Meikon housing for second system

Hi! I just bought a used Nikon 1 J5, not really for underwater purposes at all. However, for some time I have entertained the thought of getting a second underwater system for use when I can't be arsed to bring the big system on a dive but would still like to be able to snap a few pictures. Portability is more important than image quality.

The ideal solution has seemed to be a Canon G7X Mark II in a Canon housing (because small and cheap) or possibly a Paralenz Vaquita. Both of them would cost something like €800 (IIRC) and my budget is tight. A used Canon S100 in a Canon housing would actually be enough, performance-wise.

So, you've guessed it. I've found Meikon housings for the J5 + 10-30 lens. It seems I can't zoom the lens when in the housing. Oh well, I can live with that. It's a flat port, with the limitations that bring. But I wouldn't like to drown the camera. Hence my question is: are we aware of any tendency of Meikon housings to malfunction and leak? Apart from a general suspicion coming from the low price, I mean.

I've been using Meikon/SeaFrogs housings (first this, then this) for four years now and my camera is still alive. On my last trip, my housing did develop a slow leak (a few drops of water per dive) through the pistol grip port plug - a known issue on the first revision that specific model, that plug is prone to corrosion; it's been fixed on a later version of the housing. I wrote Meikon inquiring if I can send the housing to them for servicing, and they replied with an offer of a brand new replacement housing for $160 + shipping. Seeing as I've got three years and ~150 dives out of that housing, I can't complain.

One thing to watch for is that their Nikon 1 J5 housing is an older model and lacks a vacuum port, so you'll have to be extra careful with o-rings. As far as the flat port goes, you can get a wet dome for it for about $120 - it's $178 on Meikon's website, but you can get it for considerably less via Aliexpress. Likewise for the housing, I see it listed for as little as $150 on Aliexpress.

Thanks, excellent reply!

I've been looking for it within Europe, seeing as I live in Sweden and buying from outside EU will incur VAT and probably other nasty tariffs. But if the price difference is big enough it might be worth it.

Or if you're patient watch the classifieds for a G7X in a housing to come up closer to home?  But watch the Canon housings - they did have some issues with moulding lines crossing the o-ring seal causing leaks on some models.  The housings are not servicable, but there were posts about how to deal with the moulding line problem.