Marelux Atomos Ninja V Housing Review

The Atomos Ninja V has been our favorite underwater monitor and recorder for years. It is an excellent option for underwater video shooters, and sometimes photo shooters, who are looking for a way to visualize their footage and unlock recording options like RAW video. 

We were excited to have the new Marelux Ninja V housing in our hands this winter. The housing is one of the most compact housings for the Ninja V available and offers HDMI 2.1 recording and visualization tools like zebra stripes, false colors, and focus peaking. It is also capable of fitting the Atomos Ninja V, Ninja V+, and Ultra. This review of the Marelux Ninja V housing covers design, compatibility, the integrated vacuum system, and new features unlocked by these recorders.

Support our content and purchase your Marelux Ninja V Housing at Bluewater Photo as well as the Atomos Ninja V!

Marelux Atomos Ninja V Specifications

• Depth Rating: 330 ft/100m
• Anodized Aluminum Construction
• HDMI 2.1 compatible
• Full underwater control over Ninja V
• Weight above water: 1.6 kg
• Weight underwater water: slightly positive
• M16 bulkhead for vacuum
• SDI and HDMI compatible

Marelux Atomos Ninja V Key Features

Multiple Monitor Compatibility

As we mentioned, the Marelux Ninja V housing is compatible with multiple monitors from Atomos - the Ninja V, Ninja V+, and Ultra. This allows users to pick and choose the monitor for their needs. If you need help choosing the right monitor for your camera, reach out to Bluewater Photo by clicking here and they would be happy to help!

With each of these monitors, you have full control over recording and visualization options using the Marelux Ninja V housing. This includes false colors, zebra stripes, focus peaking, audio levels, and more. Each monitor is also capable of recording video onto an AtomX SSD drive - we recommend Angelbird. 

Many of the upgrades for the Ninja Ultra over the Ninja V monitors feature upgrades to recording capability - including 8K ProRes RAW on the Ultra. The Ninja V+ can record 4K/120p vs 4K/60p on the original Ninja V. With older Ninja V housings and cabling, most underwater systems were designed for HDMI 2.0 which is not able to handle the data rates needed for the Ninja V+ and Ultra. But that brings us to our next point.... the Marelux Ninja V housing is compatible with HDMI 2.1! 

HDMI 2.1 and SDI Compatibility

Marelux's HDMI 2.1 cables introduce a new level of recording capability for underwater videographers.  These cables can support 32 LPCM audio channels and a max resolution of 10k/120p. An HDMI 2.0 cable from Nauticam, on the other hand, would support 4K/60p. So if you are planning on making full use of the 8K recording capability of the Ultra, or 4K/120p recording capability of the Ninja V+ or Ultra, then you need an HDMI 2.1 cable. 

The Marelux Ninja V housing is also compatible with SDI cables for shooters using SDI compatible cameras and monitors. SDI cables can be made longer than HDMI cables and our more reliable. Marelux currently only offers a 0.5 meter SDI cable, but we hope to see new and longer releases in the future. 

Housing Compatibility

The Marelux Ninja V housing can be operated with multiple brands of underwater housing. You just need an M24 bulkhead for the HDMI cable to attach to your housing and camera. Contact sales@bluewaterphotostore.com to find out the exact cabling recommended for your underwater housing if you currently own another brand. 

Touch Screen Compatibility

The Ninja V, V+, and Ultra are all controlled using a touchscreen. While the Marelux Ninja V housing doesn't allow you to control the touchscreen using your fingers, it does interface the touchscreen with buttons and levers, allowing for full control of the monitor. We found the controls to be quite intuitive when diving, including the unique scroll lever on the housing. 

Vacuum System Included

The Marelux Ninja V housing comes with a vacuum system which allows you to determine if your housing is properly sealed. We recommend pumping up the vacuum 15 minutes before entering the water. If the vacuum indicator light is still green after 15 minutes then there should be no problems using the housing in the water. It's important to note that the housing can let air travel through the HDMI cable into the connected housing. This means it's important to have a vacuum on your housing as well so that the pressure does not equalize and give you a false reading of a broken seal. 

Build Quality and Underwater Trim

The Marelux Ninja V housing is manufactured with a machined, anodized aluminum shell made to withstand the harshest of elements. It is quite a bit more trim and compact when compared to other Ninja V housings, but it still has enough airspace to be quite light underwater. This added buoyancy contributes to a light underwater trim, making the system as a whole, easy to operate.

Why Purchase an Underwater Monitor or Recorder?

As we explained in our overview of underwater monitors and recorders, the main benefit of an underwater recorder is that it allows you record at frame rates and resolutions that you cannot internally record with your underwater video camera. For instance, with the Sony A7S III and FX3, you can film RAW video with the monitor but not internally. 

Additionally, for cameras like the Canon EOS R5 that overhead, attaching a monitor for recording will significantly extend recording times as the processing power is shifted to the monitor. 

Finally, there is the obvious benefit of a visualization tool for underwater video and photography that far surpasses the resolution of a magnified viewfinder and visualization technology of a camera. 

Conclusions

If you are looking for an underwater monitor and recorder, the Marelux Ninja V housing combined with the Atomos Ninja V is one of the most affordable options available with the widest range of capability for underwater video shooters. Marelux has thought of everything from an included vacuum system to controls that take full advantage of the Ninja V touch screen. The added benefit of HDMI 2.1 compatibility should not be overlooked with higher frame rates and resolutions available to Ninja V+ and Ultra users. But perhaps most importantly, this is a system that is easy to set set up and dive with and we look forward to diving with it some more!