Ike Ports for Nikkor 105 Micro

[Ushuaia]

G'day, could someone knowledgable comment on the choice of Ikelite ports for an old Nikkor 105mm micro? The non VR lens. Ikelite supply two ports - one that allows switching between Autofocus/Manual (5508.05) and one that does not (5505.5). The first one has an additional gearing mechanism on the port itself.

Questions:

(a) I've heard of some mechancial probs with the gearing on the AF/MF port. That there MAY be some concerns about leakage. Anyone had this sort of experience with this port?

(b) Can someone comment on the importance of being able to switch between AF and MF underwater? In the non-switchable port - leaving it on AF will obviously work. But how often would you want to preset the focus manually in this port and be unable to change it? I guess you'd have to decide beforehand if you want to go 1:1 or 1:2 or 1:3, etc, and then simply move the whole housing in/out from the subject as required. Sounds potentially awkward! I suspect you'd want to at least be able to revert to AF or be able to refocus manually. In either case the geared port iwould be required.

(c) Maybe getting the simpler port and leaving it on AF the whole time is simpler, but then I can't directly set 1:1, right? I have to get to get to the correct working distance from the subject and allow AF to bring the barrel out to 1:1?

Sorry for long winded thread, but I'm new to macro and would like to get off on the right foot. Maybe I should buy both!?

Nikon D200, btw, with a Nikkor 12-24mm also.

 

[jarhed]

Can someone comment on the importance of being able to switch between AF and MF underwater

I don't have an Ike housing,but shoot the d200 underwater. I have several lenses and own no manual focus gears, not even for the 105. auto focus on the D200 is really good and with a good focus light, I don't find the need to manual focus. Ocassionally when using the 105 with the Nikon 4T diopter (for more extreme macro) I will auto focus to about the range I want then lock focus and move in and out until I get the right feature in focus.

Just my .02 psi, I do know very accomplished u/w photographers that swear by manual focus for macro.

John.

 

[Ushuaia]

John - many thanks for your reply. It's consistent (almost word for word!) with what an experienced u/w photographer explained to me today: leave the lens set on AF. And if I want to further refine, AF on something nearby, lock the AF and then move in and out on the subject as needed. That will work fine. So, the simpler port with less mechanical bits & pieces will be my way forward.

However....... I see from another post here that the AF Lock ability of the Ike housing for the D200 is fiddly due it being a single push button on the back, rather than a lever coming from your right thumb. I can see the difficulty already! Oh well, we will cross that bridge when we get to it. I can still AF with a half-push of the shutter, although the tactile feel is lacking - I expect it will be very easy to follow through and take a shot accidentally The great thing to hear is the D200's AF ability underwater. It's great landside, so terrific to hear that continues u/w.

John, again, thanks for your input. Very, very valuable.

Rod

p.s. - Which of the focus area selections do you find best on the D200? One reference on the www swears by Dynamic-area AF with closest subject priority. Oh, that's with AF-S. I was thinking straight Dynamic-area AF, in case the subject is inside a nook or amongst coral. Obviously experiementing is necessary. Apparently AF-C is a waste of time.

I need to go get wet and experiment!

Cheers again, R

 

[jarhed]

Which of the focus area selections do you find best on the D200

I tend to use the center spot focus. I find it's easier when trying to shoot very small subjects at greater than 1:1 with small DOF. I generally focus on the eye (or whatever feature I want in focus, lock focus, recompose and move in/out until the feature is back in focus.

It's probably not the most efficient method and I'm sure that the D200's many AF modes and focus areas could simplify my methodology, but i'm pretty set in my ways...

When I'm bundled up in a drysuit, in choppy water with lots of surge, I can suck a tank dry shooting a single nudibranch. This might explain why my wife dosn't go out with me too much anymore...

Take care,
john

 

[Ushuaia]

John,

Just returned from a 5 day side-trip to The Philippines and Puerto Galera. Went with the plain flat port for the 105mm macro and it worked a treat by using autofocus exclusively. Thanks for your help!

I also bought a set of diopter lenses, and tried out the +4 on the front of the 105mm. Only had one dive with that set-up and it wasn't a particularly good one - the guide led me to wrecks and frog-fish, as opposed to the requested shrimps and sea-horses...... :shakehead Still, that combo clearly has real potential. Found a number of references on the net about such combo - it appears that the +4 is the only way to go underwater, what with the water/air port interface to begin with: that +4 underwater is the equiv of +1 above water? A lot to study and learn about all this! Interesting stuff.

Thanks again for your thoughts, John. Cheers, Rod