Inon?s monstrous X1 is a tough aluminum alloy housing to keep the Panasonic GF1 from getting its little feet wet. The underwater shell will keep the mirrorless camera safe down to a cochlear-crushing 75-meters (the limit for recreational diving is just 40-meters, or 130-feet).
The GF1 turns out to be well-suited for underwater use. While the X1 case dwarfs the camera body, it?s not so much bigger than a naked pro-SLR. And because it is designed to use the rear-LCD screen as a viewfinder, you don?t have to peer through an actual viewfinder or use a top-mounted rangefinder.
What about the price? It will cost you a stomach-sinking �186,900, or around $2,200, and the grips on either side will be another $115 each. That?s not cheap, but then, if you dive to these depths you don?t expect it to be. My friend Pieter told me the story of his father?s deep-diving camera strategy: He buys a waterproof housing first, and then buys a few identical SLRs to fit inside. One is used, and the others are kept in their boxes as spares. Pieter?s dad is both an airline captain and a deep-diver, so he officially counts as awesome and his advice should be accepted without question.
The X-2 is available now, complete with accessories for using almost all your Lumix lenses.
On a related note, I?m in the market for a cheap (sub-$200) underwater camera. It should shoot decent images and HD video, but otherwise simple is best. Any suggestions?
X-2 housing for GF1 [Inon via Engadget]
Confirm depth for recreational dives.
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