Skip to main content

The Clear Outex camera housing protects your device in tough conditions

Clear Outex Kickstarter Video 2017
Protective camera housings already exist in various shapes and sizes, but this one from entrepreneur JR deSouza caught our eye for its versatility and light weight. Even better, the durable, transparent material means you can continue to access your camera controls, allowing you to work fast in challenging conditions.

The Clear Outex is essentially an updated version of the Outex that deSouza successfully funded on Kickstarter three years ago before bringing it to market.

The entrepreneur is turning to Kickstarter again, hoping to secure backing to the tune of $35,000 to make the Clear Outex happen.

The soft, waterproof housing fits around “virtually any camera” on the market, though the project’s stretch goals promise optimized covers customized for smaller mirrorless cameras as well as professional DSLRs.

Advantages over the original Outex design include the ability to see the camera’s dials and buttons, an enhanced material composition for faster camera installation and extraction, and improved longevity of the housing achieved via a new manufacturing process.

The Clear Outex also features a modular design so you can add a tripod, flash, and other important camera accessories with little effort.

While the product appears to offer an effective solution for protecting your kit against rain, dust, sand, and dirt, deSouza says that if you need to completely submerge it, you should first conduct a water test in a controlled environment “such as a bucket or sink … to ensure all the openings are properly sealed and there’s no user error.” No, you certainly won’t want any user error with your pricey camera gear.

The creator says the original Outex is already used by numerous photographers around the world, from amateur to pro, some of them working for major organizations such as National Geographic, the BBC, and the Associated Press.

A pledge of $375 will get you a Clear Outex kit comprising the cover, front and back optical lenses to match your camera, and a strap. If you already have the original Outex and therefore only need the Clear cover without the extras, a $99 pledge will do the trick.

Assuming the project pulls in the required funds, the Clear Outex will ship globally in January 2018.

For more information on precisely how the Clear Outex functions, check out deSouza’s website, which offers several informative videos on how to get the most out of it.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
How to photograph April’s solar eclipse, according to NASA
A total solar eclipse.

How to Photograph a Total Solar Eclipse

Nikon recently shared some tips on photographing April’s total solar eclipse, and NASA is also offering its own ideas.

Read more
The best free photo-editing software for 2024
Side view of a laptop on a desk.

Professional photo-editing applications aren't cheap, nor are they easy to master without formal training. That's why we're taking a look at the best free photo-editing software on the market.
Our top pick is GIMP, an open-source photo editing software available for the big three operating systems. It offers a huge workspace and a wide variety of professional editing tools.
We provide thousands of how-to articles, news articles, and best-of lists to help you build your photography skills, choose the best gear for your photography needs, and make the most out of your photo equipment. And if our top pick isn’t for you, check out the other options on this list. There are great choices for conventional desktop software, mobile apps, and even web-based solutions that don't require installing software.

GIMP

Read more
The best photo printers you can buy in 2024
Alan compares draft, standard, and high-quality photos from Epson's EcoTank ET-8500.

A comparison of draft, standard, and high-quality photos from Epson's EcoTank ET-8500. Tracey Truly / Digital Trends

If you love sharing photo prints or building physical photo albums, you might want to upgrade to a photo printer. When manufacturers optimize printers for pictures, the results can match or exceed that of the best printers available.

Read more