You wouldn’t think a small, landlocked country in the middle of Europe best known for alpine skiing, would be fostering a bustling scuba community. But you’d be surprised. Switzerland is home to a strong base of avid divers who practice their sport in glacial lakes and rivers flooded by snowmelt. And just outside of Zurich you’ll find the hub for Swiss underwater photographic activity: Fantic UW-Foto.
(Left to Right) Ikelite President Jean Rydberg, VP John Brigham, Fantic Owners Tom & Judith Peter
Fantic is the product of a passion turned into a profession. Tom Peter started out working as an advertising creative, pursuing scuba diving in his free time. With an eye for design, Tom quickly discovered a need to be creating art while underwater and picked up a Nikonos camera. As his skills progressed and friends increasingly came to him for photo tips and equipment advice, a path for a career change emerged.
Fantic is one of the only places in Switzerland where you can not only put your hands on a new underwater housing - but also take it underwater.
To meet the growing demands of the underwater photography trade, the Fantic store front was built out on a discrete residential location in the village of Sirnach, about 40 minutes outside of Zurich. In addition to a large showroom, the space features a seminar room for instruction and a workshop where Markus Zeder services and repairs customers equipment, in addition to making some custom accessories.
Fantic also has the capacity to do service and modifications on a wide variety of underwater photography products.
In 2012 Tom and Judith had the idea to create their own underwater photography destination- right behind the shop. They started by digging a 3 meter deep hole in back and lining it with rocks. The next step was putting in long glass walls to provide a view into the environment. When they went to order the glass for it, they were told it couldn’t be done. It needed to be shorter, sectioned, with metal framing or braces to bear the pressure.
Three inch thick acrylic provides a wide, unobstructed view to the depths of the underwater photo studio in the back of the store.
But that just wouldn’t do. Tom and Judith wanted a large, clear, unobstructed view into the pond. So they found an answer in a factory near Geneva… three inch (7cm) thick acrylic sheet. The same type of material Ike discovered back in the 60s to be durable enough to make a completely clear back for dive housings. The company who produced the acrylic more commonly supplied materials to much larger projects, but this application was unique enough to pique their interests. With the help of the roofing crew working on a development down the road, the massive acrylic walls were set into place. Strong enough to hold the weight of 46,000 gallons (176,400 liters) of clear, fresh water.
This incredible backyard oasis allows photographers from all over Switzerland to come out and test their gear before traveling to the ends of the Earth.
The rest is history. Customers travel from all over Switzerland and beyond to test out new equipment and learn underwater photography. A few even volunteer to help with the bi-weekly cleanings necessary for this chemical-free oasis. The whole operation blends seamlessly with the surroundings and no detail is overlooked- from a gear locker to a warm shower, changing area, and - critically - a bathroom you can enter in a wetsuit.
A full changing room with shower and bathroom provides a comfortable place for photographers to gear up to get in the underwater photo studio.
Fantic sells a full range of underwater photography gear in addition to offering instruction and photo advice. In 2025, they are a sponsor of the first ever Swiss UW Photography Masters completion held in the crystal clear waters of the picturesque Verzasca Valley in the Italian portion of southern Switzerland. The competition features some of the biggest names in underwater photography - including Steve Miller and Alex Mustard - and has been impeccably coordinated by Ikelite Ambassador Fritz Liechti.
Tom Peter (left) with Ikelite Vice President John Brigham (right) in the Fantic UW-Foto AG showroom. Every day photographers come in from all over Switzerland to try and buy the latest underwater photography gear.
Next time you’re in the Switzerland, stop by to say hi to the team, check out the latest gear, and maybe even take a dip in their backyard underwater photography studio.
Additional Reading
Diving into the Verzasca River, Switzerland [VIDEO]
River Junkie: Underwater Photography in the Freshwaters of Switzerland
Building the Next Generation Backyard Underwater Photo Studio
Customer Photos | Fritz Liechti from the Fresh Water of Switzerland
