Viewfinder states after each day of diving? What does the Aquatica recommend for the the Aquaview?

It does? Well there's a good reason to read the manual!

I've noticed there's been some corrosion build up around the adaptor for the Aquatica housing on mine. Might be worth pulling that out every now and then and checking.

I've used an Aquatica Viewfinder on a 5D for more than 100 dives or more anyway. Quite recently I had a very brief glance at Reef Photo into a Nauticam viewfinder on 7D housing and camera. I most certainly can't extend an opinion of these two viewfinders from this unbalanced comparison, though the Nauticam also appears a fine piece of kit, though I ever had the Nauticam underwater for comparison...

In reference to your inquiry regarding frequency of removing the viewfinder, I can't imagine why you'd want to remove the Aquatica viewfinder every day. I place mine at the beginning of each dive trip, then remove it at the end of each dive trip, placing it in my carry-on bag with the rest of my fine glass....

Hi Mark,

I have the Nauticam VF on my Nexus housing with an adaptor. I know the manual says to disassemble and check regularly but I've

always been in the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" Camp. I prefer to leave the seals as they are whenever possible and just give things

a maintenance check periodically, say every month or so. I dive frequently and check the o-rings for grit say every month or so and

just make sure I give the housing good long soaks in warm water between diving days to keep salt crystals out. I feel that regular

disassembling and reassembling is more likely to cause a flood than prevent one.

Cheers,

Jim.

PS you certainly have a good collection of VF's now!

In view of these posts (pun intented ) I recommend setting the view finder once at the beginning when you arrive at your diving destination (unless its local) and take it off when you are ready to leave, once the O-ring are settled in, let them be. The other O-ring such as the main, the ports and extension and strobe connectors please , please, please do go over them and scrutinize them closely on a daily basis.

I always recommend removing the view finder when travelling it obviously pack smaller, but more important, I take my Aqua View Finder and put it either in its hard case or (my preferred way) i stuff it in my camera bag, next to all those expensives and fragile optics, which is what it is, that is unless your are like Mark then you should have a multiple compartments dedicated view finder transport device .

Aussie, you mention that there is corrosion built up, is this on the housing or on the adapter???

I am going to try out both Viewfinders and keep my favourite for my primary setup and the other on my backup.

I thought day servicing is a bit of an over kill and would be also going along the lines of checking after a trip (well you have to pull it apart anyway, so why not check it then). The Nauticam bag which comes with the VF looks nice but I prefer to have it in a little foam box, or maybe in its little bag with some bubble wrap when transporting will do the job.

Did anyone recieve spare o-rings with their Nauticam VF?.....I didnt, thought that they would at least add a couple of o-rings for backup.

From my first impressions of the Nauticam VF and can clear say its a very nice bit of kit and especially can't wait until I am shooting Macro. Just hope the Aquatica Aquaview is of the same quality.

Regards Mark

Aussie, you mention that there is corrosion built up, is this on the housing or on the adapter???

Hi Jean,

It's on the housing. Only minimal, and I've now smeared the area with lube, so we'll see if it gets any worse. Right underneath where the Nauticam->Aquatica adaptor touches the housing on the back of the housing (a good reason to go with the Aquatica viewfinder!). Not sure if it's cause there are two different metals there touching, of if there was just too much salt build up there because I hadn't taken it appart for a few hundred dives? Neadless to say I do pull it off and clean it every couple of days now.

The 'take the viewfinder off at the end of each trip' thing doesn't really work for Mark and I either, as we're both on permanent dive trips

Can provide pics if you would like.

Ryan.

as we're both on permanent dive trips

Love you too!

Hi All,

 

I recently purchased and used the Nauticam Viewfinder on my Aquatica housing. Must admit its a very impressive bit of kit and will get a very good work out in near future.

 

I happen to fall accross a Aquatica Aquaview viewfinder at a very cheap price and of course bought it......it was a deal too good to refuse.

 

I havnt recieved the Aquaview yet but would like to know others opinion on the comparison between the two viewfinders in their Aquatica housings. I heard that the Aquaview allows a little more room to view the rear LCD display.

 

Another question I have for anyone who uses either the Nauticam VF or Aquaview is how often do you remove the viewfinder and check and lubed the o-rings. I noticed that the Nauticam manual with my Viewfinder states after each day of diving? What does the Aquatica recommend for the the Aquaview?

 

Regards Mark

Mark,

You never did get back to us with a comparison of the aquaview vs nauticam, would be very interested to hear your thoughts.

Duncan