We’ve just received photos of the new Nexus Canon 1Ds Mk II housing from our sponsor (and Nexus distributor), Marine Camera Distributors.

It has an adjustable viewer optic that is easily rotated to adjust to your needs. There is also a control to adjust the tension for the front mode control. This has always been a problem with housings and those controls. They are either to loose or to tight. Nexus solved the problem with this addition. The dry weight of the housing is 6lbs. which is very light. With the camera, battery and housing the weight is 9.25 lbs. the handles are adjustable to fit either bare hands or wider if you wear gloves or have large hands.  All controls are accessible. It has 2 sync ports, and 2 spare ports for video out and remote shutter release.

I’ve heard reports that the first Nexus 1Ds Mk II housing in North America was shipped off to a customer not too long ago.

I love that Nexus makes their housings so compact and light.  Although, in this case there is some strange extra space at the top of the housing; I’m not sure what that’s for.

Also, I harp about this feature all the time, but it looks like the * (AE-Lock/AF-Lock/AF) isn’t accessible without removing your right hand from the grip.  It also looks like neither the rear command dial nor the top command dial are accessible from shooting position, which means you can’t change shutter speed nor aperture without moving your hand.  I see quite a few housings coming out these days with design compromises like this, and I don’t like it.  Manufacturers should NOT compromise on ergonomics, and those that consult active shooters before finalizing designs are going to be the ones that come out with usable products.