New a6xxx housing from Meikon

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Optically, it will most likely work. Mechanically, I don't know how well the focus ring on it will line up with the gear in the housing. That said, I don't know about your level of experience in underwater photography, but a manual fisheye lens is not the right way to get started. Fisheyes are very challenging to properly frame, and for many shots they don't work at all - and using one with manual focus and fixed aperture adds another layer of complexity. While they're quite forgiving of focusing mistakes, they still need to be stopped down quite a bit to achieve significant depth of field, and this means relying on strobes extensively - and with a manual lens, you can't change the aperture underwater to adjust for changing conditions.

Forget about the 12mm f/2.0 - rectilinear lenses require much more precise focusing; autofocus is a must.

If you just want to dip your toes in it, Meikon housings for NEX5N are just $110 on Aliexpress - there's a version for 18-55mm lens and another for 16mm; both accept wet lenses.

If you go the A6300/A6500 route, the 16-50mm lens can be used in the bundled flat port, but it doesn't take wet lens attachments. If you want to use those, you'll have to buy the short macro port. Alternatively, you can use it in the 6" dome. I have shot it (the 16-50mm) in the old fixed-port housing with and without wet dome attachment, and on one dive, for a test, in the new housing with 6" dome. Unfortunately I got a regulator leak on that dive and had to abort, so I only go a couple shots - here's one for reference:

View attachment 486177

As far as size and weight go, the housing's contribution is relatively minor, and it helps that A6xxx cameras are quite small to begin with. After packing a tray, two arms, two float arms, six clamps, two strobes, two large lights, one small light, twenty 18650 batteries, sixteen AA batteries, two chargers, spare camera battery + charger, vacuum test system, spare o-rings, lanyards, half a dozen lenses, several ports, regulator, dive computer, BCD, wetsuit, fins, clothes, shoes, toiletries, laptop + charger, power bank and probably a dozen more things that I'm forgetting now, a camera housing is a fairly small addition.
You make a good point there at the end...
And lots of food for thought overall. Thanks.
 
Hello! Currently looking into getting this setup. Can anybody pass along image galleries to see the quality of the photos? On another note,does the threaded macro port work fine for 16-50 lens with wet lenses? Regards!
 
Hello! Currently looking into getting this setup. Can anybody pass along image galleries to see the quality of the photos?

This is from my September trip with it, mostly shooting 10-18mm in a 6" dome, one dive with 7.5mm fisheye in 4" dome, and half a dive (I had to abort due to a regulator leak) with 16-50mm in a 6" dome. Planning to do some comparison shots of 7.5mm in 4" dome, 10-18mm in 6" and 8" domes and 16-50mm in the basic flat port and all three domes on my next trip, but that's still six weeks out.

On another note,does the threaded macro port work fine for 16-50 lens with wet lenses? Regards!

I haven't tried it myself, but according to Meikon, it does. It should have the same dimensions as the built-in port on their older A6xxx housing, and I used that with 16-50mm and their wet dome attachment on several trips without issues.
 
Hello! Currently looking into getting this setup. Can anybody pass along image galleries to see the quality of the photos? On another note,does the threaded macro port work fine for 16-50 lens with wet lenses? Regards!

Here are some of my shots from my first dives with this housing. Taken mostly with a 30mm macro in the dome. I like the lens for its flexibility.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/P8zdYqPw8untfTfp7
 
are ther more recent "news" about this? The post above states "apparently....." Is there any certainty that VPS-100 is perfectly fine with submerging in water?

I wrote 'apparently' because I haven't yet tested it myself; not to depth anyway. I have a trip coming up in four weeks - I'll test it then.
 
OK.
Do you still think that VPS-100 is worth to buy/use event if the valve would have to be removed before dive?
As you see, I am researching to decide on the buy of my new photo gear.
regards
 
I used it in that fashion on my last liveaboard trip - I vacuumed the housing an hour or so before the dive, then, before bringing the camera rig out of my cabin, I released the vacuum, removed the VPS-100 and screwed in the regular cap. Haven't drowned my camera, but haven't had any potential leaks for the vacuum to catch either.
 
I'm still very much on the fence about purchasing the Vacuum Leak VPS-100.... Can I get some feedback from those that own it or own the Vivid Sentinel????

I agree with others that I'm hesitant to use a vacuum check system that requires me to unscrew and remove it AFTER checking the seal and possibly compromising the seal... Please advise.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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