Fantasea FRX100 VA or SONY housing for RX100 MIII

Hi all,

I am looking for an underwater housing for my SONY RX100 MIII. I am sadly on a budget. I am hesitating between a Fantasea FRX100 with vacuum (to add an extra layer of safety) and the SONY housing which is less expensive (300$ vs 450$).

Any recommendation on these? It looks like the SONY might be sufficient, but I also saw a couple of meh reviews.

Would love some feedback!

I have a Nauticam housing for my RX100 II, and it has 'leak detection', but not vacuum leak detection.  (Basically it has a pair of exposed wires that give an alarm if salt water connects them.

It's better than nothing, but it's also reactive to a leak that has already occurred.  I've had leak detection save me when my D810 housing wasn't assembled quite correctly by warning me that there was a problem before I even left the hotel room.  I'd not go without it.

That said, I'd not go without it on my DSLR's, but a Sony RX100 III isn't really a high-dollar camera to replace.

If you go with the cheaper housing, you're simply in the same world that all underwater photographers were in until relatively recently.   Just use the extreme care recommended for housing/o-ring maintenance and opening/closing the housing, and you should be fine.

Aigverte wrote:

Hi all,

I am looking for an underwater housing for my SONY RX100 MIII. I am sadly on a budget. I am hesitating between a Fantasea FRX100 with vacuum (to add an extra layer of safety) and the SONY housing which is less expensive (300$ vs 450$).

Any recommendation on these? It looks like the SONY might be sufficient, but I also saw a couple of meh reviews.

Would love some feedback!

I have the Fantasea FRX100 that I used with my RX100Va.  I felt the Fantasea house was GREAT for the price, it has Leak Detection and Vacuum.  I have moved on to a different camera system so I now have the housing available for sale if your interested in it.  I am 90% sure the housing is compatible with the mark 3 with just a small change. and it should be included in the spare parts baggie that was shipped from Fantasea when purchased.

Damn, meanwhile, my best friend gifted me the Fantasea otherwise I would have considered your offer!

Thanks for the answer. I feel so much safer with the vacuum I think, plus if I ever upgrade to a RX100 Va, it will still work which is good to know (I really love the RX100 not only for UW).