D200 Questions

[Peter_C]

I just bought one from Costco online. I paid a little more than some of the other e-tailers, but the no hassle return policy is nice to have. I have been checking the site about once a month for DSLR's and just found it on there. Only a little hesitation when I pushed the submit button.

Now onto the questions Since my favorvite LDS, sells Sea & Sea housings, that is most likely the way I will go since I also already have a YS-110 strobe, from them along with the Sea & Sea VI arm kit. They do have Aquatica available too?? but I know they have the Sea & Sea housing in stock, and I am not sure my arms will work. What will I need to make the strobe work perfectly with the housing? Just a cable or a converter for $$ also?

Lenses are always a hot topic, and for the housing I do not want to purchase a bunch of different domes, let alone expensive lenses. I am getting a Nikkor 18-200mm for my most common above water lense, but the 18-24mm seems to get great reviews too. Would the 12-24mm be a good all around lense for underwater? If so which dome port do I need for it? I am sure someone will ask what kind of pictures I plan to take...well...underwater ones hopefully. Probably nothing super macro. Just general pictures of fishes and reefs Yeah I know I have a lot to learn.

 

[Warren_L]

I'm not too familiar with the Sea&sea housings, but the port system appears to be similar to how the Aquatica port systems work. You would typically have a choice of a dome port for your wide angle lenses, and depending on which wide angle lens you have, you may require a different port extension - the reason for this is because different wide angle lenses may have different barrel lengths, but the dome itself can be used from lens to lens. As well, you can use a macro lens behind a dome port, it should still work, but it will lessen the macro effect a little.

I would say the 12-24mm is a good lens to use underwater (I use this one too) and is generally good for reef scenes and shooting moderately larger marine life, but it's going to be more difficult to fill the frame with this lens with smallish animals. Something like the kit lens 18-70mm or 18-55mm will give you a bit more flexibility, but you won't be able to get quite as wide out for those reef scenes. I would say that you'd probably want to get a macro lens like the 60mm micro as a second lens for that closeup work, but if only one lens, I would say a medium wide zoom like the 18-70mm would be a good place to start. If you do end up going to a 12-24mm or 10.5mm fisheye later on, you should be able to just get the proper port extension to adapt the existing dome.

 

[Peter_C]

Since I am running out of $$$$ Quickly, two lenses total are in order. Is there a big difference in the dome ports? They list four different ones for the 12-24mm lense here. So which one is going to be the most suitable for possibly, maybe, if the stars align, other macro lenses?

Something else that is important to me is to be able to take a wide angle shot of a reef, then zoom in and shoot a nudi.

Also what is the 12-24mm equivelant of in "X's"? Meaning my point and shoot goes only to 3x. I have another camera that goes to 10x.

 

[Warren_L]

Since I am running out of $$$$ Quickly, two lenses total are in order. Is there a big difference in the dome ports? They list four different ones for the 12-24mm lense here. So which one is going to be the most suitable for possibly, maybe, if the stars align, other macro lenses?

Something else that is important to me is to be able to take a wide angle shot of a reef, then zoom in and shoot a nudi.

Also what is the 12-24mm equivelant of in "X's"? Meaning my point and shoot goes only to 3x. I have another camera that goes to 10x.

If you're going with the 12-24mm, any of those ports will do, however, on the wide end of that zoom, you'd typically want a larger dome. I would expect that with the larger sea&sea domes, you'd be looking at more money for the NX and NX fisheye. I believe with either of these ports you should be able to use other lenses, as long as you have the proper port extensions.As for your question on the 3x zoom, the 12-24mm is a wide angle zoom and not a telephoto zoom. What this means is that the focal length can be adjusted within a range, but that range is still considered to be wide angle. Comparing to a point and shoot 3x optical zoom isn't really all that relevant, though I'm sure there's some sort of numerical equivalent in the dSLR world - probably more like a 50mm-150mm zoom (35mm SLR equivalent) as a guess. To give you an idea, the long end of the 12-24mm zoom is probably going to be similar to your p&s completely wide out.I don't think nikon makes a macro zoom, but I seem to recall hearing someone mention a mid-range wide zoom (in the 18-50mm range??) that had macro capabilities. Maybe Sigma? Can't recall, but something like that, if it exists, would be closer to what you're looking for.

 

[dbh]

The Sea & Sea housing for the d200 is all aluminum and a very nice housing. I think that the black color is sharp.

With most domes, you use it for the 10.5mm Nikor & 15mm Sigma as is. You will add an extension for the 12-24mm, 17-35mm & 17-55mm. You really will want a flat port for shooting macro. Because of the virtual image that a dome creates, you just can't get close enough for my taste. I highly recommend a 60mm Nikkor for a wide assortment of subjects. You can shoot macro al the way up to most of a shark (or diver). It focuses fast and is tack sharp.

You do not need the Sea & Sea iTTL converter, but it sure works well with this set-up. Your other option is to just shoot in manual.

Your dealer SHOULD be able to help you in dome selection. If they can't, I would buy it elsewhere.

HTH,
Dave

 

[AUTiger]

You can't do high quality macro and wide angle in the same dive because they require different lenses. That's one way in which the dSLRs aren't as versatile as your old point and shoot. A short tele such as the 18-70 or 18-55 will allow you to do semi-wide-angle and pictures of smallish fish, but if you want a good nudi picture, you'll need a macro lense such as the 60mm or 105mm. Both of those magnify up to 1:1, meaning the image on the sensor will be actual size. Your senser is 22mm diagonal, so a 2cm nudi would fill the image. There are ways to get additional magnification beyond 1:1. As DBH indicated, this macro lense would be housed in a flat port instead of a dome. With the 60mm, you want to be able to get the end of the lense very close to the subject. 1:1 magnification occurs at the shortest focus distance. The dome won't fit in a lot of places and you're likely to scratch it up trying to get close to the subject.

David
Ikelite housed d80

 

[Warren_L]

I did a little search on the Sigma and they indeed to have an 18-50mm zoom that will do macro, however I cannot comment on the quality of the lens. Perhaps someone who has one can chime in. As well, you'd have to speak to your dealer or sea&sea about the availability of a proper port.

I do agree with David in that it's difficult to find one single lens that will do it all. You might find one that can certainly do a lot, but you'd probably sacrifice a little in what you can do at either ends of the spectrum.

 

[alcina]

Is there a Sigma 17-70 macro for the Nikon? If so, and if it's as good as the Canon mount, you might want to add this to your list.

Not as wide as the 12, obviously, but so far I've found it to be a very versatile, sharp and useful lens. The macro works a treat. You can house it in either a dome or a flat - there are trade offs for each choice, but each choice works just fine. If you use it with a flat port, you can add a Woody's dioptre, too

 

[HowardE]

Is there a Sigma 17-70 macro for the Nikon? If so, and if it's as good as the Canon mount, you might want to add this to your list.

Not as wide as the 12, obviously, but so far I've found it to be a very versatile, sharp and useful lens. The macro works a treat. You can house it in either a dome or a flat - there are trade offs for each choice, but each choice works just fine. If you use it with a flat port, you can add a Woody's dioptre, too

That's what I use... Behind a dome port.

Look in my gallery for examples

 

[Darnold9999]

FWIW I find that I get WAY more pictures that I like using the 60mm lens over the 12 24 lens. I find I will do a dive with the 60 and only if the site looks like it might be a good wide angle site do I take the 12 24 lens in the water. My criteria is lots of light, good visability and "landscape" type scenery. Hard to get good fish shots with the 12-24 as you have to be way to close for a fish to look like anything but a minnow.

I am a beginner at all of this so your experience is likely to be different, but if I were to just buy one lens it would likely be the 60. Didn't try the combination lenses - went right to a dome for the 12 24 and a flat port for the 60 so you may be able to get what you want with something that tries to do both.