Subal ND Series

Manufacturer: Subal GmbH (Austria) Type: DSLR underwater housings Years produced: 2002–2021+ For cameras: Nikon D100 through D6; Canon 1D/1Ds series, 5D series; Panasonic GF2/GF3; Sony A7; Olympus OM-D

Overview

The Subal ND series represents the flagship line of aluminum underwater housings from Austrian manufacturer Subal, widely regarded as the gold standard for precision-engineered DSLR housings from the early 2000s through the mid-2010s. Founded by Arnold Stepanek, who made his first underwater housing in 1952, Subal built its reputation on meticulous Austrian craftsmanship, simple but robust engineering, and the legendary GS (Giant Screen) viewfinder system. The ND designation applied to Nikon DSLR housings, while Canon equivalents carried the “CD” prefix (^[1]).

Subal housings were the preferred choice of professional underwater photographers including Alex Mustard, Martin Edge, and many full-time working pros. They commanded premium pricing — typically among the most expensive housings available — justified by their build quality, reliability, and ergonomic design (^[2]).

The ND Lineup

Nikon Housings

• ND2 (Nikon D100) — Subal’s first digital SLR housing for Nikon. Established the ND naming convention (^[3])
• ND70 (Nikon D70, 2004) — Designed by Arnold Stepanek “on his laptop while he was away on vacation.” Reviewed by Alex Mustard for Wetpixel. Featured the new GS viewfinder option (^[4])
• ND20 (Nikon D200) — Widely used housing that became the benchmark for DX-format Nikon shooters
• ND2X (Nikon D2X) — Professional flagship housing for Nikon’s top DX body (^[5])
• ND30 (Nikon D300, 2008) — Reviewed extensively by Martin Edge. Very similar form factor to the ND20, featuring the D300’s larger 3” LCD screen and improved button layout (^[6])
• ND700 (Nikon D700) — Subal’s first FX-format Nikon housing
• ND7000 (Nikon D7000, 2011) — Smaller form factor with improved optical/electrical strobe triggering, LED-uncoupled strobe board, and customizable housing colors. Reviewed by Andrej Belic and included in Adam Hanlon’s comprehensive multi-housing comparison (^[7], ^[8])
• ND3 (Nikon D3) — Full-frame professional body housing
• ND4 (Nikon D4, 2012) — Reviewed by Alex Mustard, who collected it personally at the Subal factory in Steyr, Austria. Featured improved ergonomics with backplate buttons migrated closer to housing edges, vacuum port option, and triple sync socket option (^[9])
• ND800 (Nikon D800, 2012) — Subal’s housing for Nikon’s high-resolution FX body (^[10])
• ND4S (Nikon D4S, 2014) — Updated flagship housing (^[11])
• ND500 (Nikon D500) — DX flagship housing
• ND850 (Nikon D850, 2018) — One of the last major ND-series releases before the financial restructuring. A limited edition ND850LE in yellow was produced to celebrate Nikon’s centenary, limited to 30 units (^[12])
• ND6 (Nikon D6, 2021) — Subal’s housing for Nikon’s final flagship DSLR, priced at EUR 5,988. Features plug-in camera mounting system, M14 bulkhead for HDMI or vacuum detection, and options for electrical, fiber optic, or TTL strobe triggering (^[13])

Canon Housings

• CD1D (Canon 1D/1Ds Mark II, 2005) — “D” stood for “dual” as it fit both camera bodies. Reviewed by Tom Stephens for Wetpixel (^[14])
• CD5 (Canon 5D) — Subal’s entry into Canon full-frame housings

Mirrorless Housings

• SGF2/SGF3 (Panasonic GF2/GF3, 2011) — Subal’s first mirrorless housings. Featured QuickLock closure, fiber optic port, and compatibility with all bayonet-mount Subal ports. Weight approximately 660g (^[15])
• EM1 (Olympus OM-D E-M1, 2014) (^[16])
• Sony A7 housing (2015) (^[17])

The GS Viewfinder

The GS (Giant Screen) viewfinder was Subal’s signature accessory and the feature most closely associated with the brand. Introduced in 2004 as a $960 option, it provided a near-1:1 magnification of the camera’s viewfinder image — critical for accurate composition underwater where diving masks restrict eye-to-viewfinder distance (^[18]).

The GS viewfinder was originally developed by Sealux (the GD viewfinder) and later adapted for Subal housings. It came in two variants:

• GS 180 — Straight magnified viewfinder
• WS 45 — 45-degree angled viewfinder, preferred for bottom-dwelling subjects and cold water diving where thick suits restrict movement

A later addition was the PS-30 Prism Finder, which showed the camera’s LCD at a 30-degree viewing angle, designed specifically for video use (^[19]).

Martin Edge described the GS viewfinder as “without doubt the most significant feature of the entire design” and stated that enhanced viewfinders “though expensive, are definitely worth the money” (^[20]).

The viewfinder required precise eye alignment — users had to position their eye dead center to see the full frame clearly, which took practice to master. A rubber eyecup accessory helped maintain alignment. Some users found this frustrating initially, though most adapted after several dives (^[21]).

By 2007, enhanced viewfinders had become mainstream across housing manufacturers. Julian Scheunemann’s comprehensive analysis on Wetpixel explained how digital APS-C sensors made magnified viewfinders essential — the smaller sensor cropped the viewfinder image, and simple housing optics shrank it further, making subjects difficult to compose accurately (^[22]).

Design Philosophy and Construction

Subal housings were machined from solid blocks of seawater-resistant aluminum alloy, then given extreme surface hardening through HardCoating, followed by multiple layers of powder-coat paint. Standard depth rating was 70–80 meters, with 120 meters available on request (^[23]).

Key design elements:

• QuickLock closure system — Subal’s latching system prevented accidental O-ring crushing
• LED-uncoupled strobe board (from ND7000 onward) — Allowed connection of multiple strobes in parallel regardless of differing circuit resistances
• Bayonet port mount — All Subal ports were interchangeable across housing generations
• Simple, strong engineering — Alex Mustard noted that Subal’s controls used “simple, strong and elegant engineering solutions” that remained reliable over years of heavy use (^[24])

Subal housings were known for requiring little or no routine servicing. Mustard noted he had “never had the need to service any of my previous Subals, something well worth considering when comparing the purchasing price of different brands” (^[25]).

Notable Users

• Alex Mustard — Longtime Subal user from the D100 era through D4 and D850. Used Subal ND850 with Zen 230 dome as his primary system (^[26], ^[27])
• Martin Edge — Used Subal housings since the Nikon F801 in the early 1990s. Reviewed the ND30 for Wetpixel (^[28])
• Andrej Belic — Reviewed the ND7000 extensively (^[29])
• timg (forum user) — Used Subal housings through D100, D200, D300, D800, and D500 generations (^[30])

Competitive Position

Subal competed at the top of the market alongside Seacam (also Austrian) and faced growing competition from Nauticam (Hong Kong) from 2009 onward. Compared to competitors:

• vs. Seacam — Both Austrian, premium-priced. Seacam offered the S180 viewfinder with wider eye-point angle. Some users noted Subal became more expensive than Seacam by 2005 (^[31])
• vs. Nauticam — Nauticam was typically faster to market with new camera housings and offered competitive pricing. Some Subal users switched to Nauticam due to faster delivery and the availability of Subal-to-Nauticam port adapters (^[32])
• vs. Aquatica — Canadian manufacturer offering aluminum housings at lower price points
• vs. Sea & Sea — Japanese manufacturer with broader distribution
• vs. Ikelite — American manufacturer using polycarbonate construction at significantly lower prices

Financial Difficulties and Restructuring (2017–2018)

On 5 December 2017, Subal GmbH entered bankruptcy proceedings (Konkursverfahren) at the Handelsgericht Wien (Vienna commercial court). Owner Harald Karl, who had purchased the company in 2011, explained that the filing was a strategic restructuring measure to close the production facility in Steyr, Austria (^[33]).

Key facts of the restructuring:

• Subal had already moved the bulk of manufacturing from Austria to Belgrade, Serbia, to reduce costs
• The Steyr facility was retained only for servicing, repairs, viewfinder assembly, and port assembly
• A new showroom and company headquarters opened in Vienna in March 2018
• Harald Karl stated: “Through this process, no one will lose anything! No housings which are pre-paid, or housings that are currently being serviced or repaired!”

Forum member espenb noted this was reportedly the second planned bankruptcy (the first in 2011 when Karl took over), suggesting the pattern was used to reduce debt obligations. The restructuring caused uncertainty among loyal customers, some of whom switched to Nauticam or Seacam rather than wait for the delayed ND850 housing (^[34]).

Alex Mustard, a Subal Pro Team member, characterized the situation as “probably not a big deal” and likely “just how they will restructure their business,” noting that housings had already been machined in Serbia for several years (^[35]).

Subal continued producing housings after the restructuring and was present at Boot 2018. The ND850 eventually shipped, including a limited-edition yellow version. The company announced an ND6 housing as late as 2021 (^[36]).

Legacy

The Subal ND series defined what a premium underwater DSLR housing could be during the digital photography era. The combination of precision Austrian engineering, the GS viewfinder system, bulletproof reliability, and a comprehensive port system made Subal the aspirational choice for serious underwater photographers for over 15 years. The brand’s decline paralleled the broader industry shift from DSLR to mirrorless cameras and the rise of Asian manufacturers — particularly Nauticam — who offered comparable quality with faster development cycles and more competitive pricing.

Timeline

• 1952: Arnold Stepanek makes his first underwater housing (^[37])
• 2002: ND2 housing for Nikon D100 released
• 2004-07: GS viewfinder announced at $960, initially for D70 and 1Ds/MkII housings (^[38])
• 2004-08: ND70 reviewed by Alex Mustard (^[39])
• 2005-03: CD1D for Canon 1D/1Ds Mk II reviewed (^[40])
• 2008-04: ND30 reviewed by Martin Edge (^[41])
• 2011: Harald Karl purchases Subal
• 2011-06: ND7000 housing released and reviewed (^[42])
• 2011-09: SGF2/SGF3 mirrorless housings announced (^[43])
• 2012-01: Subal displays prototypes at Boot Show; Rolf Sempert and Arnold Stepanek present (^[44])
• 2012-08: ND800 and ND4 housings announced (^[45])
• 2013-02: ND4 reviewed by Alex Mustard, who collected it at the factory in Steyr (^[46])
• 2014-11: Stephan Dietze represents Subal at DEMA 2014, showing redesigned housings (^[47])
• 2017-12-05: Subal GmbH enters bankruptcy proceedings at HG Wien (^[48])
• 2018-01: Owner Harald Karl confirms restructuring; production moves fully to Belgrade (^[49])
• 2018-02: ND850 housings begin shipping, including limited-edition yellow version (^[50])
• 2021-07: ND6 housing announced for Nikon D6 (^[51])

References