Introduction

If you've ever tried swapping a macro or wide-angle wet lens in the middle of a dive, you'll know the struggle. Wet lenses are either screwed on or completely off — and doing that underwater with gloves on, in surge, while trying not to lose a $400 lens into the blue, is nobody's idea of fun. That's where quick release adapters come in.

Quick release systems let you click a wet lens on and off with one hand — no threading, no fumbling. You drop in at the dive site with your wide-angle lens locked on, pop it off when you find a nudibranch, click the macro on, shoot, then swap back. It takes seconds and works reliably even with thick dive gloves.

This is especially handy for action camera shooters. GoPro, DJI Osmo Action, and Insta360 setups are built for fast-paced diving — reef cruising, wide-angle video, the occasional macro subject — and constantly screwing lenses on and off mid-dive just isn't practical. A quick release mount lets you carry both a wide-angle and macro wet lens on your rig and switch between them in seconds, without missing the shot. In this guide, we'll walk through the main quick-release options from the leading brands — Weefine, INON, AOI, and Backscatter — so you can find exactly what fits your action camera and lenses.

How Quick Release Systems Work

A quick release system has two core parts:

The Mount Base (or Adapter)

This attaches to your camera housing or dive case and stays in place for the whole dive. Think of it as the anchor point. These are camera-specific, so you'll need to match the right base to your exact dive housing.

The Lens

Your wet lens (wide angle or macro) has a corresponding bayonet or locking mechanism that clicks straight into the mount base. No threading required.

On action cameras, the mount base typically attaches to the front of the dive case via a bayonet or screw fitting. On compact camera housings, most systems use a standard 52mm or 67mm threaded interface, which means a wider range of lenses can work across different housings.

Weefine Quick Release Adapters

Weefine's quick release system is built around their M67 lens adapter range, which works with action cameras and standard 67mm threaded housings.

For action cameras, Weefine offers three dedicated mount bases:

  • WFA154 — for DJI Osmo Action 6
  • WFA156 — for Insta360 AcePro 2
  • WFA157 — for GoPro Hero 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13

Each base adapts your dive case to accept a 67mm threaded ring, opening up the full range of 67mm wet lenses. Through this system, both the Weefine WFL14 Ultra-Wide Angle Wet Lens and compatible 67mm thread macro lenses can be used interchangeably across all three camera platforms — just by having the right base for your case.

 

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INON Quick Release (ZD Mount System)

INON takes a different approach with their proprietary ZD (Zero Distortion) Mount system. Rather than thread-based, the ZD mount is a bayonet-style system with a front mask that clicks onto your dive case and a locking mechanism for fast, secure lens changes.

Camera compatibility is handled through INON's range of ZD Front Masks:

Once the front mask is on, you have access to the full ZD lens lineup:

Macro Lenses

Wide Angle Lenses

INON also offers ZD Lens Holders (S and M5 sizes) designed for Inon float arms, letting you store a spare lens within easy reach during the dive — a handy touch for photographers who shoot both wide and macro on the same dive.

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AOI & Backscatter Quick Release Adapters For Action Cameras

AOI's quick release system — the QRS-02 range — uses a bayonet-style mount base that pairs with their own wet lenses and those from Backscatter. It's particularly well-suited to divers who want a clean, low-profile setup on an action camera.

The three mount bases cover the main action camera platforms:

From any of these mounts, you can attach:

Wide Angle

Macro

Backscatter's wet lens system overlaps closely with AOI — they share the same QRS-02 mount base range for action cameras, meaning the two brands are directly cross-compatible.

Where Backscatter differentiates is with their own lens lineup:

 

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Need Help Choosing?

Not sure which quick release setup suits your camera and housing? Our team has been helping underwater photographers get the right gear for over 20 years. We carry the largest range of wet lenses and accessories in Australia, with stock on hand and free shipping Australia-wide.

Reach us via LiveChat at underwater.com.au, give us a call, or browse our full range of quick release adapters and wet lenses online.