It hasn’t even been 24 hours since Nikon unveiled the new Z8, but Nauticam has already announced that its underwater housing for the full-frame mirrorless camera is available for pre-order—and will begin shipping next month! Just as the Z8 is significantly smaller than the Z9, Nauticam’s new NA-Z8 housing appears to be very similar to housings for cameras with a smaller form factor that compete with the Z8, such as the NA-A7RV for the Sony a7R V and the NA-R5 for the Canon EOS R5. As usual with Nauticam, ergonomic design is foremost, and you get all important controls within easy reach of the integrated handles; and you have the option of pairing the housing with any of Nauticam’s extensive line of “water contact optics,” including the WACP-1 and WACP-C wide angle conversion lenses, and the SMC-1 and SMC-2 close-up lenses. You can also use both native Z-mount lenses and legacy F-mount lenses via Nikon’s FTZ adapter. Like Nauticam’s housing for the Z9, the NA-Z8 features an M24 bulkhead for hooking up an external monitor/recorder like the Atomos Ninja V/Ninja V+ via HDMI 2.0. The NA-Z8 has an MSRP of $4,832 and can be pre-ordered now from retailers such as Backscatter.
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PRESS RELEASE
Introducing NA-Z8
THE NIKON Z8
The excitement for the Nikon Z8 rivals that of the release of the Nikon D850. Nikon shooters have been eagerly waiting for what this “mini” Z9. The D850 long ruled the Nikon roost for incredible image quality, amazing autofocus and a wide dynamic range all in a high-resolution package. While the Z6/7 and Z9 have bracketed the spectrum of specs, the Z8 is the system that many D850 shooters have been waiting for. The Nikon Z8 features a 45.7MP stacked CMOS sensor that is delivers incredible still and moving image performance. The Z8’s electronic shutter means true zero blackout continuous shooting when using the camera’s EVF and the wide range of autofocus options insure there’s the right mode for every situation. For video shooters, the Z8 can capture up to 8K/60p or oversampled 4K/120p internally in their ultra-efficient 12-bit N-RAW format or a variety of ProRes formats including ProRes RAW. The Z8 also adds pro-level video features such as a waveform monitor, focus peaking, and the ability to fine tune ISO at 1/6EV steps. There’s also a convenient ‘Video Info Display’ and Red Record Border.
THE NAUTICAM NA-Z8
The Nauticam NA-Z8 is the most intuitive and reliable underwater housing available for the Nikon Z8. Building on the successful and field-tested designs for the NA-Z6/7 and Z9 housings the NA-Z8 embodies Nauticam’s Mission Control design philosophy placing essential controls within easy reach of the reinforced molded handles.
F and Z Mount Compatible
The NA-Z8 underwater housing for the Nikon Z8 utilizes the N120 Port System for Z-mount full-frame lenses. However, the NA-Z8 is also designed to accommodate the use of F-mount lenses, thanks to the FTZ adapter. This allows the same port configuration as found on an F-mount DSLR system like the NA-D6 or NA-D850. The NA-Z8 housing is equipped with convenient lens release buttons for both F and Z mounts, making lens changes a breeze, regardless of the lens platform. You can quickly and easily switch between different lenses without having to remove the camera from the housing, except when installing or removing the FTZ adapter.
Enhanced Viewfinders
Electronic viewfinders are constantly achieving higher resolution and better dynamic range and the Z8 features a 3690k-dot OLED 0.5″ viewfinder. Pair the Z8’s EVF with Nauticam’s Full Frame Enhanced Viewfinders for unrestricted viewing of the entire EVF in either a straight or angled configuration. The added working distance from the back of the housing makes for a more comfortable and natural position underwater. Edge to edge visibility and a dioptric adjustment make for easier composition and tack-sharp focus.
Premium Professional Optics
Nauticam’s lineup of optics insure the sharpest, most natural looking images underwater whether it’s super-macro or wide-angle. The WACP-1 Wide Angle Conversion Lens works flawlessly with the Nikkor Z 28-75mm f/2.8 lens to deliver an impressive 130º field-of-view at 28mm and 83º at 48mm. A ~0″ minimum focus distance and small front element makes composition and lighting even easier. Those looking for a more compact system can use the new WACP-C with the Sony SEL2870 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 OSS lens plus the Megadap ETZ 21 adapter which delivers full zoom through and a 130º to 59º field-of-view. Want greater than 1:1 magnification with unmatched sharpness? The SMC-1 and SMC-2 provide 2.2x and 3.6x magnification respectively with the Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Macro lens and can be easily mounted with the Nauticam flips system allowing for fast deployment as well as secure and accurate placement of the optic.
HDMI Output
The Nikon Z8 promises clean full-resolution HDMI output using an HDMI type A connector and the NA-Z8 features an M24 bulkhead that can accommodate an HDMI 2.0 connection to a monitor/recorder such as the Atomos Ninja5+ in the NA-Ninja5 housing.
Integrated Vacuum Check and Leak Detection System
The Nauticam vacuum check and leak detection system is shipped with NA-Z8 as standard equipment. Combined with an accessory vacuum valve (PN 25624), this monitoring system provides constant updates on the water tight and safe-to-dive status of the housing. A simple color 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 Nauticam system is temperature compensated, eliminating false alarms caused by a change in outside temperature, or from a camera heating up on an action-packed dive.
FEATURES:
- PATENTED PORT LOCKING SYSTEM
- Unveiled on the very first Nauticam DSLR housing in 2009, this locking lever has become a signature of the Nauticam brand. No twisting or threading action is required to mount a port, and it locks securely in place with this lever. Nauticam also offers locking port extensions, meaning a dome will never twist, even when used with a long extension ring.
- HOUSING LOCKING LATCHES
- The industry’s easiest to use housing closure system, requiring very little hand strength to operate, secures the housing back in place. The latches are safely locked to prevent accidental opening, but are easy to open when needed for a quick battery or memory card change.
- MISSION CONTROL
- Nauticam engineers pride themselves on giving the underwater image-maker unparalleled access to the essential exposure controls from within easy reach of their housing’s handles, making the ergonomic handles of the housing their Mission Control.
- Model Number: 17229
- USA Retail Price: $4,832
More information is available from Nauticam at: www.nauticam.com
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