Photo / Video News & Reviews
Nauticam Announces the NA-A5000 Housing
Nauticam have announced the NA-A5000 underwater camera housing for the new Sony A5000 mirrorless camera.
The Sony Alpha A5000, when coupled with the versatile 16-50mm retractable power zoom kit lens, is one of the smallest and lightest mirrorless camera systems ever made. Despite it’s small size and weight (with camera tipping the scales at a an amazing 269g/9oz including battery and card), the A5000 is not short on features, including a 20 megapixel APS-C sized sensor (same size as found in many DSLRs), 25 point fast autofocus, tilting 3” LCD monitor, built in popup flash, WiFi, full HD video recording, and much more. The menu system has been refined; the controls are easy to use and menus are logical with just the right amount of options for most people.
The 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Retractable Zoom Lens provides a 35mm-equivalent focal length range of 24-75mm, covering wide angle to fish portrait perspectives to maximize usability. It features Sony’s Optical SteadyShot image stabilization to help reduce the appearance of camera shake by up to four stops.
One new feature of this camera that most of the camera press does not report, is the addition of a zoom lever on the camera itself, which is able to operate power zoom lenses like the 16-50mm. What this means is that no zoom gear or special port is required to operate the zoom, further lessening the overall cost of the system for underwater use. Nothing to prep on the camera; it can go from pocket to housing in seconds. Compact shooters will feel right at home with this rig.
Nauticam NA-A5000
The NA-A5000 is the product of continued refinement of the Nauticam mirrorless camera housings. A5000 is the great grandchild of the Sony NEX-5, which was the first mirrorless camera supported by Nauticam, and the first successful interchangeable lens mirrorless camera system for underwater. Nauticam is well known for it’s innovative and ergonomic housing designs, and those traits are fully evident in the NA-A5000. The housing is very comfortable in the hand, and all controls are easily reached.
The housing gains the new style port locking mechanism, which will be familiar to people who have seen Nauticam SLR housings. This style locking lever made it’s mirrorless debut with the Nauticam NA-EM1 housing, and is an iconic symbol of Nauticam innovation. The new lock makes port changes quick, easy and as secure as ever.
The NA-A5000 comes standard with the Nauticam vacuum system electronic built in. By default, it serves as a audible and visual leak detector, but add a Nauticam M14 Vacuum Valve, (p/n# 25611) and it becomes a vacuum check system – early warning for any problem with watertight integrity – which means peace of mind when shooting underwater.
Milled from solid aluminum, the housing is rated to 100m/330ft depth, and is rugged and ready for use.
Lenses and Ports
The 16-50mm lens is quite versatile, and may be the only lens some people ever need. However, unlike with a compact system that does not allow lens changes, the A5000 supports a wide range of Sony and Zeiss lenses that are ideal for any shooting situation, including underwater use. Nauticam supports all of the Sony and Zeiss lenses that are suitable for underwater use.
Lenses like the Sony E 16mm F2.8 Pancake lens, either with or without the VCLECF1 fisheye conversion lens, or the Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS allow for full wide angle coverage, and a choice between fisheye and rectilinear. Sony produces the E 30mm F3.5 Macro lens for fish portrait and lightweight macro use. For hardcore macro enthusiasts, Nauticam and Zen Underwater support the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM, and Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lenses via the Metabones adapters.
The Carl Zeiss Touit 2.8/12mm lens is supported via a Zen Underwater adapter and dome port. And, Zeiss is just about to release the Zeiss Touit 2.8/50M macro lens, which will be supported by a Nauticam port, for true 1:1 macro in a native E mount lens.
The Nauticam Super Macro converter is an ideal add on for macro enthusiasts, providing reproduction much greater than life size with minimal distortion and aberration.
Key NA-A5000 Features
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Signature Nauticam Port Locking System: The iconic red locking lever is right at home on the NA-A5000; lens/port changes made quick, easy and secure.
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Vacuum System: The integrated vacuum check and leak detection system adds extra assurance of watertight integrity. Use it without an optional vacuum valve and it serves as a audible/visual water ingress detector. Add the vacuum valve, and get watertight integrity indication via a color coded LED light.
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On Camera Zoom Lever: New is this class of camera, the convenient zoom control on the camera means no zoom gear needed for the 16-50mm power zoom lens.
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Locking Latch: The locking latch, proven in use with thousands of housings, is secure and easy to use.
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Ergonomic Controls: Controls on the housing are designed with shooting in mind, and each control is clearly labeled.
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LCD Magnifier with Dioptric Adjustment
Compact camera systems utilize close focus vision, and the accessory Nauticam LCD Magnifier with Dioptric Adjustment (p/n# 25106) can be extremely advantageous for clearly viewing fine focus and camera display info. The LCD Magnifier also provides generous sun shading, making the camera’s lcd screen much easier to see in bright sunlight. Attachment rails (p/n# 25130) are required to mount the LCD Magnifier.
Optional Rubberized Ergonomic Handles
The optional Nauticam Flexitray or Easitray provide a lightweight, compact mounting solution for strobe arms and the NA-A5000 housing. Nauticam uses a sophisticated over-mold process to produce extremely comfortable rubberized ergonomic hand grips. The soft feel and comfortable design make the housing easy to grip and minimize hand fatigue on long dives. Both single and double handle configurations are available for complete customization, and each handle can be adjusted laterally allowing the user to dial in perfect fit.
Flash Connectors for Inon S-TTL, and Sea&Sea DS-TTL
Reliable automatic flash exposure is available with the NA-A5000 and a variety of optically fired flashes. The Inon Z-240, D-2000, S-2000, Sea & Sea YS-01 and YS-D1 strobes provide automated lighting, precisely reproducing the camera’s onboard flash at a proportionally greater intensity. This system yields accurate automatic TTL flash performance – even in manual mode – with no electrical sync cables to flood. The NA-A5000 comes fiber optic ready and accepts standard Sea & Sea style bushing connections. Nauticam Fiber Optic cables, available for both Inon and Sea&Sea strobes, provide the best light transmission and therefore more accurate TTL of any fiber optic cable on the market.
Strobes can be attached to the housing via optional strobe mounting balls secured to the handles of the Nauticam accessory tray systems or a single strobe mounting ball location on the housing. The housing also features a cold-shoe mount for a focus light or other accessory mounting options.
The housing body is machined from solid aircraft grade aluminum, then hard anodized making it impervious to salt water and provides an impressive 100 meter depth rating. The large acrylic LCD window is treated with an anti-reflective, scratch resistant coating.
Specifications
- Depth Rating: 100m
- Weight: 0.8kg
- Dimensions: 169mm x 74mm x 127mm
Model Number: 17411
USA Retail Price: $1350
Shipping May 1, 2014
To find your local Nauticam dealer, click here.
An emotive photograph showing a freediver examining the aftermath of whaling sees
Alex Dawson from Sweden named Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Dawson’s
photograph ‘Whale Bones’ triumphed over 6500 underwater pictures entered by underwater
photographers from around the world.
“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” explains chair of judging
panel Alex Mustard, “as a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear
witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great
creatures of this planet. Since the rise of humans, wild animals have declined by 85%. Today,
just 4% of mammals are wildlife, the remaining 96% are humans and our livestock. Our way
needs to change to find a balance with nature.”
Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero
Whales dominated the winning pictures this year with Spanish photographer Rafael
Fernandez Caballero winning two categories with his revealing photos of these ocean giants:
a close up of a grey whale’s eye and an action shot of a Bryde’s whale engulfing an entire bait
ball, both taken in Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico. Fernandez Caballero took ‘Grey
Whale Connection’ while drifting in a small boat, holding his camera over the side in the water
to photograph the curious whale. ‘The End Of A Baitball’ required Fernandez Caballero to dive
down and be in exactly the right place at the moment the whale lunged. “The photo shows
the high speed attack,” he said, “with the whale engulfing hundreds of kilograms of sardines
in one bite — simply unforgettable to see predation on such a scale.”
Photo: Rafael
Fernandez Caballero
Lisa Stengel from the United States was named Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image of a mahi-mahi catching a sardine, in Mexico. Stengel used both a very fast shutter speed and her hearing to catch the moment. “If you listen there’s an enormous amount of sound in the ocean,” she explained. “The action was too fast to see, so I honed in on the sound of the attacks with my camera to capture this special moment.”
“It is such an exciting time in underwater photography because photographers are capturing such amazing new images, by visiting new locations and using the latest cameras,”
commented judge Alex Mustard. “Until this year I’d hardly ever see a photo of a mahi mahi,
now Lisa has photographed one hunting, action that plays out in the blink of an eye.”
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and Jenny Stock,
was named as British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 for her image “Star
Attraction”, which finds beauty in species of British wildlife that are often overlooked.
Exploring the west coast of Scotland, Stock explained “in the dark green depths my torch
picked out the vivid colours of a living carpet of thousands of brittle stars, each with a
different pattern. I was happily snapping away, when I spotted this purple sea urchin and I
got really excited.”
Photo: Jenny Stock
In the same contest, Portuguese photographer, Nuno Sá, was named ‘Save Our Seas
Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2024, with his photo ‘Saving
Goliath’, taken in Portugal. Sá’s photo shows beachgoers trying to save a stranded sperm
whale. The picture gives us hope that people do care and want to help the oceans, but also
warns us that bigger changes are needed. “The whale had been struck by a ship and its fate
was sealed,” explains Sá. “An estimated 20,000 whales are killed every year, and many more
injured, after being struck by ships-and few people even realise that it happens.”
Photo: Nuno Sá
More winning images can be found at www.underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com.
About Underwater Photographer of the Year
Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, as well as four categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in Mayfair, London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s UPY judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alexander Mustard MBE.
Header image: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 winner Alex Dawson
The winners of the prestigious World Shootout 2023 underwater photography competition were announced at this year’s BOOT Show, captivating audiences at the world’s largest diving and water sports exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany. Hundreds of photographers from 54 countries competed across nine categories, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technical skill.
Grand Prize Winners
- Picture of the Year: Spanish photographer Eduardo Acevedo “secured” the top Honor with the prestigious prize the “boot Dusseldorf Director’s Prize, earning an Andromeda statuette and a €2,000 cash prize.
- Best 5 Images Portfolio: Luc Rooman from Belgium triumphed in this category, winning a dream 4-week diving trip for two to Papua New Guinea, valued at $18,900.
- Amateur Photographer: Alexandra Ceurvorst from the USA impressed the judges with her talent, taking home the 1,000 € cash prize award.
Celebrating Diversity and Innovation
This year’s competition saw 11,680 entries from 964 photographers, showcasing a remarkable spectrum of skills and perspectives. From the intricate wonders of Macro photography to the beauty of “Black Water”, the “Underwater Fashion” category added a touch of artistry and innovation, while the ever-important ” Environmental & Conservation” category served as a powerful reminder of the need to protect these fragile ecosystems.
Looking Ahead: AI and Ocean Conservation
World Shootout founder and producer David Pilosof unveiled an exciting addition for the 2024 competition: this year the Environmental category will be focusing on the impact of plastic on our oceans and future.
This category will embrace the potential of AI or other editing software as a tool to amplify the conservation message.
Entrants will submit campaigns of three original underwater photographs dealing with plastic pollution, along with their final AI assistance processing. This innovative approach encourages artistic expression while raising awareness about a critical environmental issue.
Explore the Stunning Collection
Discover the complete album of competition entries by clicking here.
For Low-resolution photos of finalist entries in eight categories, click here.
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