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PHIL RUDIN
Contributor
I have not reviewed the Aquatica housing and the magazine has no plans for me to do so at this time.
Olympus EM1 II and Nauticam NA-EM1II Review
- Thread starter PHIL RUDIN
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Chris Ross
Contributor
Hi Jess, I found it very hard to go past the Nauticam housing, I was considering the Aquatica when I bought my EM5, but was sold on the Nauticam features. The difference in price is $US250 once you add strobe balls to the Aquatica. The Nauticam comes with vacuum electronics installed, you have to add a valve and you can add the valve to either the M14 or the M16 port (they sell M14 or M16 valves). The valve itself is quite streamlined and robust compared to the right angle connection employed by Aquatica. The valve is $US220 and includes installation wrench and pump. Mine is installed in the front M16 port as I had an M16 valve from my EM5 housing but the M14 port would be more accessible I think. I estimated my EM5 vacuum system battery has lasted around 500 hours of operation so far and is still working after 2 years and 100+ dives.
The port locking system on the Nauticam housings is also excellent, just pull out the lever, align the port and push then close the lever. Aquatica you need to push then turn the port to lock.
The Aquatica vacuum system is a similar price so you end up with a difference of $250 between the two.
The other difference is port availability with Nauticam you have the excellent Zen ports also available, the 170mm optical glass port is very nice and compact and you have several fisheye ports to choose from in both acrylic and glass. Here is the Zen port chart: http://www.jaredparsons.com/portchart/zen-only/by-combination-group/nauticam-n85/.
The port locking system on the Nauticam housings is also excellent, just pull out the lever, align the port and push then close the lever. Aquatica you need to push then turn the port to lock.
The Aquatica vacuum system is a similar price so you end up with a difference of $250 between the two.
The other difference is port availability with Nauticam you have the excellent Zen ports also available, the 170mm optical glass port is very nice and compact and you have several fisheye ports to choose from in both acrylic and glass. Here is the Zen port chart: http://www.jaredparsons.com/portchart/zen-only/by-combination-group/nauticam-n85/.
Ardy
Contributor
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Hi Jess, I used Aquatica for 10 years when I was shooting film and they were excellent. Dived with a guy shooting Nikon with a new Aquatica and I was shocked to see how the quality of manufacturing had decreased. I am sure the Aquatica would work well but the Nauticam seems to be the one most are happy with. I use an Olympus housing (EM5) and am happy with that.
Chris Ross
Contributor
I'm up to 12 dives on my NA-EM1-II Nauticam housing, been very happy with it so far and the camera, AF is great and ergonomics are really nice. Highly recommended. Did you work out which lenses you would like to use as yet? If you like CFWA then maybe start out with a fisheye? lens and port are both small.
Hi Chris thats great! I ended up going a totally different route. I got the Nikon D500! I will probably hate myself next week when I try to travel with it for the first time haha. I am really looking forward to working with it and hope I made the right choice but I still have a soft spot for the Em1-II!
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