Underwater camera housings don't come cheap and, some would say, with good reason. No one wants to risk frying their brand new digital camera with a leaky "waterproof" case they bought on sale at Costco. The more pricey the camera the greater the risk to your investment and, as it turns out, the more expensive the underwater housing.

Sea & Sea is a company with a reputation for making reliable and, yes, high-priced underwater camera housings. The new MDX-D700, which costs a couple of ticks under $4K, is no exception. As its model name suggests, the MDX-D700 is custom-made for the Nikon D700, a DSLR which we named " Camera of the Year" for 2008 on PDNGearGuide.com. It's also worth mentioning that the D700 sells for $2,700, making the MDX-D700 case considerably more expensive than the camera itself. We told you these underwater housings weren't cheap.

You get what you pay for though. The MDX-700 is very sweet, with every detail on the housing expertly crafted with a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine which cuts away excess material for a precise fit. The ergonomically designed housing is made from solid block aluminum alloy with smooth, polished edges to prevent snags.

A corrosion-resistant anodized black coating covers the housing to shield it from the environment and abrasions. Both the main command dial and sub command dial are accessible while holding the two handgrips so you can change settings without letting go.

Even more importantly, the MDX-700 has a depth rating of 60m/200 feet underwater so you should be able to get lots of great shots of aquatic life and coral reefs. Locking latches prevent you from accidentally opening the housing, while a built-in leak sensor alerts you quickly if any water unexpectedly seeps in.

The D700's great low-light shooting ability will let you shoot without a flash in most circumstances but if you feel like you need some artificial light underwater, there's an optional Nikon TTL converter III for the MDX-D700 which enables automatic TTL strobe photography.

Cost: $3,995 Further information: www.seaandsea.jp