7D housing - aquatica v. nauticam revisited

A few months ago as I started researching a setup for my 7D, there was a thread on this subject. And at that time, both the Nauticam and Aquatica were $2800. Now fast forward and I'm ready to buy, but the Nauticam is $300 more ($3100). And for the setup I think I'm going to go for -- a 100mm minidome for the Tokina 10-17, the Aquatica 100mm mini dome is $600, while the zen 100mm minidome for Nauticam is $900. So there is a $600 difference between the Aquatica and Nauticam setup out of the gate. So my question is whether the Nauticam is worth the extra money?

A few months ago as I started researching a setup for my 7D, there was a thread on this subject. And at that time, both the Nauticam and Aquatica were $2800. Now fast forward and I'm ready to buy, but the Nauticam is $300 more ($3100). And for the setup I think I'm going to go for -- a 100mm minidome for the Tokina 10-17, the Aquatica 100mm mini dome is $600, while the zen 100mm minidome for Nauticam is $900. So there is a $600 difference between the Aquatica and Nauticam setup out of the gate. So my question is whether the Nauticam is worth the extra money?

Sorry, one error there, the aquatica mini dome is $680, so the price difference is $520.

Hi mcliffy2,

One update that may be relevant to your quest: we recently changed the Zen Underwater 100mm dome such that an extension ring is no longer needed for the 10-17mm on Nauticam, saving $240.

Cheers,

Chris

Hi mcliffy2,

 

One update that may be relevant to your quest: we recently changed the Zen Underwater 100mm dome such that an extension ring is no longer needed for the 10-17mm on Nauticam, saving $240.

 

Cheers,

Chris

Is the extension ring needed when using Aquatica housing (tokina 10-17) and Zen 100mm dome?

Thanks

Is the extension ring needed when using Aquatica housing (tokina 10-17) and Zen 100mm dome?

 

Thanks

For Zen 100mm on Aquatica with 10-17mm, no extension is required either.

Cheers,

Cp

I have been looking to house a 7D as an upgrade from my 20D/Aquatica rig. I looked at both Nauticam and Aquatica set-ups. The Nauticam is an impressive set-up and I do really like the ergonomics. I also thought the video functionality was a little bit easier to access on the Nauticam. However, at the end of the day I will be getting an Aquatica. I will be shooting mostly stills with the video as a novelty. I have had my current Aquatica for 5+ years of pretty serious abuse and it has kept on ticking without any serious glitches. I use my camera for my research and it suffers some harsh treatment, as I am frequently in remote areas and getting bounced around small boats. While I have dealt with scratched ports, the actual housing looks like it has been through several battles and keeps coming back for more. The fact is none of the nauticam housings have been around for 5+ years so I can not compare the durability. I am sure that they will perform well over time, but until I see it - I know what I will get from Aquatica. I have been very happy with my A20 and I am sure I will be happy with the A7D. Aquatica has upped their game quite a bit since the A20 and I am excited to use the new housing with its features. From what I have seen, many manufacturers are making really nice hardware these days - a bonus to us underwater shooters - though it does make the decision a hard one. To come into such a specialized and competitive market and make the noise it has, I commend Nauticam as a company. I have also seen their entry into the market serve to push other companies to put out better products. No matter what rig you end up buying, I am sure you will be happy with it. A lot of it is personal preference. Happy shooting...

cheers!

- MDP

The big selling point for me was being able to use my Ikelite ports on the Nauticam with a converter, which has worked well. The prices were also identical when I got mine. I also really like the port securing mechanism.

Other than that they're both great housings, so it would come down to price or brand preference.

Otara

I had a choice between the Aquatica D90 and the Nauticam D90 when I recently moved away from my Ikelite setup. I had a play with both housings before I picked the Aquatica. Major reason for my decision was that the Aquatica has a tried and tested background as compared to Nauticams limited background (less than 12 months). I prefer the control layout of the Aquatica over the Nauticam as it was very similar to my Ikelite control layout. I prefer the feel of the Aquatica handles over the Nauticam's as they feel comfortable and solid.

Both housings look very well made and I recommend you try and get the chance to play with them both, preferrably in the water.

Regards Mark

I had a choice between the Aquatica D90 and the Nauticam D90 when I recently moved away from my Ikelite setup. I had a play with both housings before I picked the Aquatica. Major reason for my decision was that the Aquatica has a tried and tested background as compared to Nauticams limited background (less than 12 months). I prefer the control layout of the Aquatica over the Nauticam as it was very similar to my Ikelite control layout. I prefer the feel of the Aquatica handles over the Nauticam's as they feel comfortable and solid.

 

Both housings look very well made and I recommend you try and get the chance to play with them both, preferrably in the water.

 

Regards Mark

Unfortunately, there are no dealers of either brand near Chicago, and the Our World Underwater show isn't til February, so I am not going to be able to test them out. (Unless there are any WP members nearby with one? ) The local shop here only carries Ikelite and Sea & Sea. I checked those out, and did not like the Ikelite (their mini dome for the 7d just didn't have the greatest build quality, buttons are sticky/harder to press, and I had to take my hand off the handles for the shutter speed and aperture dials), and liked the Sea & Sea. The Sea & Sea is a bit pricy though and I can't see needing it when Aquatica and Nauticam have high quality options for less.

I had to make the same decision 3 months ago. The housing that made sense for me = Nauticam. I played with both housings side-by-side. While I thought the Aquatica was nice I was blown away by the Nauticam. I mean it just looked like a sexy piece of equipment. Then throw in the control positioning, port lever and piano keys... I was a bit hesitant about the purchase because of the short track record of the company. But this is such an intelligent design. I've used it on about 30 dives now in the Great Lakes and Red Sea with great results. I had one minor issue and Nauticam support was immediate and helped me solve the issue via email. If I were doing deeper tech dives I would definitely go for the Aquatica because of the fact that they can modify the housing to support a deeper depth rating. But I'm not usually shooting wrecks at 350ft. You can't go wrong with either housing.