Introducing The AQUATICA A6500 Underwater Housing For the SONY Alpha 6500 Compact Camera
Retail: $1,650.00 USD includes Housing, built in leak sensor, handles, hand strap, tray brackets, grip brackets and more!
The Aquatica A6500 is a housing designed to be small, compact and easily handled just like the camera that it is designed for. With 24.2 MP stills and 4K video capabilities coming in at a retail cost of $1,399.00 USD the SONY Alpha 6500 is a great camera for the beginner and professional Underwater Photographer alike.
THE SONY a6500 features
- 24.2 MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor
- BIONZ X Image processor
- 4K video capture
- In-body 5 axis image stabilization
- Built in WIFI for easy sharing
- 425-point phase detection autofocus points
- 3.0” 921.6k-Dot Tiliting Touchscreen LCD
- Bigger JPEG buffer
- Silent shooting
- Tough magnesium alloy body and robust lens mount
OUR INNOVATIONS:
This camera is a powerhouse of technology just like its predecessor, the A6300. We have made our Power saddle also available for this housing to allow the user to fully enjoy the system underwater.
Power Saddle:
The Aquatica Digital Power Saddle incorporates an optional rechargeable battery pack that plugs into the camera’s micro usb port and attaches magnetically to the camera’s mounting plate. This option can be purchased with the housing or purchased later as an add-on. Purchasing the Power Saddle will allow both still and video shooters to have the equivalent of two extra batteries in their housing, allowing the extra power they need to fuel their creative visions.
Interchangeable View Finders:
Aquatica Digital is proud to announce the support of our Aqua View Finders. The A6500 will come standard with our Aquatica eyepiece and the housing allows the user to switch between our Aqua View 45 and our Aqua View 180 Finders without having to change the LCD window of the housing. Upgrading to these Finders gives the user a 1.2 magnified view of the electronic viewfinder, allowing for improved underwater viewing. These finders are among the best finders available on the market.
Adjustable Hand Grip Support:
Aquatica is world famous for having the most comfortable hand grips on the market and we are excited to announce that these grips have been adapted for the A6500’s smaller size. We have been able to include these grips as part of the A6500 package in the form of highly modular tray to mount either strobes or video lights to the top of the grips. Thetrayit self can be moved left and right for added comfort. Furthermore, the tray bracketscan be independently adjustedto a forward,mid and back positionwhile the grip brackets can be adjustedto an inward, centered and outward position from the housing, thusallowing for you to have industry’s most ergonomic control access available. Additionally; an adjustable Aquatica nylon hand strap is included at no extra cost allowing for the avid freediver, or available light shooter to streamline their profile by removing the handles.
THE CONTROLS:
The A6500 can be used with or without grips. The right side of the housing has been designed so that you can comfortably hold and operate the housing with your right hand with the shutter button positioned to naturally rest under your index finger.
Additionally,at the rear of the housing, we have provided access to many of the camera’s functions. The controls can be easily reached by simply moving your thumb, thus allowing you to never have to remove your hand from the shutter lever. Primarily among these controls is the record button which has been given a large red oversized button for ease of use. For those that prefer a steady hold on the housing, the Aquatica grips and shutter extended trigger are available, allowing for a more traditional hold of the housing underwater.
We have ergonomically placed the control dial at the rear of the housing so that it gives you quick and easy access to shutter speeds, aperture, white balance and the ISO of the camera.
THE HOUSING:
At the core of the design is the shell, machined on a state of the art 5 axis CNC machine from a solid block of 6061 T6 aluminum alloy. The shell is then anodized and painted with a black polyester powder coating. This type of finish is capable of handling the toughest conditions a professional photographer can throw at it. We are immensely proud of how often our clients at rental dealerships praise our trademark crinkle powder coat finish being as “tough as nails”. What is often noted is that housings that only have an anodized finish do not stand up to the abuse rental housings are exposed to, therefore making Aquatica housings the ideal choice. Our control shafts and push buttons are made from the finest grade of stainless steel available rather than plastic or less expensive metals. This ensures the most reliable performance on the market. The housing shell has two entry points for connecting strobes plus two others for adapting various accessories. The housing is sealed with our signature rotary closure made popular on our Amphibico cinema housings. There is also a large 16mm diameter access point on the left hand side which is ideal for connecting a video monitor. Located on the left hand side is a standard 1/2” diameter access point for the optional Surveyor vacuum valve to ensure a water tight seal prior to your dive, thus giving the shooter watertight piece of mind.
Every underwater shooter’s needs are different, as such we offer a full complement of flash triggering options to suit those needs. Whether you use basic fiber optic connections or the hard wired flash connections with which to fire your strobes independently, we have you covered with our impressive line up of available flash connectors.
The Aquatica Digital A6500 will have three options for flash connection:
- #37000-OPT Fiber optic version will feature our industry standard L-type fiber optic cable connectors
- #37000-NK Nikonos type connector with universal hot shoe
- #37000-IKE Ikelite type connector with universal hot shoe
PORT SELECTION:
We felt that a camera like the Sony a6500 needs to support the best lenses for the best optical results possible. We have created a full line of extension rings and adapters for both our mirrorless ports as well as our standard port line up. Our support will cover the unbeatable Zeiss Touit 12mm 2.8 rectilinear wide angle lens as well as the ultra-sharp Zeiss Touit 50mm 2.8 macro lens. This is followed by the stellar Sony 90mm 2.8 macro with manual focus support, and of course the industry’s favorite Tokina 10-17mm fisheye Canon mount with Metabones adapter. Last but not least we support the Sony 10-18mm and 16-50mm “kit” zoom lenses and by popular demand both the Sony 16mm and 18-55mm lenses.
