Aquatica housing for Nikon D7000 information

[Aussiebyron 57]

I saw this interesting artical regarding the Aquatica housing for the Nikon D7000.

 

http://www.divephotoguide.com/underwater-p...icaap7000-html/

 

Can't wait to get my hands on the one I pre-order!

 

Cheers Mark

[Aussiebyron 57]

Optical bulkheads.

Multi-control pad.

Redesigned lever mechanism for port removal.

 

Sounds like Aquatica have done alot of work on this model.

 

Cheers Mark

[buceo 2]

and price is very good compare with Nauticam

[Viz'art 24]

Optical bulkheads.

Multi-control pad.

Redesigned lever mechanism for port removal.

 

Sounds like Aquatica have done alot of work on this model.

 

Cheers Mark

 

Yes Mark, we did a lot of (new) work, we used a lot of laser cut parts and redesigned ways for accessing the controls, unlike stainless steel wire that are bent, the laser cuts parts give constant precision (more on that later), we took a little longer but we wanted something not only different than what's out there already but something that works smoothly and is streamlined to the camera's design, in a way, to give the user a natural feel to the housing.

 

BTW. We have a whole aeronautical and space industry in our backyard which is constantly on the edge of the techno stuff... There is some really, really neat tooling and knowledge to play with in our neighbourhood.

 

About the price, nothing to say really, making a housing is no rocket science in itself (or is it ), you vector in the price of the material, the R&D, labour and the amount you plan to produce, then calculate how to get the staff home so that they can pay the rent and go to bed sleeping well, knowing you did not screw anybody to get there.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Viz'art

[TheRealDrew 0]

then calculate how to get the staff home so that they can pay the rent and go to bed sleeping well

 

 

You are so selfish and always thinking of yourself

[Aussiebyron 57]

It will be very interesting to compare both the Nauticam and Aquatica side by side.

 

What is the RRP of the Nauticam D7000. I saw somewhere $3100..............???

 

Regards Mark

[TheRealDrew 0]

It will be very interesting to compare both the Nauticam and Aquatica side by side.

 

What is the RRP of the Nauticam D7000. I saw somewhere $3100..............???

 

Regards Mark

 

 

A couple of places over there ---> have it at $3,100 on their sites.

[Aussiebyron 57]

Well a comparison would be interesting especially with the $600 price difference.

 

Would Aquatica be making adaptors to fit Nauticam ports since Nauticam makes adaptors to fit Aquatica ports on their housings.

 

Cheers Mark

[aussie 0]

Optical bulkheads.

 

Are you thinking of changing strobes Mark?

[Viz'art 24]

Well a comparison would be interesting especially with the $600 price difference.

 

Would Aquatica be making adaptors to fit Nauticam ports since Nauticam makes adaptors to fit Aquatica ports on their housings.

 

Cheers Mark

 

We do not have plan for a Nauticam port adapter for our housings, they have more incentive in doing so, given the time table, there is over 25 years of Aquatica housings and ports out there, same goes to some extend for Ikelite, Sea & Sea, Subal and others, but there is barely two years of Nauticam housings on the market and of those already out, there is a whole bunch of them with ports from other brands than theirs on their Housing, so they have a lot to gain in trying to lure users of other mature brands to their camp, its a question of volume, its cool, it make sense for them right now, just not for us, at least not in the foreseable future.

[HobieGuy 0]

Hey Mark: Where did you preorder your AD7000 housing? I would like to get on that list! Thank, Ray J

[Aussiebyron 57]

Are you thinking of changing strobes Mark?

 

Hi Ryan

 

I just packed my two Ikelite ds161 and spare batteries for my dive Safari around Bali. I dont notice the weight of the Ikelites until I put them on the scales and see how much they weigh.........they soon add up.

 

I think I will be looking into the Inon Z240's down the track especially for travelling overseas and excess baggage etc etc. Still like the Ikelite's for local work.

 

Cheers Mark

 

Hey Mark: Where did you preorder your AD7000 housing? I would like to get on that list! Thank, Ray J

 

I preordered the housing a couple of months ago with Peter Mooney at Scubapixs, Cairns, Australia (Australian distributor).

 

Cheers Mark

[Drew 0]

Look at the pics in the CAD renders, there isn't an AE-L/AF-L button? Jean, having that ability to separate AF from metering is kinda important, no?

 

Edit: Opps I see the lever in the rendering.

[Viz'art 24]

I preordered the housing a couple of months ago with Peter Mooney at Scubapixs, Cairns, Australia (Australian distributor).

 

Cheers Mark

 

Yep, Mark is getting serial number #008 (some guy's with a tuxedo and and a Walter 9mm in is hand want's the 007 )

 

Drew, yeah if you look quick you would think it's missing, it's not in the usual place, it was moved closer for easier access.

[cdoyal 0]

Well a comparison would be interesting especially with the $600 price difference.

 

With the camera being almost the same size as the D90, I would have thought the price would have been closer to the $1800-$1900 price range.

[Deep6 7]

We do not have plan for a Nauticam port adapter for our housings, they have more incentive in doing so, given the time table, there is over 25 years of Aquatica housings and ports out there, same goes to some extend for Ikelite, Sea & Sea, Subal and others, but there is barely two years of Nauticam housings on the market and of those already out, there is a whole bunch of them with ports from other brands than theirs on their Housing, so they have a lot to gain in trying to lure users of other mature brands to their camp, its a question of volume, its cool, it make sense for them right now, just not for us, at least not in the foreseable future.

Of course, Aquatica must make a business case for the adapters. I have a Nexus M5 for the Nikon and I am happy with my current lens and port arsenal. I will likely upgrade to the D7000 late in 2011. Do I wait eons for the Nexus D7000 housing or go for the Nauticam with the adapter? I think both housings would cost about same. Aquatica could machine some adapters and sell the newly required focus and zoom gears. $$$ OR not($$$).

Respectfully,

Bob

[Viz'art 24]

With the camera being almost the same size as the D90, I would have thought the price would have been closer to the $1800-$1900 price range.

 

You are right Chris, the camera dimension are pretty much the same size, the housing are totally different both in design, in construction and features, our Aquatica D90 housing, while greatly respected by those who use them, was somewhat boxier looking than this D7000 housing is, controls were not as ergonomically placed as they are on the present housing and that alone call for more R&D and resources, again as much as I like the Aquatica D90, we have to be realistic and face the truth, a D7000 housing built along the line of the existing D90 housing would not cut the mustard nowadays, you guys are a very demanding bunch (which is, BTW, absolutely a compliment and not a reproach) and constantly push the industry to surpass itself. Status quo is not a favorite word around here ;-)

 

Things like the internal flash ON/OFF lever, repositioned Multi controller pad access, better located and smoother controls, moving away from a 3 to 5 axis CNC, and more manufacturing step involved for reducing the weight significantly all add up in the balance of things. Plus fortunately at the time when the Aquatica D90 did come out, the exchange rate was good (+/-20% if not more), the exchange rates took a serious knock recently.

 

This being said, we pretty much all pay the same price around the world for raw material in this industry. Our economy is closely tied to that of the US and Canada, unlike China, does not artificially deflate its currency in order to make it export products more competitive.

 

As I said earlier, I just want to sleep well at night. (Well OK, I like to go diving too once in awhile)

Edited December 23, 2010 by Drew
Removal of commercial bits

[Viz'art 24]

Of course, Aquatica must make a business case for the adapters. I have a Nexus M5 for the Nikon and I am happy with my current lens and port arsenal. I will likely upgrade to the D7000 late in 2011. Do I wait eons for the Nexus D7000 housing or go for the Nauticam with the adapter? I think both housings would cost about same. Aquatica could machine some adapters and sell the newly required focus and zoom gears. $$$ OR not($$$).

Respectfully,

Bob

 

Bob, I’m all for port adapter, the point was more about doing adapter for accepting Nauticam ports on other housings which at this point in time would not make sense; most if not the majority of Nauticam users are still on their first product from this company, for the most part, have just fairly recently purchased it and are still benefitting from quite recent camera technology, now unless their housings would be crap, and they are not, there is no reason for them to migrate to other camera models and consequently to new housing at this time.

 

As you mention you have an arsenal of ports that comes from a long established manufacturers (and there is a good chance that it’s probably not your first Nexus housing either), like us and other long established manufacturer, Nexus has, I am sure, many customers that grew into their system over the years, I know of users which are up to five Aquatica housings dating back to the film days, so it’s is way more appealing for Nauticam to adapt to us than it is for the rest of us to adapt to them.

[Deep6 7]

As you mention you have an arsenal of ports that comes from a long established manufacturers (and there is a good chance that it’s probably not your first Nexus housing either), like us and other long established manufacturer, Nexus has, I am sure, many customers that grew into their system over the years, I know of users which are up to five Aquatica housings dating back to the film days, so it’s is way more appealing for Nauticam to adapt to us than it is for the rest of us to adapt to them. As it so happen, a little known fact is that we already have adapters for the Subal, (both recent and older versions) and for Sea & Sea, in the project list of things to do are also some for Nexus and Seacam.

Jean,

Thanks for the update.

Bob

[Poliwog 4]

The renderings appear to suggest that an Aquavue viewfinder can be attached to the housing. I have not been able to find anything written to support this assumption.

 

Am I correct in assuming that an Aquavue viewfinder will be offered as an accessory?

[Viz'art 24]

Absolutely Paul, that is a bit of a big thing to have on any housings nowaday and it has to be fully compatible with what we have.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Viz'art

[Viz'art 24]

I noticed that for some reason, the administrator have removed the retail price from Aussiebyron post, for those curious about it, the retail price is posted on the Dive Photo Guide News section (see side bar for link) and on our website as well (see link below)

[Poliwog 4]

Thanks Jean.

 

I had been holding out for a replacement for the D700, but the D7000 and an Aquatica D7000 housing could severely test my resolve.

[Drew 0]

Jean

That lever is between the front dial knob and the rear dial knob. Is it a push up or pull down action? The space looks tight.

[Viz'art 24]

Jean

That lever is between the front dial knob and the rear dial knob. Is it a push up or pull down action? The space looks tight.

 

 

Drew it's a push forward (orange arrow ) and from this angle you can see there is plenty of space, the thumb position actually being in line with the lever without having to stretch the hand when you have your index on the shutter release.