15 replies to this topic

[Alex_Mustard]

I met Mr (Egidio) Isotta at the weekend, so I thought I'd share some pictures of Isotta's latest products. They have a strong following in southern Europe (especially Italy, Spain and France) but we here less about them on english language forums.

They are perhaps best known for their Isotecnic strobes, which have been popular in the past outside their main market. In the UK in the 1980s, for example.

ISOTTA make SLR, video and compact housings, plus arms, strobes and lights. I also like that the still call ports by their full name in English!

Anyway, here is their D800 housing, which I think has been out a while.





It really is packed with controls, which were very nicely weighted (at first glance):





The housing seemed very well suited to those with smaller hands. Eleonora definitely prefers it to her own housing.

They also had a new minidome port(hole) which looked nice. Reminded me of the Hugyphot one - I don't know if they are related?



Several friends of mine in Italy shoot with Isotta housings, which appear well made and fully featured. I've not tried one underwater. Here is a photo of Marco, Zena and me from the summer, Marco shoots with an Isotta housing (he won Animal Portraits Category of WPOTY last year):



Anyway, thought they would be of interest.

Alex

[Deep6]

^{Very nice Dr. Alex and in Ferrari red too!
Prego,
Bob}

[loftus]

Looks a lot more compact than any of the other D800 housings out there

[Poliwog]

Can you describe the locking mechanism that ensures a watertight fit between the two parts of the housing?

[Alex_Mustard]

Hi Paul,

It is hard to describe because I can't think of the right words for all the bits. The back door of the housing is double o-ring sealed. It has two studs at the bottom that fit into holes and then hinges to close the housing. The large wheel on top of the housing then rotates to tighten and then hold the door in place.

Quite a few smaller systems (like Nauticam's small housings) use a rotating lock that works in the same way.

Alex

[ChrigelKarrer]

We use a Isottta video housing here in the Dive Operation and beneath some minor electric problems with the LanC interface,
the housing works very well.
Unfortunately Isotta uses their own port bajonet, disabling the possibility to use high quality ports from other manufacturers or the ones
you may already have.
I personally consider the optics of Isotta - at least the video optic - not as their strong side and to build their housings with a widely used port bajonet
would make their excellent housings more interesting.
Isotecnic - the manufacturer of Isotta - is a smaller manufacturer but with a high comittment to quality, customer service and especially to find
special solutions for special applications.
Chris

[Alex_Mustard]

This came up on Facebook the other day - Mr Isotta and me - thought I'd add it here.



Alex

[seafan]

Came across this thread doing a search for isotta housingce because I've been researching various aluminum housings for compact systems.

I'm trying to find out who may be making one for the Canon G15 with a cold shoe on it. The one they make for the G12 really looked nice.

If you are in still in touch with Mr Isotta and can find out, I would greatly appreciate it. Patima will be making one for it but no cold shoe.

Have heard recsea and nauticam may be making one but have not been able to get confirmation.

[soloaqua]

For long time we have looked at Isotta progress but we have never buied their products. At the present we have buied the housing for D800 and we are completely satisfied. The experience of Egidio Isotta and the enthusiasm of the son Elisa and Andrea her husband are their best strenght. Another advantage is that they are a family industry opened to talk about every needs or problems. The housing is fully equiped, strong but not heavy, easy to use like if the camera should be on the ground. They don't pay me for these words but after some years to find at least an Italian product at international level make me happy. And then it has always been in Red Ferrari ....... That's all. In the last months we have used without problems and we have added any personal changes to the arms for our use. Just only one last thing: if you ask them to prepare something of different they need more time because they are, like I told, a family industry. Happy if I have been useful to other scuba diver. Enjoy your shots !

[seafan]

After giving it much thought, I decided to go with the Nauticam housing for my G15 since I can buy it here in the US.

[vbpress]

Isotta has made a great housing!

I've touched with my hands their product in Eudishow in Milan last week end: very very impressive quality manufacture.

Moreover I've recognized a lot of similitude with Seacam housing. Of course Isotta housing still needs a serious Dome port. 

In spite of Mr. Isotta said to me that are available a lot of adapter that allow to mount different  manufacturers ports to Isotta housing.

I'm ready to do some experiments.  

Today I'm a Sea&Sea user, and I came from Aquatica, but Isotta at the time is a strong temptation!

Edited by vbpress, 21 February 2013 - 06:44 AM.

[pndldy]

I would love to get my small hands on one of these, wonder what the next best small housing would be?

[Sebastian]

... 
In spite of Mr. Isotta said to me that are available a lot of adapter that allow to mount different  manufacturers ports to Isotta housing.
I'm ready to do some experiments.  
...

 
I have got a few flat ports and a big dome port (Zen 230mm) all with a subal port 4 mount. I am now wondering what image quality I can expect when I have to use an adapter with an isotta housing. Does anybody have any experience with this or a similar setup? I am especially interested in the following setup: isotta housing + subal adapter + Zen dome port (Sigma 15mm lens).


I checked ISOTTAs Facebook page and found this video. It shows how they make their products (housing, lights ...).
 
https://www.facebook...d=1886836261314I

[ChrigelKarrer]

Sebastian,

using a adapter ring will move the front glass a bit (1-2 centimeters) more far as without.
This is generally spoken not a problem, BUT it may create issues with vignetting with 180° fisheye lenses,
especially the SIGMA 15mm DG FE due it extreme short lenght.

I had some issues with a Athena dome and adapter ring with this lens on my Hugyfot housing as she was vignetting badly.
The other problem is that any adapter ring creates a hypothetical additional place for a leak.

Chris

[Sebastian]

Sebastian,

using a adapter ring will move the front glass a bit (1-2 centimeters) more far as without.
This is generally spoken not a problem, BUT it may create issues with vignetting with 180° fisheye lenses,
especially the SIGMA 15mm DG FE due it extreme short lenght.

...

 

Ok, seems to be that I have to ask them to make one of their housings for the Nikon D800 with a Subal port mount - just for me. I guess they won't do that or it will be very expensive - making the Subal housing for the D800 attractive again for me... 

[davichin]

I have an Isotta D800 but I don´t have the camera. Could someone measure the distance between the camera´s and housing´s port mount? I need it to decide what to do with my existing hugyfot ports etc...