DSLR lens - Ports - Diopters

[fpoole]

In a possible transition from an OLY C-4040 to an Digital SLR D-70 or D-100, I keep seeing different lens, ports Domes and other terms that seem a little confusing.

Lens:
At first I thought is was like a zoom lens from say 60mm to 180mm (not a clue if that is the correct one, but just for example) like above water. Is it the same?

Ports:
These look like the wide domes, fish eye appearing. Do you need these due to the length of the zoom lens or for the wide angle lenses of 28-15mm?

Diopters:
Are these "Super" extension tube types to pick up the picture displayed on the inside of the port?? As I understand it, the inside glass dome shows a reflection and the diopter allows the Wide Angle lens to focus the short distance on the inside of the dome to take the picture. Sort of a picture of a reflection?

Preferred lens:
And finally, what would be the preferred lens of choice. I see the 60-180mm but then our Thai Friends indicated that he wished for a 50mm for a macro shot...

So my question is, for someone just getting geared up for a DSLR, what would be a good set up.. realizing of course, that it's "Yet Another Slippery Slope" of UW stuff to get...
Most shots will be macro in the Great North West diving area, but like to get landscape shots... when the vis and sun allow it.. :06:

Any help would be appreciated and keep it, please, in "Newbie Speak".... so I can understand it.. :10:

Thanx much...

 

[mjh]

First pick your camera, then your housing. This will help dictate your other purchases. As you know most people want to shoot Reefscape and Macro. This will require a Dome Port and a Flat Port. Port Extensions, zoom gears, focus gears, diaoptars will depend on what housing/lenses you go with.

Since we tend to travel I try to have back ups of “parts” nothing worse then being on a trip and having a part go out, take my word for it. I give you the whole list because the “little” parts can add up…

Nikon D100
Aquatica Housing
2x Sea&Sea YS90DX strobes
Dome Port
Flat Port
Nikon 60mm, Macro Lens
Focus Gear
Nikon 18mm-70mm, Wide Angle
Zoom Gear
TLC Strobe arms
2x 5pin Sync cords
Extra 5 pin bulkhead
2x 512 memory cards
20 gig Flashtrax storage device
1620 Pelican Travel Case
16 AA Rechargeable Batteries
2 AA battery chargers
3x all O-rings, don’t’ forget o-ring grease
Soft Sided Cooler for transporting camera on dive boat
Lanyards for attaching camera housing to BC
Misc tools for working on housing/strobes

Main Players for gear (IMHO):
Camera: Canon or Nikon
Housing: L&M, Ikelite, Sea&Sea, Aquatica
Strobes: S&S, Inon, Ikelite
Lens: To many to list

Many people swear by the 105mm for Macro work and now the new Nikon 12-24mm is getting great reviews. I started from scratch so budget was a deciding factor in my choices. I have been very happy with everything so far. If I were to add anything in the future it would be: 105mm lens, maybe look at other strobes waaaay down the road.

Good Luck!

 

[fpoole]

Great mjh,
Thanx for the list, I hear ya on the traveling thing.. shot a trip in Fiji w/Nikonas V with a dead battery - 8-10 rolls of 36 Blank as the camera defaulted to 1/1000th of a sec.. heheh.. a little tough for the stobes to synch up..
Anyway, good info...
with questions:

Dome ports: Why are they used - purpose? with the Nikon 18mm-70mm because of physical length?, Wide Angle lens? So you have change ports? Dome to Flat for the 60mm macro lens?

Flat Ports: their purpose and use for 60mm Macro lens good for macro only.. 1-4' ? again because of physical size you don't need the dome port?

So in a dive boat senario... unless you're changing Dome Ports you're shooting with one set of lens?? As I have with L&M Tetra, I have a Wide Angle, Regular and Macro.
I'm shooting with the WA all the time.. to change I have to unscrew (bayonet) the lens and pop in the other one. Are these ports the same???? have to swap out each time you want to use the other lens, or can I just use the dome port with the 60mm macro lens..
This is where Im having problems in viewing just what is involved...
Zoom goes with "Roundy-Lens" (dome port)? because of physical length of the zoom lens?
Macro goes with Flat port? cause it doesn't need the extra length.

anyone?, thanx

LOL... sometimes I feel like an idiot.. Doh!!!??

 

[Jason B]

Here's a good link with info on flat and domed ports for UW photography.
http://home.swipnet.se/marinls/domeuw.html

 

[littlemermaid]

Also try taking a look at L&M website www.uwimaging.com and look at the Titan housing to get some idea of what the ports look like and which lenses are used with each. I am sure other housing manufacturers have similar sites....it just so happens that I have the Titan housing for the Nikon D100 (which I love). So far I only have the dome port to use with the 16mm fisheye and 12-24mm lenses (which have different extension rings). Their flat port can be used with either the 60mm or 105mm lenses for macro stuff.

Good luck!

 

[ssra30]

It is a little confusing with all the terms and gadgets you will need for dSLR.

ports: there are all kinds of lens with various lenghts and sizes so dSLR housing generally is just a housing with a big hole in front. To accomodate a specific lens, you will need a specific port or port with extension ring. Therefore, before you buy a housing and lens, check out the manufacturer's website to see what ports they have and what lens they will support. Not all manufacturers support all the lenses since there are so many.
Generally you will need domeport for wide angle and flat port of macro stuff. The midrange zoom is a bit more debatable whether you will use flat or dome. See recommendation from specific housing manufacturer.

zoom gear: if you have a zoom lens, you will need a zoom gear so you can operate the zoom. Again, each housing manufacturer will only support certain zoom.

Lens: since you are going with Nikon dSLR, basically you will have these choices as far as lens go- Nikor 12-24, 10.5 fisheye, 16mm fisheye. Midrange zoom lens would be the 18-70mm (I think only Ikelite has port support for this one so far). For macro, the popular choices are Nikor 60mm, 105mm, 70-180mm lens, Sigma 50mm lens. Macro lens basically mean that it can focus close to the subject.



Diopter: not all the lens will focus very close to the subject, even some macro lens such as the 70-180mm lens will focus as near as 14 inches so using a diopter will let it focus even closer. Some domeports will require certain lens to use diopter in order for it to focus as well. Again,the manufacturer's site should have all of these details.

For me, I have 60mm macro lens, 70-180 macro lens and 12-24mm WAL. A dome port for WAL, 2 separate ports for the 60 and 70-180 macro, zoom gears for 12-24 and 70-180mm. A housing and 2 strobes set up. I think it cover most of my needs, generally.

 

[fpoole]

Great, thanx all, it's starting to make sense.. now.

"E"mermaid: thanx for the info and the note that you're happy with the Titan. That was the system I'm leaning towards and it's nice to know there is another that is happy with it..

ssra30: Thanx much for the simple descriptions in "Newbie Speak"as it clears up a lot of confusion...

Much appreciated all...

Now, if I can only find that debit card.. heheh.. Ouch!!

 

[Dee]

I think you're gonna need the credit card for this one!

 

[mjh]

Quick note, the Nikon 18-70 lens can be used w/aquatica housing flat port with out any extensions, etc.. Typically on a dive with a group I take the 18-70 in the dome port and shoot fish, diver shots. 2nd-4th dives I take the 60mm Macro lens in the flat port, go slow w/understanding buddy and shoot small stuff.

 

[fpoole]

I take the 18-70 in the dome port and shoot fish, diver shots. 2nd-4th dives I take the 60mm Macro lens in the flat port,....

Ok, here's an example that I'm foggy on.. if you have a 18-70 lens, assuming mm and it's zoom?? maybe not?, then why would you need a 60mm...
Why not use the 18-70 and bring it down to a 60mm?
Cause it's a Macro setup??

Obviously I'm missing something, but ???
heheheh.. thanx