Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet 7"| Ages 3-7| 16GB| Red (2022 Release) | Ad-Free Content | Parental Controls
460.01
Underwater Enclosures
About Underwater Camera Enclosures
These days there are several options if you want to use a camera underwater. Some people use GoPros or even a good smartphone. However, if you want superior picture quality and also want more control over the shots, you should use a professional camera with an underwater camera housing. These items are also known as Underwater Enclosures.
Why do you need waterproof housing (Underwater Enclosures) for your cameras? Why can’t you simply use a waterproof action camera instead? Well, though it is true that there are many excellent waterproof cameras out there, many of which can even sink to impressive depths, waterproof cases and housings still have the edge over them. Secondly, there is a problem with the camera technology itself. Most compact waterproof cameras are not good enough for professional use. They have smaller sensors and lack advanced imaging features such as high frame rates, reliable autofocus systems, and 4K video. Read this article to find out more about them.
A beginner’s guide to the underwater camera housing
An underwater camera housing (Underwater Enclosures) is a waterproof protective casing that covers your camera and keeps that water from coming into contact with the camera. This enables you to use your DSLRs and mirrorless cameras for underwater shooting. But in order for you to choose the right type of camera housing, you should have a pretty good idea about these tools. They come in a variety of materials and pack a variety of features. This article will tell you everything you need to know about them.
Plastic vs Aluminium
As you go deep into the water with the camera, the pressure mounts up quite fast. This is something underwater housing should be able to deal with. In order to resist the pressure of the water, the walls of the housing should be strong enough. This is why plastic housings tend to be bulkier. Because aluminium is a stronger material aluminium housings doesn’t have to be as bulky to be strong enough to counteract the pressure. Another benefit of aluminium housing is that they offer more mechanical protection for your camera than plastic housings. However, if you are on a budget, plastic is worth considering.
Lens ports
The Lens port is the window of the housing. It is where the lens shoots through and sees the world. Even if your camera is weather-sealed, your lens won’t be waterproof enough to touch the water directly. Therefore, there will be a clear glass covering on the housing that protects the camera lens from the water. But that also means there is going to be an extra element in front of your lens. As you can imagine, the quality of this glass can affect your image quality. Also, any damage to this element can also drastically reduce the image quality. Fortunately, most underwater housing will allow you to switch this portion.
Lighting
One issue that you will encounter when you go deep into the water is the lack of light. The amount of light reduces as you go deeper. Even at fifteen feet, the red colour starts to disappear. As you move further deep, you will lose orange, yellow, and finally, green and blue. That means that even bumping up the ISO won’t help underwater. So, if you want to get decent picture quality, you should consider carrying some good video lights or strobes with you. You will find a great collection of underwater strobe lights using our retail search engine.
Using the housing
Even though housing is a great solution for using the camera underwater, it also poses a great challenge. When the camera is inside the housing, you won’t be able to use the buttons and switches on the camera. Ease of operation is, therefore, an important factor to consider in housing. It is common for housing to have separate controls for adjusting ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. But high-end models will let you control more factors. The zoom ring of the housing is also something to consider. Make sure that these controls are large enough to operate while you are wearing gloves or mitts.
Tips on how to buy Underwater Camera Enclosures
For most people, underwater housing (Underwater Enclosures ) might look like a really simple thing. However, finding the right type of model can be much harder than you might imagine. As there are hundreds of different models of them out there figuring out the right one can be difficult. However, it can be easier if you know what factors to consider in a camera housing. Here are a few things to keep in mind while you are shopping for them.
- Compatibility – This factor applies almost all camera accessories. The very first thing you should make sure of before buying underwater housing is that both the camera and the housing are compatible with each other. The controls, size, and specifications of cameras can vary. So, if the housing is not fully compatible with your camera, you might not be able to use the housing, or you will have to compromise some functionalities.
- Features – Just like the price of the camera depends on the number of features and functionalities it offers; the price of the housing also depends on the number of features. In fact, the most basic type of housing that you will find is water sealed plastic bag with a lens port. As you can imagine, this kind of housing will have severe limitations. And it is not something that you should be using if you are a professional.
- Materials – You will find housings in mostly three materials. All affordable housings will use plastic for the body and the controls. While using plastic helps to keep the cost down, it also makes the housing bulky and less durable. Then there are aluminium housings and magnesium alloy housings. Both these materials are almost similar in strength and durability, but magnesium alloy housings are lighter.
- Warranty – Typically, all housings come with at least a one year warranty. It is very imperative for the housings to have a warranty because you never know how long the waterproofing is going to last unless you use it at least a few times. Some high-end models even come with two or three years of warranty.
Apart from cameras and underwater enclosures, you will need several other camera supplies like battery grips, lens hoods, lenses, cleaning kits, tripods, lights, shutter remotes, flashes, memory cards, and many more. You can find any of these easily using our shopping search engine . It will also let you compare the prices and features of the products and pick the best one among them. So, don’t forget to check out all the other amazing products from the Multimedia category.
Question & Answer
How to clean an underwater camera housing?
Camera housings (Underwater Enclosures ) require cleaning every time after you put them in the water. Otherwise, the dirt and salt in the water will granulate on the housing and eventually damage the housing permanently. The easiest way to clean the housing is to soak the housing in fresh water for a few minutes after using it. Of course, you have to take out the camera before doing this. If there are any visible marks of dirt on the camera, you have to deal with them specifically using a soft cloth. The ring in the lens port will need more attention as dirt can get inside the gears.
How to choose the right underwater camera housing?
If you are looking for housing online, check the product specifications to verify if the housing is actually compatible with your camera. Also, keep in mind there are some universal camera housings. But, generally, such models tend to have fewer camera-specific features. Then comes the part of the actual functionalities of the housing. You should be able to access the camera controls and the lens zoom and focus system after placing the camera inside the housing. Finally, the housing should be of good quality. You don’t want to take chances with an expensive camera.
Where to buy underwater camera housing online in the UAE?
Having underwater housing (Underwater Enclosures ) is essential if you want to get professional quality underwater photographs or footage. Such housing will help you protect the camera from water damage and allow you to control the camera functions even when it is inside the housing. Fortunately, there are many places to shop for them here in the UAE. One of the best places to look for them online is Shops.ae. Here you can access countless models easily using our retail search engine.
If you are looking to buy underwater camera housings in the UAE, look no further as you are in the right place. There are more than five hundred shops and brands offering them here on Shops.ae. Explore them from shops. These shops offer products from popular brands like Ikelite, Meikon, Fantasea, Nauticam, Ozone, Telesis, and Sony.