Amphibico

Type: Video housing manufacturer Founded: Late 1980s/early 1990s (Montreal, Canada) Ceased operations: April 21, 2011 Acquired by: Aquatica (September 28, 2011) Key products: Phenom, Endeavor, Genesis video housings

Overview

Amphibico was a Montreal-based manufacturer of underwater video housings. The company was originally founded by the same people who later founded Aquatica — creating a historical link between the two companies that would come full circle with the 2011 acquisition. (forum community)

Amphibico specialized in housings for consumer and prosumer camcorders, including the popular Phenom series (for Sony HDV cameras) and Endeavor (for Sony HVR-V1). The Phenom was reviewed on Wetpixel by Drew Wong and wagsy (Paul Wagstaff), who documented an important Electronic White Balance (EWB) vs Manual White Balance (MWB) issue — the housing needed physical modification to access the MWB button. Shawn Heinrichs contacted Amphibico about the issue; president Ron Hand called personally. (forum community)

History

Operations and market position

Amphibico served the UW video community during the transition from DV to HDV and early AVCHD formats. Key products included:

The company struggled to keep pace with the rapid shift from dedicated camcorders to DSLR video that began with the Canon 5D Mark II in 2008.

Closure (April 2011)

On April 21, 2011, Amphibico ceased operations after its bank recalled loans. Adam Hanlon confirmed the closure via direct email from the owner, who cited three factors: DSLR technology had outpaced camcorders, the market had shrunk, and at age 64 he was unwilling to reinvest. (forum community)

Some customers had outstanding orders — notably Bent Yde Jorgensen, who sent $6,080 in April 2011 and recovered funds via PayPal dispute resolution. (forum community)

Aquatica acquisition (September 2011)

On September 28, 2011, Aquatica acquired Amphibico, announced by Jean Bruneau (Aquatica) on Wetpixel. This completed a historical circle: Aquatica’s founders had originally founded Amphibico. Aquatica provided warranty service for Amphibico customers post-acquisition. (forum community)

Note: After Amphibico’s closure and before the Aquatica acquisition, Gates Underwater Products became the sole remaining dedicated video housing manufacturer at the high end. (forum community)

References