Canon EOS 5DS/5DS R/5DMKIII Nauticam

Clearly a camera of this magnitude deserves the very best housing to take it underwater. Existing NA-5DMKIII housing owners – stop reading here, because that housing will work flawlessly with the 5DS. But Nauticam is unable rest on laurels, and so simply had to produce the NA-5DSR, refining the NA-5DMKIII housing just that much more. The Nauticam NA-5DMKIII has been incredibly popular and well liked among it’s users. Many of the controls for the NA-5DSR are based on the NA-MKIII, taking advantage of how solid that housing is. Still, the Nauticam designers were able to make improvements. Small changes, to be sure, but each incredibly well thought out – designed by underwater photographers, for underwater photographers.

As an example of a minor but important change, the right side of the housing has been made less “crowded” by moving the video/still switch to the top of the housing, and combining the ISO and DOF preview buttons in a tactile rocker that makes accessing both controls exceptionally easy. Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of the patent pending multi-controller. This moves the joystick control closer to the right hand, making it easier to get to. The piano keys for Set and Q were beautifully sculpted to make room for it, yielding a user interface that is both beautiful and functional.

The new housing includes the Nauticam vacuum check electronics, and, like other new Nauticam DSLR housings, even includes a simple button to easily reset the vacuum electronics when only doing a lens change. It’s one of those features that make one think that these designers have thought of everything.

Taking a cue from Canon about stability and the reinforced tripod socket, the NA-5DSR features the new style cam locking tray system. This assures alignment and improves stability in the housing. The housing also features a standard 1/4” 20 tripod socket plus two extra sockets for reinforcement should the shooter want to use a tripod for stability underwater.

Simple buttons like Menu, Picture Style, Rate, Magnify, and Trash have been given an angled treatment, making it easier to reach these buttons with the left hand. The shutter is the new paddle style – exceptionally easy to use even when wearing thick gloves, yet retain amazing tactile feel for use of the half-press of the 5DS shutter. The NA-5DSR includes strobe mounting balls and lightweight laser cut stability brackets.

Nauticam Vacuum Check System

The Nauticam vacuum check and leak detection system electronics are included with the NA-5DSR as standard equipment.  Combined with an optional vacuum valve, this monitoring system provides constant updates on the water tight and safe to dive status of the housing. The operator can, at a glance, instantly see the water tight and safe-to-dive status of the housing. A simple coded LED lighting system lets the user know that the vacuum is solid, or that the housing is losing vacuum. Leak detection is built into the same circuit, so if there is water intrusion, an audible and visual indication will occur. The NA-5DSR ships with a 3rd bulkhead port specifically for installing optional vacuum valves, leaving the user two other bulkhead ports for HDMI, sync cables and other accessories.

Viewfinders

The standard optical glass viewfinder is very good and travel friendly, but many photographers prefer the ease of a magnified viewfinder with adjustable diopter. Nauticam produces a “straight” 180º enlarging viewfinder and a 45º angled enlarging viewfinder to enhance the ease of close quarters work often associated with macro shooting. Both viewfinders have high quality optics, and allow bright viewing of the entire image. A patented external dioptric adjustment allows personal adjustment to a sharp-as-a-tack standard underwater and viewfinder changes can be executed in less than 30 seconds without using tools. Exceptional composition and focus accuracy have never been more accessible.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Depth Rating: 100m

Weight: 2.80kg

Dimensions: 358mm (W) × 187mm (H) × 135mm (D)

Port Opening: N120