Aquatica AN-5 macro option?

Is there a way to shoot macro on the Aquatica AN-5 NEX-5 setup? I like the housing in general and the zoom dome seems rather versatile, but the only flat port available seems to be for the 16mm pancake lens. A 24mm effective lens would make for a rather comically short working distance if you were trying to shoot non-sessile subjects. Behind the zoom dome you could use a dry close up lens, but you'll lose 30% or so magnification and you can't take the diopter off to shoot far subjects.

I'm set on the NEX-5 because of the combination of sensor size and camera size. The Nauticam housing looks nice, I just wanted to make sure that was the only real option for the camera that supports macro and WA before plunking down the $$$. The 10bar seems to have the same limitation of no flat macro port. It does have a wet mount diopter option for the dome, but there's still the loss of magnification, and there doesn't seem to be a good WA dome available for it.

Thanks for any info or suggestions.

Is there a way to shoot macro on the Aquatica AN-5 NEX-5 setup? I like the housing in general and the zoom dome seems rather versatile, but the only flat port available seems to be for the 16mm pancake lens. A 24mm effective lens would make for a rather comically short working distance if you were trying to shoot non-sessile subjects. Behind the zoom dome you could use a dry close up lens, but you'll lose 30% or so magnification and you can't take the diopter off to shoot far subjects.

 

I'm set on the NEX-5 because of the combination of sensor size and camera size. The Nauticam housing looks nice, I just wanted to make sure that was the only real option for the camera that supports macro and WA before plunking down the $$$. The 10bar seems to have the same limitation of no flat macro port. It does have a wet mount diopter option for the dome, but there's still the loss of magnification, and there doesn't seem to be a good WA dome available for it.

 

Thanks for any info or suggestions.

Have a look at this option: http://www.acquapazza.jp/en/product/apso-nex5/index.html

The housing is compatible with INON ports flat and dome and you can use the wet changeable macro adapter. It got a good write up in the most recent edition of uwpmag: http://www.uwpmag.com/.

Hope this helps. Currently debating between the Nauticam and Acquapazza options myself....

Cheers

Roger

Is there a way to shoot macro on the Aquatica AN-5 NEX-5 setup? I like the housing in general and the zoom dome seems rather versatile, but the only flat port available seems to be for the 16mm pancake lens. A 24mm effective lens would make for a rather comically short working distance if you were trying to shoot non-sessile subjects. Behind the zoom dome you could use a dry close up lens, but you'll lose 30% or so magnification and you can't take the diopter off to shoot far subjects.

 

I'm set on the NEX-5 because of the combination of sensor size and camera size. The Nauticam housing looks nice, I just wanted to make sure that was the only real option for the camera that supports macro and WA before plunking down the $$$. The 10bar seems to have the same limitation of no flat macro port. It does have a wet mount diopter option for the dome, but there's still the loss of magnification, and there doesn't seem to be a good WA dome available for it.

 

Thanks for any info or suggestions.

There are to dedicated E mount macro lens on the way. One from sigma and one from sony. You may use other macro lenses with adapter now, but only the 30mm sony macro will have autofocus (though very slow).

That Acquapazza looks pretty nice. I like the angled viewfinder. I'm a no-touch diver and sometimes I'm guessing on the framing with my current setup if I want to get blue water in with the subject. Do you know of a USA distributor/reseller? From what I can tell it's about 50% more expensive than the Nauticam, but I'll definitely consider it.

Regarding Sony alpha macro lenses using adapters, I don't think those will fit in the Aquatica case unless there is a port extension for the pancake port I'm not aware of?

Hi

I am in Australia but this Aussie supplier could probably be able to help you: http://www.seaoptics.com.au/specials/specialshdslr.html That said the f/x rate isn't as good for you guys as it has been in the past!

Alternatively I did just find this: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/archive/i...p/t-370244.html and this: http://www.uwdigitalcamera.com/store/produ...productid=16123

I think uwdigitalcameras is in the US?

Cheers

Roger

Hi,

First off, I'm an Aquatica Dealer so I could be biased.

Aquatica does list a dome extension on the website. http://www.aquatica.ca/en/products_dslr_an5.html

I'm not familiar enough with the NEX-5 system yet to comment any further though

Stu

Aquatica does list a dome extension on the website. http://www.aquatica.ca/en/products_dslr_an5.html

I believe that extension is intended (and required) for the fisheye adapter in the dome port. Interesting point though, in theory you could stack several of these and then the flat port to make a macro port. By my math it would take 4 of those 16.45mm extensions to house the 18-55mm zoom. I'm not sure how stable/secure this would be though with all those interfaces?

I wanted to go with the NEX system so bad, especially knowing Nauticam was going to release a NEX 7 housing (supposed to be released 3rd week of January). I've been on the Sony waiting list for some time and hoping to get my NEX7 and camera before I leave in mid-Feb, but came to accept it just wasn't going to happen due to the flooding in Thailand. I turned to the 5N as a possible alternative, but with intentions of shooting super-macro, I finally came to accept there is no real serious macro glass available for NEX system. Sure, they just came out with a 30mm Sony macro, which helps, but one's not going to do any super or close macro with such a short 30mm lens on a APS-C sensor, at least not with any kind of decent working distance from what I've read. I wrote letters to both Jean and Chris (Aquatica/Nauticam) about alternatives and they said they tested all the combinations of Sony Alpha and 3rd party macro lens mated to the smaller Sony E-mount convertor and they just didn't warrant development.

I ended up going with the Canon T3i and Nauticam set-up because of the excellent lens available and the small size of the housing (been told it's not all that much larger than the NEX?). The T2i and Aquatica set-up is just as small from what I've been told. Eventually the NEX system, both 5N and 7, will have mature lens in the future, as Sony has released the E-mount license to all 3rd party manufacturers for free. Give it a couple years and we'll see 100mm macros, Tokina FE, etc for the NEX, but not now :-( The NEX system with it's excellent Sony sensors is only going to get better though. Good luck trying to set-up a macro rig with the 5N and Aquatica housing, as you're finding out it's a challenge and extensions and ports are not cheap.