Aqua Vision’s latest addition to its fine and nearly indestructible Aquatica housing line is a real gem. Designed for use with Nikon’s amazing pro-am D100 digital camera, this housing look good, feels good and has some great new features that have been a long time coming. As compact as the F100 housing, it allows former Aquatica housing owners to use their old ports if they choose as they are compatible with the flat and dome ports used on the housing for the F5, F100 and N90 cameras.

I am working on a new diving guide for Malaysia for Lonely Planet publications, so what better place to give it a workout than Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai where wide angle and great macro possibilities abound.

The D100 is a light camera and in true Aqua Vision style, the housing has been weighted and balanced so it is neutral with most lens and port configurations. New is an adjustable handle system that allows those with small and large hands to adjust on a sliding tray to get the handle in perfect position so controls are easily and comfortably manageable. The handles also break down into two parts for easy packing. They adjust with an Allen tool that is provided but I did have them come loose a couple of times during 50 or so dives, so they must be tightened well.

I will first admit that I was a Nikon RS user for many years as I considered housings a necessary evil of my trade. It seemed the focus ring or aperture adjustment ring was always slipping no matter what trick one tried and the on-off switch had a mind of its own. The RS provides such ease of use in accessing shutter speed, mode and aperture and the auto-focus is sweet. Thus, I only used housings when necessary. That changed as I started using the Aquatica for the Nikon F5 where shutter and aperture could also be controlled using a couple of dials and the auto-focus was faster than an RS.

All of these options are also available with the new D100 housing. Aqua Vision has a new spring-loaded on-off switch that operates flawlessly. This is a vast improvement over the old systems it has used in the past. The back is closed and secured by just two latches. Simple. Aperture and shutter speed controls are both easy to use and didn’t fail. And with digital, you get instant feedback via the back playback buttons, which matched up to their appointed functions and played back on demand.

Since I expose everything in manual mode, this allowed me to check exposure on the spot and make an adjustment if necessary. I also used auto focus for everything. The 16mm became my primary lens. As the D100 decreases the focal ratio of a lens, the 16mm became underwater about the same as a Nikonos 15mm. For super-wide, I used an 8mm. My macro lens was a 105mm that also got an added boost in ratio and depth of field. I used Ikelite D125 dual strobes in manual and adjusted lighting via the power settings. The hotshoe in the AD100 has a new little circuit board to ensure proper talk between the strobes and the camera.

The one gripe I might have is that, like all digital housings, there are buttons everywhere. These new digital cameras do everything but drive the boat. I have had a D1 for years and still haven’t figured it all out. Why one would have to use all of the functions of a D100 underwater is beyond me. All of the buttons just make one more prone to hitting something accidentally underwater and taking a photo with the wrong setting. However, I suspect since all manufacturers are boasting that all functions are available, Aqua Vision couldn’t produce this baby without including all of the bells and whistles. So, they are there for the underwater button pushers among us (What whale shark?).

Also, the info window is there, but it’s tough to see the info on the upper right of the camera. Most everything one needs to see is in the viewfinder anyway, so its not a big deal.

Overall, this is a winner, I saved a bunch of money being able to use my old ports, and the price is quite good compared to other housings on the market. The results? The shots were better than I had hoped for. With a 1-gig card in the camera, my productivity soared. Good-bye film. This is by far the nicest housing Aqua Vision has produced. I personally am very happy with my investment.