Would you buy a Fantasea housing for your Nikon DSLR?

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A bit of an update on my search:


Based in part on your helpful feedback, I decided to say no to the 'great deal' on the FD70 Fantasea housing and am at the moment left with either my old film setups, or a Canon p&s (in a very nice Ikelite housing ...but no strobes, and I miss my SLR!).

I said no for a few reasons: firstly, the FD70 seems to be quite a different housing from the FD70N, which is being sold today new, despite the discontinuance some time ago of the Nikon D70. I believe the FD70 was Fantasea's first DSLR housing, and to come out with another model for the same digital camera (and we know how long a digital camera is 'current') indicates that they simply made some early errors.

Secondly, new FD70N's are available from reputable dealers for about the same price as used Ikelite D70 housings. That also says something - at the entry level SLR price point, Ikelite has a fine product (and of course, you can spend much, much more!).

Three: having taken many, many topside photographs with my D70 in many conditions, I know it is a marginal performer when it comes to low-light auto-focus. The inability to manually focus with the Fantasea housing would have driven me crazy!


Finally, you've made some good points regarding the D200. It is simply a better all around camera for the job. I have one. Why don't I just use it?


So, while I can't afford a new D200 housing, I can be patient. As the first wave of eager early adopters begin to roll their D200's into D300's and D3's, I will hopefully snag a deal on an Ikelite or similar housing.


(of course if a real deal came along on an Ikelite D70 housing, I might have no self-control!)



:lotsalove:
 
I just did 19 dives on my FD80 in Bonaire in a row last week. I've used it pretty extensively in cold water in harsh conditions for a year as well. Unlike some mail order places, I actually dive what I sell. I've had one bad strobe bulkhead and a couple very minor control issues.

Yes, the FD70 was one of their first housings and was replaced by the FD70N. Is there really a problem with upgrading an existing product? As new ideas and parts become available? Ever buy a car? No, I would not buy a FD70, simply because the port diameter size is no longer really supported, it did not have zoom, etc. They improved the model is all.

The FD70N has been pretty popular, but it too is nearing the end of it's production run, as is the FD50N. Here's a link to some pics a customer recently took: Bahamas. Pretty nice, no strobe even.

Like all manufacturers, they've had production problems. Ikelite, Sea & Sea, Aquatica have had them too. Fantasea has always included flood insurance on the camera body though.

Now, here's some surprising news perhaps; Fantasea pulled off the shelves all existing FD80s and FD400 housings earlier this year. In fact, gave refunds to a couple of my customers. They were not happy with the overall production run they had. Some dealers are deliberately ignoring the company's directive and are continuing to sell them. Don't buy one. Yep, you heard me, a dealer, say that. I haven't sold one since November - even though I continue to get great results with mine.

The FD40x for D40, D40x and D60 is fine, and a great housing for it's price level.

Fantasea is redesigning from the ground up their DSLR housings and having a different factory produce them. Obviously this was a very, very expensive decision for all concerned. I think it goes a long way to showing their commitment to bringing a lower-cost, but good quality, product to the market. I expect to dive one of the prototypes and have some input. I'd say that their new housings won't reach the market until sometime this summer, but that's a total guess. I do know that they will be a serious upgrade.

Jack

FD80/60mm macro lens
2396737065_c44fa943a9.jpg
 
Thanks for the insight, Jack. And great shots from Bonaire ...what's the lighting system you have set up with your FD80?


I love competition - it makes everybody (and everybody's products) better. If I think back to when I was a kid and Toyota's first started coming to North America, people thought they were junk (and to a large extent they were!). Look at them now ...the largest automobile company in the world producing the highest quality cars.

I wish Fantasea all the luck in the world!
 
I saw one of the housing with a strobe and nice port or super wide angle.

for what the housing, port, and strobe cost is more than the car I use to commute to work. not including the D200 and super wide lens...

I just don't think I'd get that much use or value out of one for my NIkon. But I don't shoot thousand dollar pics either....
 
Now, here's some surprising news perhaps; Fantasea pulled off the shelves all existing FD80s and FD400 housings earlier this year. In fact, gave refunds to a couple of my customers. They were not happy with the overall production run they had. Some dealers are deliberately ignoring the company's directive and are continuing to sell them. Don't buy one. Yep, you heard me, a dealer, say that. I haven't sold one since November - even though I continue to get great results with mine.

Interesting...What kind of issues? I had not heard about this...

I had noticed that the steel latches on the rear of my housing developed some rust, after only a week in Bonaire and proper post dive rinsing. (?)

Also, some nice pics in your gallery! Bonaire is great isn't it? :D
Gordon
 
Gordon;

Basically if your housing is working ok, it is fine. They had some control issues, like you mentioned of rods not quite hitting right, etc. They can send you new latches, and/or another control they are easy to install, just write janice@fantasea.com.

Basically the QC was all over the place from the factory and they just decided to stop the madness of trying to support housing failures right out of the box that were justifiably angering customers. I really had few problems with the FD80, but did have a couple of FD400 failures. I also stopped selling the FD350 for similar QC issues.

Note that decision cost me hundreds of dollars in lost sales. I could sell one or two systems a week probably right now.

I really think they just decided to just say lets stop, rethink the design and start over, rather then end up having an unacceptable failure rate that wasn't good for anyone.

Go forth and shoot my friend, I love mine, and I'd say your list of likes and not/likes is fairly accurate, although I like the trigger on mine, a half press is pretty easy to get.

Bonaire was very productive, not Indonesia, but very nice diving and critters.

Jack
 
Thanks Jack! Very helpful post.
I intend to post a full review of the housing up here at some point (once I get a break from course work), let me know if you would like to contribute any thoughts.
Gordon
 
I just did 19 dives on my FD80 in Bonaire in a row last week. I've used it pretty extensively in cold water in harsh conditions for a year as well. Unlike some mail order places, I actually dive what I sell. I've had one bad strobe bulkhead and a couple very minor control issues.

Nice pictures Jack! I particularly like the lighting on the turtles. What wide angle lens were you using?

Thanks for the info on Fantasea housings. Even though I don't use your product, I've always found you very informative and straight foward. You're an excellent representative for your products. Its great that you use them all so that you can give advice on the boards.

David
 
Turtle shot was sort of funny. I was using a Sigma 17-70 Macro in a dome port & ext ring. I was zoomed in for macro and the turtle literally swam over my shoulder. So I shot his head in macro, then paused and zoomed out to 17mm for some wider shots. Then rezoomed and shot a small froggie. I love that lens, perfect for Bonaire.

2378218045_c78c51dcff.jpg


Jack
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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