Underwater photography is fun and exciting—taking pictures and video of your family frolicking at the beach or pool, or capturing nature under the sea while Snorkeling or SCUBA diving. With the Nikon 1 WP-N1 underwater housing, you can take a Nikon 1 J1 or J2 underwater and with the Nikon 1 WP-N2, you can take your Nikon 1 J3 or S1 digital camera underwater, down to a depth of 130 feet. You can also use the WP-N1/WP-N2 to protect your camera from the elements when shooting in the rain or snow. The housing allows you to access all of the buttons on your camera for use while underwater, as well as being able to view the LCD screen on the rear of the camera—all while protecting it.

The Nikon 1 bodies mentioned above, along with the 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 lens fit in their respective waterproof housings. Other lenses can not be used.

The proper care and maintenance of a waterproof housing is essential in keeping it watertight.

Before Use

Before each use, you’ll want to do a leak test to ensure that the housing is functioning normally. Check for air bubbles as you operate the controls under the water for about 2 minutes.

photo of hands holding the Nikon 1 WP-N1 underwater housing and submerging it in a sink full of water

Latch the housing closed and slowly submerge it in a shallow basin of water. Operate the controls under the water to check for air bubbles.

Next take the housing out of the water and dry it thoroughly with a soft, dry cloth.

Open it and check for water. If the waterproof housing is completely dry inside, the next step is to test it with the camera inside.

photo of a person's hands checking the Nikon 1 WP-N1 interior for dryness

After the initial leak test, dry the exterior of the waterproof housing. Then open the housing and check the interior for leaks. If the interior is dry, you can continue testing with the camera in the housing.

The WP-N1 waterproof housing accepts only the Nikon 1 J1 or J2 camera with the 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 lens attached. The WP-N2 underwater housing accepts only the Nikon 1 J3 or S1 camera with the 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 lens attached.

Remove the camera strap.

Make sure your battery is fully charged and insert a blank memory card in the camera, or format the card you do insert into the card slot.

Extend the lens barrel using the retractable lens button; the camera will automatically turn on at this point. Turn the camera off.

Attach the zoom gear sleeve to the lens.

hands placing the Nikon 1 WP-N1's zoom gear sleeve to the lens of the Nikon 1 J1 camera.

Attach the zoom gear sleeve to the lens, aligning the slot on the sleeve with the retractable lens barrel button. The zoom gear sleeve fits on the lens snugly, so be sure that it is fully on the lens. Correctly attached, the zoom ring will rotate freely.

With the zoom gear sleeve on the camera lens, attach the inner-reflection prevention ring to the front of the lens to keep the lettering on the front of the lens from appearing in photos.

photo of hands holding the Nikon 1 WP-N1 inner-reflection prevention ring in front of the Nikon 1 J1 with the zoom gear sleeve attached to the lens.

Attach the inner-reflection prevention ring to the front of the lens to keep the lettering on the front of the lens from appearing in photos. The ring is threaded and should be fully screwed onto the lens.

Follow the camera guides in the housing to center the camera correctly.

Insert one packet of silica gel desiccant between the bottom of the camera and the housing. This will prevent condensation from forming inside the housing. Make sure you slide it all the way to the front of the WP-N1/WP-N2 so it doesn’t interfere with the housing's ability to close properly.

Double check that the O-ring is in place and free of dust, sand or other foreign objects. If you’re using an optional underwater flash unit, make sure that the built-in flash is raised.

Close the housing securely, latching it shut.

photo of hands placing a desiccant packet under the Nikon 1 J1 camera in the WP-N1 underwater housing

Insert one packet of silica gel desiccant between the bottom of the camera and the housing. Make sure you slide it all the way to the front so it doesn’t interfere with the housing closing.

With the camera in the housing, perform a final check for leaks, by slowly submerging it into a shallow container of water, checking for air bubbles.

Then take the housing out of the water and dry it thoroughly with a soft, dry cloth. Open the housing and check for water. It should be dry inside.

If leaks are detected, immediately dry the camera and housing thoroughly, making sure that the O-ring is intact and the housing properly sealed. If the cause of the leak can’t be determined, take the housing to a Nikon-authorized service representative.

You are now ready to take photos and videos!

photo of hands holding the Nikon 1 WP-N1 underwater housing with the camera inside under water to check for leaks

With the camera in the housing, check for leaks by slowly submerging the housing into a basin of water. Check for air bubbles as you operate the controls.