As Nikon’s flagship mirrorless camera, the Z9 sent pro photographers’ heads spinning with its 45.7MP stacked CMOS sensor, groundbreaking fully electronic shutter, and widely admired “3D-tracking” autofocus borrowed from the company’s DSLRs. Not to mention its ability to shoot 1,000 RAW frames at 20fps as well as uncropped 8K/30p and 4K/120p video. (Pro shooter Nicolas Remy certainly loved it after giving the camera a serious workout in his Australian backyard waters.)
But if the eye-watering price tag ($5,500) and hefty form factor (close to 3lbs) put you off, we can’t blame you for getting excited about the Z8, which saves you a substantial $1,500 for what appears, for all intents and purposes, to be a “baby Z9.” You can also bet your bottom dollar that the considerably more compact and lightweight Z8 will see significantly more support from underwater housing manufacturers. Nauticam was out of the gate early; now, it’s Aquatica’s turn.
At this stage, Aquatica hasn’t offered a great many specifics, but there’s a good chance you’ll be getting high-quality aluminum construction, ergonomically arranged controls, and a variety of customization options when it comes to strobes—all of which the Canadian company is known for. If you’re not too worried about details, you might even want to act quickly and take advantage of the introductory price of $3,049—a useful $300 off the MSRP.
The Aquatica AZ8 housing can be pre-ordered now from retailers such as Backscatter.
When purchasing underwater photography equipment like the products mentioned in this article, please support DPG by supporting our retail partner—Backscatter.com.
