Nauticam announced a new underwater housing NA-GF2 for Panasonic Lumix GF2 camera. The housing has a depth rating of 100m and it will cost $1750. Shipping will start on August 20, 2011.
Part of Panasonic’s micro 4/3 series of mirror-less interchangeable lens cameras, the Panasonic Lumix GF2 sports a 12 megapixel four-thirds size Live MOS sensor, 3” TFT LCD, 3.2fps still shooting and 1080i 60fps video. The GF2 is a small, lightweight camera capable of shooting high quality stills and full HD video.
GF2 supports manual, program, aperture, shutter speed, auto, and a multitude of other exposure modes. Metering is accomplished via a TTL capable 144 zone multi-pattern system with 18EV range. Several white balance modes are available including 2 custom white balance settings.
The NA-GF2 housing from Nauticam delivers the advanced functionality of the GF2 in style and with the ergonomics that people have come to expect from Nauticam.
This is a very compact and lightweight housing, with all of the key GF2 camera controls available from the ergonomic grip sculpted into the side of the housing. A choice of hand strap and left/right handle means the shooter can customize the housing to meet their specific needs.
The same Nauticam patented locking port release system used in the popular Sony NEX-5 and Olympus E-PL2 housings has been incorporated, allowing easy and secure port changes. Ports are available for the major lenses that are useful underwater, including the Lumix 14-42mm kit lens, the Lumix G Fisheye 8mm, and the Lumix 7-14mm.
The camera is quickly mounted in the housing via a snap in camera tray, and the housing is securely closed with a locking rotary latch. The compact form factor and outstanding low light performance make this a perfect system for technical divers exploring extended range environments.
The sculpted housing fits the GF2 camera perfectly. No controls need to be preset when installing the camera in the housing - simply drop it in. The housing is securely closed with a locking rotary latch.
Nauticam housings are designed with ergonomics in mind, and this housing puts all of the important controls on the camera within easy reach. Shutter Release, Zoom, Movie Record, and the control dial are placed for easy access from the right grip. The Fn (function) button is placed conveniently at the right thumb allowing shooters to move the autofocus functionality from the shutter release to this button. The GF2 command dial is another case in point – it can be both turned and clicked. While this may be easy to do on land, underwater it could prove difficult, and housing manufacturers up until now have struggled with this sort of control. The Nauticam engineers very cleverly separated the dial function into two separate controls on the housing, making using both functions a breeze.
Adding to the Nauticam Port System
The port system for NA-GF2 expands upon the existing port system for the NEX-5 housing, adding additional ports for the Panasonic Lumix m4/3 lenses. Olympus m4/3 lenses and Leica m4/3 lenses can be used with this camera as well, further expanding the lens choices. Lenses initially supported include the Lumix 14-42mm, Lumix 14mm/2.5, Lumix 8mm Fisheye, Lumix 7-14mm, Leica 45mm macro, Olympus 14-42mm, and Olympus 9-18mm. Zoom gears are available for the zoom lenses listed. The macro port includes a standard 67mm threaded mounting point for adding accessory wet lenses.
Locking Rotary Latch
The housing back is sealed with an easy to operate safety clasp. A safety release button must be pressed in order to begin rotating the clasp, eliminating the chance of accidental opening.
Nauticam Build Quality
Only the finest materials and cutting edge manufacturing processes are used to make Nauticam housings. The housing body is machined from solid aircraft grade aluminum, then hard anodized making it impervious to salt water. The flat ports are optically coated glass. The large acrylic LCD window is treated with an anti-reflective, scratch resistant coating.
Optional Rubberized Ergonomic Handles
Nauticam uses a sophisticated over-mold process to produce extremely comfortable rubberized ergonomic handgrips. The soft feel and ergonomic 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. A hand strap is also available for those wishing an even smaller profile.
Optical Flash Connectors for Inon S-TTL, and Sea & Sea DS-TTL
Reliable automatic flash exposure is available with Nauticam housings and a variety of optically fired flashes. Inon Z-240, D-2000, S-2000, Sea & Sea YS-110 Alpha, and YS-01 strobes provide automated lighting, precisely reproducing the camera’s onboard flash at a proportionally greater intensity. This system yields accurate TTL flash performance with no electrical sync cables to flood! With GF2, optical TTL is enhanced even more since GF2 can perform TTL in manual exposure mode.
The NA-GF2 features a removable optical mount, allowing the user to easily switch between shooting with a strobe or shooting with built-in flash. Flash control is made easy by the combination of a flash popup button, and another lever to close the flash to make silhouette shots a breeze.
Strobes can be attached to the housing via optional strobe mounting balls on the handles or a single strobe mounting ball point on the housing. The housing also features a cold-shoe mount for even more mounting options.
Proven Construction Materials
Nauticam Housings are machined from a solid block of seawater resistant aluminum alloy, then hard anodized making them impervious to corrosion. All hardware is marine grade stainless steel. Acrylic windows protected with a scratch resistant material.
Specifications:
- Depth Rating: 100m
- 177mm x 95mm x123mm
- Weight: 0.94kg (2 lbs.)
- Model Number: 17703
- USA Retail Price: $1750
- Estimated Shipping Date: August 20, 2011
