Sony A6600 Underwater Housing by Nauticam

THE SONY A6600 E-MOUNT APS-C CAMERA

The Sony a6600 is the new flagship model of the venerable APS-C mirrorless line. The a6000 series benefits from a large lens selection and bright Electronic Viewfinder paired with a large 24.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor and high-powered latest generation BIONZ X processor in a compact travel-friendly package. For the a6600 Sony is adding a host of features that will benefit the underwater image maker whether shooting video or stills.

Key Camera Specs

• 24.2 APS-C Exmor CMOS Sensor
• ISO Range of 100-32000
• 810 shot (CIPA standard) Battery
• 4K 30p HLG 100Mbps Video Recording
• Unlimited video record time

IMPROVED PROCESSING

Sony's 4D autofocus system provides ultra-fast 0.02s and accurate tracking autofocus, taking advantage of the camera's 425 phase-detection autofocus points. With 11fps continuous shooting the a6600 will insure sharp images of fast action scenes. With the new BIONZ X processor comes improved low-light performance and an expanded base ISO range of 100-32,000. With the a6600, when using Auto ISO mode, minimum and maximum ISO values can now be set.

4K VIDEO PERFORMANCE

Combined with 5-axis optical image stabilization and HLG 4K 30p video recording, the A6600 is sure to be a video shooter favorite. The 4K footage from the a6500 is oversampled, using the full sensor-width at 24p and downsampling the final result which leads to increased sharpness. For 4K at 30p, the a6600 uses a 1.23x crop. When shooting high-speed FHD at 120p or 100p the footage is from a 1.14x crop. Sony also removed the 30-minute recording time limit restriction. Using the HLG Picture profile for video capture preserves the maximum dynamic range available, allowing for more latitude in post production.

ENHANCED CUSTOMIZATION

The a6600 has gained a well-placed 'C3' custom button in addition to the existing 'C1' and 'C2' which are located on the top of the housing. The new 'C3" is located on the rear of the housing within thumb's reach. The a6600, similar to its predecessors is greatly customizable to fit the shooter's needs.

THE NAUTICAM NA-A6600 UNDERWATER HOUSING

Nauticam is the industry leader in mirrorless interchangeable lens underwater camera support. Nauticam has housed more mirrorless cameras, and more Sony E (NEX) Mount cameras than any other housing manufacturer. This experience results in the most evolved housing line with broadest range of accessories available today.

Pioneering optical accessories elevate performance to a new level. Magnifying viewfinders, the sharpest super macro accessory lenses ever made, and now the highest quality wet mount wide angle lens (the WWL-1) combine with the NA-A6600 housing to form a complete imaging system.

Nauticam is known for ergonomics, and an unmatched experience. Key controls are placed at the photographer’s fingertips. The housing and accessories are light weight, and easy to assemble. The camera drops in without any control presetting, and lens port changes are effortless.

NA-A6600 features an integrated handle system. This ergonomic style provides exceptional control access, even with thick gloves, with ideal placement of the shutter release and a thumb-lever to actuate the AE-L / AF-L button from the right handle in addition to the new 'C3' customizable button.

Nauticam build quality is well known by underwater photographers around the globe. The housing is machined from a solid block of aluminum, then hard anodized making it impervious to salt water corrosion. Marine grade stainless and plastic parts complete the housing, and it is backed by a two year warranty against manufacturing defects.

NOTE: The NA-A6600 is NOT compatible with (36206) N85 to N120 50mm Adapter. It requires the updated (36207) N85 to N120 50mm Port Adapter II.

HDMI 1.4 OUTPUT

With 4K HDR internal video recording and updated autofocus, pairing the NA-A6600 with an external monitor such as the SmallHD 502 Bright 5" gives video shooters a large, bright screen that features focus and exposure tools. HDMI 1.4 output requires HDMI Bulkhead (25032) as well as a supported monitor housing and internal HDMI cable (25076).

WWL-1, CMC-1, AND CMC-2

Three in-house Nauticam optical designs, designed by founder and Managing Director Edward Lai, are the perfect lenses to complete an a6600 underwater system. The magic of the wet lenses is their tremendous versatility, paired with outstanding in-water performance. Both macro and super wide angle optics are available to the underwater photographer on the same dive. These lenses are completely engineered for use in water, providing the highest image quality available today in a wet mount optic.

WWL-1 is a wide angle conversion lens, compatible with several lenses in the Sony system. The field of view is widest when paired with the Sigma 19mm f2.8 DN Lens, providing 130 degree diagonal field of view. WWL-1 is also an ideal match for the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS lens providing over 100 degree diagonal field of view with full zoom through! With either lens on camera, class leading center sharpness, corner sharpness, and contrast result in the clearest wide angle images possible underwater.

CMC-1 and CMC-2 provide the best macro performance available, with two different magnification strengths, suitable for a wide variety of macro subjects. With the popular Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS lens, CMC-1 is capable of capturing a macro frame 26mm wide, while CMC-2 captures an area 33mm wide. CMC-2 is less strong, making it easier to use with more accurate autofocus. CMC-1 is best suited for the smallest of macro subjects. Macro enthusiasts will surely want both!

FAST AND RELIABLE FLASH TRIGGERING

Reliable rapid fire manual flash triggering is available with the NA-A6600 for a variety of optically fired flashes when used with a new LED Flash Trigger (36315). The NA-A6600 comes fiber optic ready and accepts standard Sea & Sea style bushing connections.

Strobes and light arms can be attached to the housing via included 1? accessory mounting balls. The housing also features a cold-shoe and M10 threaded mount for a focus light or other accessories.

Electrical strobe triggering (with power set manually on the flash head) is still an option for those with an investment in legacy lighting gear, requiring the purchase of an accessory electrical bulkhead.

BATTERY PACK FOR NA-6600 HOUSING (2500MAH, INC. USB CABLE) (NA36332)

The a6600 does feature a larger internal battery but especially when shooting video the benefit of an accessory battery pack greatly extends the time between battery swaps, and allows the housing to remain sealed between dives. The accessory battery pack rests securely below the camera inside the housing and provides power to the camera via USB.

INTEGRATED VACUUM CHECK AND LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM

The Nauticam vacuum check and leak detection system is available with NA-A6600 as standard equipment. Combined with an optional vacuum valve (PN 25624), this monitoring system provides constant updates on the water tight and safe-to-dive status of the housing. A simple 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.