SEACAM Ports

In order to produce the very best underwater images, SEACAM offer a variety of ports designed to fulfill the varying requirements of different photographer's needs. SEACAM's ports are designed and engineered to provide the highest optical quality it is currently possible to obtain from conventional dome and flat ports. Glass is used as the port material whilst the port bodies are made from either metal or engineering plastic - depending on the requirements of the port.

Underwater camera optics are by their nature a compromise requiring relatively thick glass to withstand the water pressure under which they need to operate. Careful design and consideration of the requirements of underwater photographers has minimised the deficiencies inevitable in port construction. SEACAM ports are produced to fulfill underwater photographer's needs and are used to produce many spectacular images by underwater professionals.

Flat (Macro or Zoom) Ports

Ports used to shoot close-up subject matter using lenses with a reduced field of view usually have a flat disk of glass fitted. These offer optics suitable for macro lenses and are compact and light. SEACAM flat ports are available in uncoated and coated versions (coating reduces flaring which can adversely affect contrast) and when combined with SEACAM's Extender Tubes offer unparalleled versatility for many macro lenses.

Dome (or Wide-Angle) Ports

With lenses whose field of view is substantial (the generally accepted as being greater than that of a 35mm lens on full frame format), optical constraints mean that flat ports will give poor edge performance. Dome ports can correct this, and Seacam offer a variety of dome ports which offer various advantages. The smallest are convenient to travel with and easy to use, but are restricted in that they are suitable for only a few (usually fixed focal length ) lenses.

Larger domes offer better optical quality and greater versatility in terms of the lenses which they can accommodate (especially when combined with SEACAM's Extension Tubes) but at the expense of bulk and weight. The largest, SEACAM's Superdome, is optically superb and capable of extremely good results with a wide array of lenses.

Finally, SEACAM produce a Fisheye dome port which is optimised for fisheye lenses and is an excellent compromise between size, weight and usability.

All SEACAM's dome ports are available in coated or uncoated versions, and the Superdome can be obtained as a 'strengthened' version suitable for technical divers who venture to depths exceeding SEACAM's standard 80m rating (to date we know of one of these which has been used at 135m!).