Canon EOS R50 and AOI UH-R50 Housing: The new compact package?
Because fewer advanced digital compact cameras are available for underwater photography, many divers face a tough decision. Either stick with simple setups, like smartphones or action cameras, or upgrade to mirrorless cameras with expensive housings. At the same time, mirrorless camera prices have dropped, and the lower end of the range is now often cheaper than advanced compact cameras used to be. With the announcement of the AOI UH-R50 housing for the Canon EOS R50, AOI has decided to treat this interchangeable-lens camera as if it were a compact camera and has designed an extremely compact, fixed-port housing for it. The main benefit is its incredible price tag. No high-quality, full-featured housing for a Canon EOS camera has ever been under £500.
What does the Canon EOS R50 camera offer?
Although the R50 isn't the latest and greatest in Canon's camera range, its tiny body packs a lot of power. The APS-C-sized CMOS sensor packs 24 megapixels, and you can shoot 4K video up to 30 fps. The APS-C-sized sensor is considerably larger than the common 1" sensor offered in this price range and provides much more sensitivity, which comes in handy especially in darker conditions. One of the R50's most compelling features is probably its autofocus system. It's a very powerful system that combines a series of subject recognition modes with tenacious tracking. The fully articulating extra-large touchscreen is almost the size of the rear of the camera and comes with 1.62M dots for an extra-sharp view.
The R50 camera is usually sold with a super-compact retractable RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens. Although it may not match the performance of Canon's more advanced lens options, it is an optimal and affordable choice for underwater photography with the UH-R50 housing.
What does the AOI UH-R50 housing offer?
The AOI UH-R50 housing is a polycarbonate 60m-rated housing that includes all camera controls and a pre-installed pre-dive vacuum leak-check system. Simply use the supplied pump before diving and monitor the traffic light indicator on the back of the housing. The leak check is super easy to use and takes only a few minutes each time. This system is also integrated with a standard moisture alarm. A built-in Li-ion battery powers the whole setup and charges via a standard USB-C cable.
The housing lets the EOS R50 camera flash fire inside the housing to sync external strobes. No need for an extra complicated/fragile flash trigger system. Two standard flash sync ports are included. The UH-R50 housing comes with a fixed port with a 67mm port thread, which is ideal for external wet-interchangeable lenses.
The housing is incredibly compact, measuring 160 mm wide and weighing only 950g on land. Underwater, with the camera and the 18-45mm lens, the whole thing is only 280g (negative)
How do the Canon EOS R50 camera and AOI UH-R50 housing work together, and what accessories can be added?
The first thing to do with this combo, as mentioned before, is to ignore the idea that the camera is a Canon EOS-branded system camera. When inside the fixed-port housing, it is essentially a compact camera. If you want to add lenses, which is something you should do very soon, they go on the outside. The Canon 18-45mm kit lens, which the UH-R50 housing is designed to work with, is short enough that many wet-interchangeable lenses will work. With the housing you also get a gearing that lets you use the lens zoom.
The best-fitting wide-angle choice is probably the AOI UWL-09. This lens will greatly increase the field of view and enable high-quality wide-angle underwater photography. The lens can be simply screwed onto the 67mm housing port, or alternatively, a QRS-01 quick-release bayonet mount adaptor can be used. For even higher quality, the AOI UWL-09 Pro lens adds a glass dome unit and improved zoom-through features. Both lenses can be quite heavy underwater, so a special float collar is available, which I definitely recommend. If you want something smaller and cheaper, you can also use the Weefine WFL12 semi-wide-angle lens.
For close-up and macro, plenty of dioptre lens options are available, and they don't necessarily have to be AOI-branded. As long as they are 67mm threaded, they should work. If using the QRS-01 quick release system, make sure the close-up lens fits to the M67 QRS bayonet adaptor.
As mentioned before, you can use the camera's pop-up flash inside the housing. Unlike with many other AOI housings, you can sync underwater flashes directly without needing an extra flash trigger. The manufacturer especially recommends the new UCS-Q1 (2027 ed) strobes for this kit. The new STTL feature on this strobe works seamlessly in semi-automatic mode with the R50 camera. As the sync "feed" comes straight from the onboard flash, most STTL-enabled strobes like Sea & Sea and Inon should also work. Of course, almost all the strobes currently on the market will at least work in manual with standard push-fit fibreoptic cables.
Final Words
Traditionally, when a scuba diver wanted to upgrade their underwater photography experience to the next level, after using smartphone housings and action cameras, the advanced compact camera range was the obvious choice. Today, these cameras are a dying breed, and even fewer good housings are available. And those cameras that are still available are very expensive... for example, the Sony RX100 VII, which is priced in the UK at around £1050.00.
The Canon R50 camera sells, at the time of writing, for around £800 with the RF-S 18-45mm lens. Combine that with the housing at £495.00... The total combo price of around £1300.00 is an absolute steal today. Treat it like a Canon compact camera without needing to buy a pile of dedicated lenses and ports, and you can't go wrong.