Aquatica
Type: Housing manufacturer Founded: 1982 (Montreal, Canada) Key products: Aluminum underwater housings
Overview
Aquatica was founded in 1982 as Aqua Vision Systems in Montreal, Canada, and later renamed Aquatica. It is the leading North American manufacturer of aluminum underwater housings. The company later acquired Technical Lighting Control (TLC), its aluminum arm division.
Aquatica is known for listening to customer feedback and offering modular upgrades — for example, providing new backs to adapt existing housings for updated camera bodies, extending the life of a housing investment. Their housings for the Nikon Coolpix 995, Nikon D200, and Canon 5D were popular during the digital transition era.
Product timeline
- 1982: Founded as Aqua Vision Systems
- ~2001: New ownership takes over (formerly Aqua-Vision) ([1])
- 2000-01: Nikon D1/F5 housing prototype shown at DEMA 2000, being modified from F5 design for D1 LCD display ([2])
- 2002: A995 (Coolpix 995) housing; A5000 (Coolpix 5000) housing completed; AD100 (Nikon D100) housing readied; working on Fuji S2 Pro housing ([3], [4], [5])
- 2003: Shipped D100, S2 Pro, and Coolpix 5000 housings; announced A300 housing for Canon Digital Rebel ([6])
- 2004-01: Cracked Canon E-TTL code for Canon 300D housing; released I.C.U. (Ikelite Compatible Underwater) system ([7], [8])
- 2004: Developing Kodak ProSLR/n housing prototype ([9], [10])
- 2004: A300 housing reviewed; A70 housing for Canon EOS 300D shipping ([11], [12])
- 2004: Added sacrificial zincs to housings for corrosion protection ([13])
- 2005-01: Kodak Pro 14n housing; Canon 20D housing (D20, $1939); 8” dome port for Ikelite housings ([14], [15], [16])
- 2005: D2x housing for Nikon D2X (prototype) ([17], [18])
- 2008-02: D3 housing announced with first port lock mechanism for any Aquatica housing; Jean Bruneau promises port locks on all future housings. (forum community)
- 2008-07: D700 housing announced — all-new design machined from solid aluminum. Jean noted the D200/D300 dual compatibility “was kindergarten easy — why we are the only one that offered it is beyond me.” (forum community)
- 2009: Introduces HD Wave video housing line for Sony HDR camcorders — aluminum with flip filter arm, hydrophone, and water sensor alarm. (forum community)
- 2011-09-28: Acquires Amphibico, completing a historical circle — Aquatica’s founders had originally founded Amphibico. Blake Stoughton, co-owner: “The Amphibico name is known around the world for excellence in underwater videography.” Provides warranty service for Amphibico customers. ([19]) (forum community)
- 2012: D7000 housing early batch had button-sticking problem >20-25m depth (insufficient spring tension); Jean shipped fix kits to affected users. (forum community)
- 2013-02: AD4 housing for Nikon D4 announced. ([20])
- 2013-06: AD600 housing for Nikon D600 announced. ([21])
- 2013-11: A70D housing for Canon 70D announced. ([22])
- 2014: AGH4 housing for Panasonic GH4 unveiled. ([23])
- 2015-05: Announces housing for Canon EOS 5Ds/5Dr and updated 5D Mk III. ([24])
- 2015-10: Housing for Sony a7R II announced — Aquatica enters full-frame mirrorless. ([25])
- 2015-11: Releases Ikelite TTL strobe controller module — enabling Ikelite TTL with Aquatica housings. ([26])
- 2016-06: AD500 housing for Nikon D500 announced. ([27])
- 2016-09: Housing for EOS 1D X Mark II announced. ([28])
- 2016-11: AD5 housing for Nikon D5 ships. ([29])
- 2017-06: Housing for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II announced. ([30])
- 2017-07: AGH5 housing for Panasonic GH5 announced. ([31])
- 2018-01: AD850 housing for Nikon D850 ships. ([32])
- 2018-09: Housing for Sony a7R Mark III announced. ([33])
- 2019-10: A7RIV housing announced. ([34])
- 2012-11: Introduces Water Wizard remote trigger — wireless splash/surf remote release. ([35])
- 2022-03: Housing for Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II ships. ([36])
- 2021-10: Housing for Sony a1 ships. ([37])
- 2000s–2020s: Modular upgrade program for existing housing owners
Community presence
Jean Bruneau (forum username “vizart”), Aquatica’s president, was one of the most active manufacturer representatives on the Wetpixel forums, personally announcing products, explaining design decisions (e.g., laser-cut manufacturing precision), and responding directly to customer issues — including shipping repair kits to users who documented problems publicly. (forum community)
References
- Aquatica
- [38] — editorial
- [39] — editorial
- [40] — editorial
- [41] — editorial
- [42] — editorial
- [43] — editorial
- [44] — editorial
- [45] — editorial
Sources
- Wetpixel article, Jul 22, 2002: Dema 2002 Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Dec 31, 1999: Dema 2000 Gallery ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 20, 2002: Aquatica Coolpix 995 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 6, 2002: Aquatica Completes A5000 Housing And Readies D 100 Housing And Others ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 17, 2002: Aquatica Working On S2 Pro ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 7, 2003: Dema 2003 Show Coverage1 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 13, 2004: Aquatica A300 Canon Digital Rebel Housing Ttl ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 10, 2004: Aquaticas Icu Release ↩
- Wetpixel article, Apr 16, 2004: Aquatica Developing A Kodak Dsc Pro Slrn Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 14, 2004: Photos Of The Kodak Proslrn Housing By Aquatica ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 29, 2004: Aquatica A300 Housing Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 23, 2004: Aquaticas A70 Housing Shipping Soon ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 15, 2004: Dema Show 2004 Report ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 15, 2005: Aquatica Kodak Proslrn14n Housing Review ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jan 19, 2005: Aquatica D20 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 4, 2005: Aquatica 8 Dome Port For Ikelite Housings ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 14, 2005: Aquatica D2x Housing Photos1 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Aug 5, 2005: Aquatica D2x Housing Appears In The Forums ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 29, 2011: Aquatica Acquires Amphibico ↩
- Wetpixel article, Feb 25, 2013: Aquatica Announces The Ad4 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 13, 2013: Aquatica Announces The Ad600 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 7, 2013: Aquatica Announces The A70d Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 22, 2014: Aquatica Unveils The Agh4 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, May 26, 2015: Aquatica Announces Housing For Eos 5ds 5dr And 5d Mk Iii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 30, 2015: Aquatica Announces Their Housing For The Sony A7r Ii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 7, 2015: Aquatica Releases Ikelite Ttl Strobe Controller Module ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 14, 2016: Aquatica Announces The Ad500 Housing For The Nikon D500 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 9, 2016: Aquatica Announces Housing For Eos 1d X Mark Ii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 11, 2016: Aquatica Ships Ad5 Housing For Nikon D5 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jun 5, 2017: Aquatica Announces Housing For Olympus Om D E M1 Mark Ii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Jul 21, 2017: Aquatica Announces Agh5 Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 23, 2018: Nimar Ships Mpz7 Pro Housing For Nikon Z6 And Z7 ↩
- Wetpixel article, Sep 28, 2018: Aquatica Announces Housing For Sony A7r Mark Iii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 29, 2019: Aquatica Announces A7riv Housing ↩
- Wetpixel article, Nov 15, 2012: Aquatica Introduces The Water Wizard ↩
- Wetpixel article, Mar 16, 2022: Aquatica Ships Housing For Nikon Z6 Ii And Z7 Ii ↩
- Wetpixel article, Oct 21, 2021: Aquatica Ships Housing For Sony A1 ↩
- Aquatica Coolpix 995 housing (article) ↩
- Aquatica completes A5000 (article) ↩
- Aquatica E-TTL bridge (article) ↩
- Aquatica D20 housing (article) ↩
- Aquatica acquires Amphibico (article) ↩
- AD500 housing (article) ↩
- Sony a7R II housing (article) ↩
- AD850 housing (article) ↩