I'm new to this housing world but it seems to be the only industry that supports a new product without handson testing.
The Nauticam appears to have some well thought out and novel ideas. Has anyone actually tested it? How long has this port system been in use? How many times has one actually been "Cycled" in the feild?
I find it strange that with cameras, cars, motorcylces,etc. we all wait for feild reviews (well, the smart ones) before buying or at least claiming that it the new best thing.
Has this industry always reacted this way to the untested?
Hi scub e,
Good question. The size of the market certainly contributes to the fact that there isn't a lot of independent testing... it's one thing to have magazines test products from a massive market such as cars (though I guess they missed those Toyota gas pedals... oh, and the Prius brakes, but quite another to test something as niche as DSLR cameras housings. I've actually been involved in testing scuba gear (bigger market than u/w DSLR photo, smaller than cars or motorcycles) for a magazine, and I can tell you that getting the magazine to fund that testing was tough.
Plus, how many times have you read reviews for cars, cameras, or motorcycles (or scuba gear) that were pure drivel? Sometimes independent testing reviews aren't worth the time to read.
Further, it isn't really fair to say this has not been tested. Edward Lai of Nauticam dove several iterations of the D90 concept for almost a year before going into production. Our first D90 housings were sent to professionals in the field who dived the system hundreds of times.
Improvements are happening continually... I've been very pleased with how responsive Edward has been in incorporating changes that we have asked for. They are small changes, indeed, fine tuning, but that's how housings get better. DSLR housings have come a long way in the past few years, and right now, I think Nauticam represents the best of what is out there.
As I said in a post on Wetpixel, clearly there is some amount of risk in going with a new housing manufacturer like this. Obviously, we are aware of that. We will continue to refine the design while standing behind our early adopters. I'm sure there will be issues that pop up, as there are with all brands. The true test is how we respond to them. My job is to be the point person for Nauticam in the western hemisphere.. and I, along with the whole Nauticam team, am prepared to set a new standard. Please feel free to contact me either here on Scubaboard, or by email, and shoot me whatever questions you might have.
Thanks for the good questions and the chance to respond.
Chris
Chris Parsons
Nauticam USA
innovation at nauticamusa
www nauticamusa com
954-489-8678
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