50mm 1.4 Nikkor Prime

[funkcanna]

Hi, Is this lens any good for U/W photography? I love it as a portrait lens but not sure how it will fare under the wet stuff.

Does anyone use this lens?

 

[Peter_C]

Not underwater, but I have the 50mm F1.8 and use it fairly often.

 

[funkcanna]

Thanks Peter,

I currently have a D300 and a 50mm prime and a 18-200mm VR and im about to purchase a Ikelite housing and dont know whether or not my 50mm lens will suffice or whether I will need another lens!

 

[Mariozi]

Not really... but you can use it, not impossible.
You have a nice topside setup! But uw things work a little differently.
The 60mm/2.8 micro does a much better job uw.
I had one 50mm/1.8, sold it with my D80 and will buy the new AF-S 50mm/1.4, but most probably won't put it uw. The biggest problem is the minimum focus distance, it is to far and very limiting for uwphoto.
For fish portraits you normally work closer than the 50mm can give you and at those distances, the 60mm can give you a nice shallow depth of field, just like to what you are used with the 50mm topside.
The 18-200 is also not that "versatile" uw... if you look in other threads you will see people tend to go 10.5 prime, tokina 10-17, sigma 10-20 or nikkor 12-24...

 

[funkcanna]

Thanks Mariozi - will look at one of the lenses you mention

EDIT: Hey I notice you are in Dubai - is there anywhere I can get Ikelite housings up your way? I am planning on going to Scuba Dubai tomorrow to check there.

 

[Eskasi]

If you want a versatile "not sure what you will see" UW lens, many go for the 17-70 Sigma HSM Macro (or the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 Macro HSM- a decent topside lens too). Macro focusing means it won't need diopters. It is a jack of all trades. However, you will most likely find that it wont excel in either. Most people either go wide or macro.

When I am unsure of what I may see on a dive, I usually bring a Nikkor 60mm AF-S Macro. Great for fish portraits and 1:1 macro capability. Of course, if you are using an FX camera like the D700 or D3/x, you would be better off with the 105VR instead.....

 

[Mariozi]

Hey I notice you are in Dubai - is there anywhere I can get Ikelite housings up your way? I am planning on going to Scuba Dubai tomorrow to check there.

I think you are going to the right place. But my guess is that they only work with advance orders and don't have a stock...Sea&Sea at Al Boom Diving has the same problem.

 

[AussieByron]

Thanks Peter,

I currently have a D300 and a 50mm prime and a 18-200mm VR and im about to purchase a Ikelite housing and dont know whether or not my 50mm lens will suffice or whether I will need another lens!

You wouldn't take the 18-200 underwater, also Ikelite dont make a port for it to fit.

I recommend the 60mm Marco ( even the older non-VR is a great lens). Its my favourite lens for most dives then followed by the 105mm Nikkor Macro (I use the non-VR as I bought it so cheap and it too is excellent).

I use the Sigma 17-70mm (non-HSM). The HSM version is phyiscally too wide for the ikelite ports I believe. Its a general lens and I have it behind the Ikelite 8 inch dome. It does everything in between a great macro and great wide angle lens. But its lacking at either end. Its good for dive which you dont know if you want to go macro or wide angle.

I also use the Tokina 10-17mm. I love this lens for wide angle and it has the option to zoom to 17mm in need be. Its cheaper than the 10.5mm Nikkor and does just as good a job. Shop around and you will get it at a great price.

Regards Aussie