The gear I use for every shoot in the water.
This is the real setup, the same gear I shoot with every session. The links below are what I run and trust.
Gear
The Gear I Shoot With
People ask about the kit more than anything else. This is all of it. Every piece below is something I own, swim with, and trust with a camera that costs more than my first car. Nothing here is filler.
Disclosure: the links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, Aquatech pays me a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only link gear I actually use, and I was using all of it long before there was a link.
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The housing rig
The core setup. This is what keeps a Canon R5 Mark II alive in the impact zone.
EDGE Pro Water Housing (Canon R5 Mk II)
The housing my camera lives in. Everything on this site shot from the water goes through this.
Used for: Daily Waikiki water work and WSL longboard tour coverage.
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Half-press focus and full-press fire without looking. In moving water your hands need to know where the trigger is.
Used for: Every swim session.
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Top handle for carrying the rig and for stability when shooting one-handed in whitewater.
Used for: Shorebreak days and duck-diving with the rig.
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The pistol-style grip that keeps the housing steady while swimming into position.
Used for: Positioning and tracking surfers through the lineup.
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Mount point for accessories on the housing.
Used for: Rigging lights and accessories for creative sessions.
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The port system decides what lenses you can bring in the water. This is my working set.
XF-55 Lens Port
Flat port for the mid-range zooms. Sharp through the surface.
Used for: Standard lens work from the water.
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The port for longer focal lengths when I am staying out of the impact zone.
Used for: Tour coverage from the channel.
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Adapter ring that lets the longer glass fit the port system.
Used for: Telephoto setups.
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Second adapter ring for the port system.
Used for: Swapping between lens setups.
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Zoom control through the housing, so focal length changes without opening anything.
Used for: Zoom lens sessions in the water.
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You do not need the full rig to find out if you love shooting in the water. This is what I hand people who want to try it first.
JOBY SeaPal Waterproof Case
The phone-in-the-water option. What I hand people who want to start shooting water photos before buying a full rig.
Used for: Phone sessions and scouting.
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Mount for the SeaPal case.
Used for: Hands-free phone angles.
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Want to see what this kit produces before you buy any of it? The prints on this site were all shot on the rig above, from the water at Waikiki.