At Gripvan we like to answer the impossible asks with a "sure, we can do that!" So when a client asked whether it was possible to rent a medium format underwater housing to take his 645DF+ and Phase IQ260 for a swim we looked in to the options.
Having tried on several occasions over many years to rent a medium format underwater housing in the UK it was no surprise to Andrew when he was unable to find one at any other rental house.
Gripvan decided to invest and added the Aquatech to our rental stock. Aquatech define the Meridian as a Sport housing rather than an underwater housing as it is only rated to a depth of 10 metres and is therefore unsuitable for diving. Andrew's never been asked to go deeper than one or two metres and most of the ‘wet’ shoots we've been involved with over the last 20 years have called for the lens to be half in and half out of the water. For this sort of work the Aquatech is ideal.
It can take either the Phase One 645DF or the DF+ body and the Phase One IQ series of digital backs. Gripvan stock a range of lens ports from the P100 to the PD85 that will take the Schneider LS lenses 28mm f4.5 up to the 150mm f3.5.
Operation is simple with the housing needing only four catches to snap-shut and interchangeable lens ports screwing on at the front. Camera controls are very user friendly allowing change of aperture, shutter and all of the digital back functions except the touchscreen.
Andrew's been lucky enough to use this housing in the Maldives as well as the UK and it makes shooting a breeze. The ease and speed of taking the camera in and out of the housing facilitates stress free lens changes and regular review of the images.
There are also options for flash syncing both in and out of the water. With no underwater housing currently available for the Phase One XF we think this is still the best bet for high resolution underwater photography.
If you've got an impossible ask why not use Gripvan's consultancy service?