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SEA & SEA #629
October 23, 2008 - 11:30 AM

Andy Sallmon hosted Matt Segal and me at the Sea & Sea booth, which was one of the few photo/video booths not housed within the Imaging Resource Center this year. Sea & Sea was showing a few new products this year including the DX-2G compact underwater digital camera system, YS-110a (alpha) strobe, DX-1200HD compact camera, YS TTL Converter, and RDX digital SLR housing for Canon Rebel XSi.

The DX-2G is an update to the well-received DX-1G. It features a 12-megapixel sensor, slightly larger LCD screen (2.7”), 5-image RAW buffer, and new fiber-optic port insert (no more velcro and third-party fiber adapters). The DX-2G should ship in March or April.

The DX-1200HD is a 12-megapixel still/video camera that shoots 720p HD video.

Sea & Sea has updated the YS-110 strobe to the YS-110a (alpha), which features a 1.9-second recycle time (full power) and improved TTL exposure with point & shoot cameras.

Andy fished out a new TTL converter (YS Converter /N) from inside a cabinet to show us. The new converter features two strobe-type selectors, which means that you will be able to mix different strobe models and still shoot TTL via the converter. No news on when this will ship.

Sea & Sea also showed a new, 100% polycarbonate plastic “RDX” housing system. The housing we saw was for the Canon Rebel XSi (450D), but a Nikon D60 version is also planned. It clearly felt cheaper than DX housings (it still boasts a 200ft depth rating), and had plastic latches and a wrist strap, although a standard dual handle will be offered as an accessory. The new straight-bayonet flat ports (designed for 18-55mm basic ‘kit’ lenses or equivalent) are attached via a rotating metal collar at the port, but Sea & Sea will offer an adapter ring for the standard NX and CX ports to support current users. The housing allows the camera’s on-board flash to control external strobes over a fiber-optic sync cord, with the option for a single 6-pin wired bulkhead.

Finally, Sea & Sea also supports Canon’s 50D because the housing is exactly the same as the 40D’s housing.

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