Aditech, a Spanish manufacturer of video housings started by Juan Sentis, recently sent me a housing to evaluate. Normally, I try not to review the smaller single sensor housings as they change models annually and the review becomes quickly irrelevant. However, when Juan told me he had managed to get electronic white balance on his housings and it worked for several Sony cameras, it got my attention.

Unfortunately, due to the scheduling and location of the test (the Wetpixel Staff Trip in the Philippines), I wasn’t able to secure the latest HC-9 or SR-12 for the test. I did have the HVR-A1P available so I decided to use the older camera as the test mule since I was familiar with it and it was also a good test on the backward compatibility of the Mangrove series (which claims to cover quite a few models of Sony cameras, from the latest models to the older ones like the HC1/A1). The review was done over two weeks in the Philippines.

As usual, I posted the comments of the manufacturer in parenthesis and italics to give them a way of presenting their side of whatever issues they have with my review. This way a fair assessment of the housing is achieved by giving the manufacturer a chance for rebuttal and add information while the reviewer can report findings.

The Housing
The specification of the housing is quite impressive. Anodized aluminum tube shell with Delrin back sporting a 3.5” LCD high resolution color monitor with a flip shade and 12 separate electronic buttons actuating 12 different functions and modes.  The functions of the electronic controls are:

• Power ON/OFF
• Record/Standby
• Photo mode (directly onto memory stick)
• Zoom Tele/Wide
• Video/Photo mode
• Backlight
• Auto-Focus ON/OF
• Manual Focus Far/Near
• Momentary Auto-focus
• Variable Speed Zoom (The Optional White Balance feature replaces this)

The Mangrove MVD L-2 housing with the WP80 attached

The front port is a 56mm screw-in interchangeable port that allows a plethora of 67mm add-on lenses via a threaded flat port such as the Inons and Epoques. Macro lenses are also attachable via this port. For wide angle, Mangrove has a few options like the Inon UW100 or their own WA-24. For even higher quality, Aditech brought in lenses designed by Fathom Imaging. Even though there was such choice, the Fathoms WP80 was the only lens tested in this review. Even more impressive is that the housing is rated down to 200m /660ft, a great boon for technical divers.

In the standard kit, accessories that come with the housing include the handles, two adjustable balance weights (this is an optional accessory, since it is not necessary when using video lights), and a wet (visual/audio) alarm. The housing I tested included the optional HD-UP handle and the optional electronic white balance controls, but basically it comes pretty much well equipped to begin shooting. 

Setting up
As I always do, before spreading out every bit and piece of housing, I read through the instruction manual on setting up the housing. Even the simplest of housings have some sort idiosyncrasy that would make the most seasoned person look like a fool, much less myself! The instructions weren’t the best written (but how many are?) but it seemed pretty straight forward.

When I first opened the box and pulled the housing out, it certainly looked different from the usual cylinder shaped housings. I immediately noticed the latch system right away. It was unlike most of the other latch systems I’d seen. Instead on a release button to unlock the latch and the obligatory finger crunching ‘snap’ back, the Mangrove wing latch system seems easier. Simply flip the wing turnkey flap up, twist and unhook. However that doesn’t open the housing. One must also use the small lever that is supplied to pry the housing open. This extra step is due to the pressure seal design of the housing.

The winged latch which makes it easy to unlock the latches (but doesn’t open the housing)

The instructions were to put the housing on the monitor end down vertically and open the housing that way. This is probably due to the design layout where the handles and support legs are connected to the rear bulkhead and only a rubber stub supports the main housing in the front. To open the housing, you use the lever and insert the screw head side into the rear bulkhead hole provided and twist against the other screw to pop it open. (more on that in the field test section). The lever is designed to be attached by a lanyard to the housing, but I personally prefer not to have too many dangly bits on the housing, since lanyard can easily get caught while closing the housing.

The housing has to be rested on the rear bulkhead to open/close the housing
(see conclusion for details)

Once opened, the housing rear bulkhead revealed the battery compartment and the two cables for the component video and LANC. The monitor is powered using (4) CR123a batteries and the LANC controls draws power from the camera itself (only 8 mA when camera is on and 0 when it is OFF). As I was going on a 40+ dive trip and the CR123a were rated to last 15 hours of normal use on the LCD, I had a choice to go out and buy an extra (8) CR123a or (4) rechargeable CR123 batteries and the charger. I couldn’t find rechargeable ones so I went with 8 disposable ones.

The rear bulkhead with the monitor back and CR123a batteries, component video and LANC cables

I realized quickly that my bigger QM71 battery would not fit in the narrow space and only the FM50 (standard with most HC series cameras) would. It is important to note that the cables are longish and can be trapped when closing the housing ( you won´t even be able to close the housing with the diameter of this cables, in other words it is not possible to trap the cables due to the design of this housing) so it’s crucial to wrap the excess cable length behind the camera battery and check for their protrusion before closing the housing.

The housing handles are easily installed with the use of a hex key. At the bottom of the rear bulkhead are two brackets which act as legs and also to put the included counterbalance weights. There are three different positions to place the weights depending on the balance. I left them in the middle position as it came from the factory that way and I thought it was optimal (later I changed it to the farthest position to balance the housing as the weight of the housing was very rearward).

The optional weight system which helps balance the housing

Closing the housing was very easy. With the camera inserted and the rear bulkhead resting on the monitor, you just put the main housing tube on, aligning it to the release screw to the reciprocal hole in the bulkhead and/or the latch system. Just make sure the cables aren’t sticking out, push down and use the latch system to lock the housing. Also ensure that the camera is in camera mode for the LANC to work. (more on that in the field test).

Closing the housing

The Field Test
I had plenty of issues with equipment during the test. My light batteries (both systems) died so I had no lighting setup to test for night dives. My first dive with the housing was a bit of a disaster in that I was out of battery after the first 2 minutes. I thought the FM50 had died as I had recharged the battery the night before when I set up the housing for the next day. Then it happened again on the next day on the first dive. Then I realized when you turn off the camera using the LANC control with this system, the camera was still drawing power somehow. (when you turn the camera OFF using the ON-OFF pushbutton the LANC electronics does not consume any energy at all, what really consumes some energy is the camcorder itself, some models more than others, for example the new Sony EX1 can deplete the battery overnight, another possible explanation is that your batteries have a very high self discharge rate or your battery charger is not working properly). That’s why it always quit the next day due to low battery. At least this was what was happening with my unit. I tried it with two different batteries with the same result. Obviously this is an important note to remember when setting up the housing before a dive…CHECK THE BATTERIES ONLY JUST BEFORE THE DIVE! (I always prepare the housing the night before and leave it in OFF using the ON/OFF housing pushbutton, and I have never had the problem you had neither any of the customer that use our housing) * In fairness, I do think the HVR-A1P has different LANC protocols. Aditech has not tested the housing for the A1P but the HC1. Both cameras are 3 years old so I doubt it’s a concern for Aditech.

One of the most important features of this housing was the Electronic Manual White Balance (EMWB). It works through a firmware hack where it tricks the camera into doing a full WB recycle. The process is not the same as using the MWB that is on camera (which is usually a quick 0.5-1 second). This hack needs at least 3-4 seconds to work. Still it gives users control of what some consider to be a crucial function. Unfortunately, it didn’t work as promised with the HVR-A1. I tried it topside as well and it also failed to cycle into the proper white balance, reverting to whatever WB was there before after 4 seconds of cycling through the WB modes. The on-camera WB was working perfectly. I’ve been told that the Mangrove housing EMWB works with the later HC7/9 series cameras but I cannot corroborate this personally.

The bottom control panel with EMWB, WB mode toggle, lights (optional) and on/off switch

With the big money draw EMWB function unavailable, I concentrated on the handling and ergonomics of the little housing. With the camera battery, monitor and batteries all at the rear, even with the lighter delrin construction, the housing was rear heavy even with the near neutral WP80 attached. Adjusting the balance weights forward, I was able to move the center of gravity more noseward. With the axis of rotation moved forward slightly, the housing settled to a nice slight positively buoyant stance. I added two dovetail clamps (standard Sea & Sea) and a 6” ULCS arm with a clamp to balance the housing further and get it to a slight negative.

The handling was surprisingly good. Initially, I thought I’d have problems with the handles being that far back from the center of the housing. With the counter balance arm I created with the ULCS fitment and the housings adjustable bottom weights, the housing was quite easy to handle and was actually stable for a tube design housing without ‘wings’ (Aditech is planning stabilizer wings as an accessory). I had good pitch and yaw control and slow steady panning wasn’t difficult either. This was without any light heads and add-ons. With lights, batteries and arms (even locline), I’m sure the balance would have to be readjusted again. Aditech states the housing was balance was designed with their video lights system in mind.

The left control panel with focus and mode controls

The rearward placement of the handles is also a boon for those who suffer from Hyperopia and Presbyopia. Rear monitor housings can be difficult for bad eyesight sufferers and often I see many people shoot with arms straight out to be able to focus. A few inches does make a difference for many and the handle position allows all but the most farsighted divers to comfortably maintain relaxed arms for steady shooting.

Handling and balance was good, as was the clarity of the LCD at depth

The monitor was easy to see and bright when viewing over 60° incident angle to the sun. The monitor shade is made of metal and doubles as a protector for the monitor when you rest the housing on the monitor back. Focus could be judged quite well due to the sharpness of the monitor. However in shallow water looking down on sunny days, the reflections make it difficult to see as it is on most other monitor back housings. The monitor shade isn’t long enough nor did it block light coming from the sides to be helpful in that situation. ( I don´t know if you realized that the monitor was 25º angled, it means that the upper part of the LCD screen is at 3cm from the window surface, then you have the additional shade, the other manufactures that install a monitor back don´t put it so deep into the housing body like us)

The right control panel with ZOOM in/out, PHOTO and REC controls

The ergonomics of the housing was tidy. The left and right row of buttons were within easy reach of my thumb without having to release the handle. Only the bottom center two buttons required enough movement to cause camera shake when I tried to use them without letting go for the handles. The pressure needed to actuate the buttons was not too demanding, minimizing any camera shake from having to push hard to actuate the buttons. The REC and ON/OFF buttons are colored red and the others white.  The screen shows the typical Sony menu data sans guidelines, zebra and peaking.

The rear bulkhead with controls and LCD monitor back
(the monitor shade can be easily flipped up/down)

So it handles well and the controls are easy to use but what about the lens performance? The lens I tested was the WP80 Fathoms designed lens. This lens is an optional add-on to the housing. The resolution chart showed a drop in resolution (common with WA adapters) but nothing that would affect the picture too much. The 80° (depending on the camera and distance from the camera it can vary by as much as 10°) was even and didn’t suffer from flaring. At it’s widest, it had a teeny bit of barrel distortion but you had to look for it.  It’s a partial zoom lens (more on that in the conclusion).

After the dives, opening the housing required I use that little lever to use as a fulcrum to push open the front bulkhead. This requires a certain discipline I’m not accustomed to so sometimes I just used my hands twist it open after releasing the latches. It’s not elegant and you can damage the camera if you’re not careful so I wouldn’t use this method.

Conclusion
Overall, the housings handling is good and the controls within easy reach of all but the smallest of hands. The central control panels require releasing the grip for smaller hands but since the controls there aren’t useful while shooting, it does not affect image stability.

The monitor is bright and just sharp enough to judge general focus. It does suffer from what most other LCD monitors do, and that’s reflection from sunlight in shallow water. The lack of a proper full shade to block incidental light compromises the shallow water usage in certain instances. The electronic white balance failed to work but according to the manufacturer, it does on the rest of HC series camcorders. I can’t substantiate this so be sure to ask for your specific camera model.

It has a good quality wide angle adapter in the Fathom WP80. At this price point (€395), the limited zoom isn’t unexpected (but it’s not ideal either) the resolution held up pretty well for a relatively inexpensive wide angle adapter. It’s not very wide but does increase coverage for average wide angle shots. However, it is not an all-purpose lens due to the lack of full zoom. Moreover, without access to the telemacro function on the A1, having full zoom capability on the WP80 would be ineffective anyhow, due to the unnaturally far focus at full zoom on the A1. In air, closest focal distance is 18” away for the A1. Basically, to shoot macro with the WP80, one would have to bring the lens right up to the subject at full wide, which usually isn’t possible. Full zoom is a feature of the WP100, a wider, more expensive lens, but this lens was not tested and I cannot comment on it. With many of the small camcorders, macro is one thing that suffers most due to the constraints of the lens design. Telemacro mode access is critical if one doesn’t want to use a macro flatport or use diopters.

The MVD-L2 does have a flatport option which allows the use of 67mm screw in lenses from Inon, Epoque and Ikelite. I didn’t test this configuration, which limited my overall testing ability since I was in an area where the macro sealife was much better than the wide angle.

I liked the easy-to-use latch system, but unfortunately it doesn’t open the housing directly. (this rotary latches are not intended to do that, they are just that, a rotary latch) Instead Aditech provides a little lever tool to pry it open. It is designed to hang off the housing with a lanyard. I personally don’t like things dangling around the housing and the lever would be lost for good at sea if the lanyard breaks for whatever reason. It could also be easily lost on a camera table on a liveaboard or on a boat. The housing does require more vigilance in maintenance and care.

The extra care extends to drying the housing properly after a dive. I couldn’t just dry only the rear bulkhead section because I’d prop the housing on the monitor back to open the housing, so the entire housing has to be dried before opening. This is very important as electronics board is fixed on the rear bulkhead and although it is protected by a metal sheet, the batteries are still exposed and the water drops can seep through. (Water never gets pass the inner O-ring, it only reach the first O-ring, so when you open the housing there are no water drops than could reach the inner of the housing, on the other hand you are supposed to properly dry the housing before opening it.)

I was very disappointed that the Electronic Manual White Balance did not work with the HVR-A1P I used. To me, that was one of the biggest selling points of choosing this housing. Then there was mysterious battery drain of the lanc control not turning off the camcorder completely makes it difficult to setup the camera the night before, especially since the bigger batteries cannot fit. This was an issue that I had to deal with a few times, although I can’t pinpoint the cause.

The modular design of the Mangrove housing means it can be refitted to house a new generation of camcorders (which is commonly replaced every 12 months). The PC boards, front port bulkhead and tray position are changeable for a fee by Aditech. They say it will cost less than a new housing, which gives the Mangrove a partial future proofing for newer camcorders as they change.

With electronic white balance (if supported with your Sony camcorder), good ergonomics, an effective back mount LCD monitor and decent lens options, the Mangrove does come in at a very decent price point compared to other competitors, giving good value for the feature set. It must be reiterated that I only tested the HVR-A1U with this housing. The camera is 3 years old and that’s ancient by digital video standards. The housing’s LANC system is supposedly more effective with the new SR/HC/CX camcorders and the interface more solid. However I cannot verify this.

Overall, the LCD monitor back with long battery life, electronic controls and adjustable balance do make this housing competitive with others in the price range, despite its shortcomings with the older HVR-A1U camcorder in this test. Combined with the Fathoms WA len options and different macro port options and modular design for future camcorders, it does prove to be a nice package.  If your camera choice is one of those which can fully function with this housing’s LANC system, I would recommend considering the Mangrove as a serious contender for electronic housings.

Summary of my findings and opinion:
Pros:

• Handling and balance is easy to customize with bottom weights.
• Good ergonomics. Controls are within easy reach for all but the smallest hands
• LCD monitor back option is great value in the housing price range. Sharp enough to judge general focus and accurate enough for color rendering judgement.
• Long lasting LCD battery life with Li ION batteries
• Excellent and easy to use latches for the housing. (*Latches do not open the housing)
• Modular design allows for housing future camcorders with front bulkhead and PCB changes.

Neutrals:

• Use of a small and easy to lose accessory to open housing.
• Flipping the housing onto monitor back to open housing. Requires more vigilance in drying the entire housing before opening it. (this is not correct, please see again page number 4 in the User´s Manual, and see also the pictures, it doesn’t say anywhere that you need to Flip the housing onto monitor back to open housing) * Yes, it doesn’t say that. However, the pictures show one must do that to close the housing. In my opinion, that is the best way open and close it without damage to camera due to the design of the rear bulkhead and how it supports the housing. It’s not the most elegant solution but that is what happens when the rear bulkhead had the support feet instead of the main housing body.
• Lack of a full zoom wide angle port as tested.(The WP100 rectifies this issue)
• Use of Li ION batteries for the monitor back, instead of more easily available AA batteries.
• Lanc cable is a little long. While the design does not allow the housing to close if a wire as thick as a lanc cable is in the way, you can still damage the LANC cable.

Cons:

• Electronic White Balance did not work for HVR-A1U.
• Camera in sleep mode still drains batteries overnight. ** Could be an issue with just the HVR-A1P.
• Does not accept bigger Q/FM70 or larger batteries, limiting battery use to one dive before recharging/changing.
• No Tele-Macro function access, limiting macro use without the macro port.

-Drew Wong