I just moved from a D70 Ikelite housing to a D200. And with the move, there are lots of changes. Some good, some not so good.
After nearly 15,000 images on my D70, it was comfy, fast, predictable and just worked. This D200 housing is unruly, stuff is in different places, some things make sense, some don't. So I decided after two whole dives to take the bolt cutters to the thing and modify it so it works the way I want it to.
#1 - Shutter Mod - the shutter tip was hitting the shutter button in the wrong place - it was hitting it on the edge, and required too much force to snap - so I was often moving the camera at the moment of release - getting soft images.
Problem: Shutter release lever was just too long. Pulled off the rubber tip and cut off about 1/8", fixed the spring (it was out of alignment before the mod) and now it hits the shutter dead center.
Also - I re-aligned shutter release trigger to point down (pull to snap - not push to snap), as well as positioning it so that at rest, it sits against the very edge of the front function wheel. This means that at rest, its only slightly off of the shutter (the front function wheel prevents the hyperactive spring from pulling the shutter lever half-an-inch off off the shutter.) So now, I essentially have a "hair trigger"... I need to pull the lever very, very slightly to fire it. This means faster, smoother shots.
#2 - Remove worthless AF Button Mod - When I had my D70, I assigned auto focus to the AE-L / AF-L button on the back of the camera. This way I was able to focus with my thumb, and fire the shutter with my index. It was a simple fix, and an elegant solution to the problem of trying to hold the shutter 1/2 way in the surge.
Fast forward to D200 and Ike housing. The bright stars at Nikon put an AF button on the back of the cam now... The problem is this: The button is too far away to comfortable reach it underwater. The actuator for the AE-L / AF-L is right where it was on the D70, but because the D200 has an AF button 1/4" away, Nikon did away with the swap feature
No brainer. Small screwdriver pushed off the "E-Ring", pulled out the button, applied a pair of large wire cutters to snip it off just above the channel the "E-Ring" falls into, and boom. File it smooth, re-install, done. I needed to get this button out of the way as I'm going to shorten the AE-L / AF-L Actuator arm so it now hits and activates the AF button.
#3 - AE-L / AF-L Actuator Lever Mod - This actuator need to hit the AF button on the back of the cam, so I can focus with my right thumb, and fire with my middle finger. I slid the actuator out over, measured where it needs to hit, took into account the button depth, and conservatively cut. Re-installed. Its almost dead center... works great, but its only almost dead center. I'm feeling pretty good right now with two mods in the bag, so I remove and lop off another 1/16th of an inch... file smooth, re-install, position the thumb lever and its done.
12 minutes later - all three mods complete. That was way too easy. And now I couldn't be more pleased.
Go outside, take many shots and it feels just like my D70 does. Except its several pound heavier...
And has that giant screen...
...and is a WHOLE LOT faster to focus and shoot...
...and has my new hair-trigger so it feels so sweet...
Leak test for 5 minutes in a 3 foot tank - all good.
There it is. My D200 fires and focuses just like my D70. Can't wait to get it out a few nights from now for an underwater trial.
Of course, I was just on Ike's site... they offer the AF lever as an "option". Probably could have sent it in, or purchased one. But this was probably the best 12 minute investment I've made in this housing.
---
Ken
PS: I mentioned there are some changes - good and not so good, in going from the D70 to the D200 Ike housing.
The Good:
* Little posts on the Tray make it easier and faster to position the cam. D70 housing didn't have these
* Ability to remove battery while cam is on the tray. NICE.
* Ability to remove card while cam is on the tray. VERY NICE.
* The tripod screw is nurled, and has enough room around it so you can hand-tighten it, in case you didn't pack the stubby blade screwdriver in your Cam kit, or nobody has a nickle.
* Synch Cord points UP. Huge improvement. The right angle on the D70 was a huge improvement, but pointing it up is even better. When you set the housing on the rocks, on the dock, in your passenger seat - the synch cord is at far less risk. Excellent idea.
* Electronics to right side - nice. This is now essentially a one handed rig.
The Bad
* The shape of the housing makes it very tough to see the mode you're in on the top LCD screen. When you change from M to A or S or whatever, the letter is all the way to the far left side of the LCD screen - right under a countour in the PolyCarb housing. I now have to look at the top of the housing to make the 2 handed adjustment (thank you very much, Nikon) then look back into the viewfinder to see what mode I'm in. Not fun.
* The TTL is no longer illuminated. That stinks. On the D70 you received illuminated confirmation that your strobes were connected correctly and the TTL curcuit was complete. There is no illumination on the D200's TTL electronics. That's not good. It also requires a much longer gaze to determine where you are (O, +1/3, -1/3, etc, etc...) Also not good. For night shooting, its going to be a real pain. The indicator is a simple cut out on the wheel. Completely inadequate to the task. C'mon, Ike. Bring back the LED's. I know the D200 eats batts, but they're easy to change now and we all have spares.
* Can't thumb focus. The thumb actuators now work the lame AE-L / AF-L button. To get the thumb actuator to work the AF button, you need to go to Ike for the parts or the mods, or do it yourself in 12 minutes or less.
All else, after three dives and two outings seem to be the same.
K.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After nearly 15,000 images on my D70, it was comfy, fast, predictable and just worked. This D200 housing is unruly, stuff is in different places, some things make sense, some don't. So I decided after two whole dives to take the bolt cutters to the thing and modify it so it works the way I want it to.
#1 - Shutter Mod - the shutter tip was hitting the shutter button in the wrong place - it was hitting it on the edge, and required too much force to snap - so I was often moving the camera at the moment of release - getting soft images.
Problem: Shutter release lever was just too long. Pulled off the rubber tip and cut off about 1/8", fixed the spring (it was out of alignment before the mod) and now it hits the shutter dead center.
Also - I re-aligned shutter release trigger to point down (pull to snap - not push to snap), as well as positioning it so that at rest, it sits against the very edge of the front function wheel. This means that at rest, its only slightly off of the shutter (the front function wheel prevents the hyperactive spring from pulling the shutter lever half-an-inch off off the shutter.) So now, I essentially have a "hair trigger"... I need to pull the lever very, very slightly to fire it. This means faster, smoother shots.
#2 - Remove worthless AF Button Mod - When I had my D70, I assigned auto focus to the AE-L / AF-L button on the back of the camera. This way I was able to focus with my thumb, and fire the shutter with my index. It was a simple fix, and an elegant solution to the problem of trying to hold the shutter 1/2 way in the surge.
Fast forward to D200 and Ike housing. The bright stars at Nikon put an AF button on the back of the cam now... The problem is this: The button is too far away to comfortable reach it underwater. The actuator for the AE-L / AF-L is right where it was on the D70, but because the D200 has an AF button 1/4" away, Nikon did away with the swap feature
No brainer. Small screwdriver pushed off the "E-Ring", pulled out the button, applied a pair of large wire cutters to snip it off just above the channel the "E-Ring" falls into, and boom. File it smooth, re-install, done. I needed to get this button out of the way as I'm going to shorten the AE-L / AF-L Actuator arm so it now hits and activates the AF button.
#3 - AE-L / AF-L Actuator Lever Mod - This actuator need to hit the AF button on the back of the cam, so I can focus with my right thumb, and fire with my middle finger. I slid the actuator out over, measured where it needs to hit, took into account the button depth, and conservatively cut. Re-installed. Its almost dead center... works great, but its only almost dead center. I'm feeling pretty good right now with two mods in the bag, so I remove and lop off another 1/16th of an inch... file smooth, re-install, position the thumb lever and its done.
12 minutes later - all three mods complete. That was way too easy. And now I couldn't be more pleased.
Go outside, take many shots and it feels just like my D70 does. Except its several pound heavier...
And has that giant screen...
...and is a WHOLE LOT faster to focus and shoot...
...and has my new hair-trigger so it feels so sweet...
Leak test for 5 minutes in a 3 foot tank - all good.
There it is. My D200 fires and focuses just like my D70. Can't wait to get it out a few nights from now for an underwater trial.
Of course, I was just on Ike's site... they offer the AF lever as an "option". Probably could have sent it in, or purchased one. But this was probably the best 12 minute investment I've made in this housing.
---
Ken
PS: I mentioned there are some changes - good and not so good, in going from the D70 to the D200 Ike housing.
The Good:
* Little posts on the Tray make it easier and faster to position the cam. D70 housing didn't have these
* Ability to remove battery while cam is on the tray. NICE.
* Ability to remove card while cam is on the tray. VERY NICE.
* The tripod screw is nurled, and has enough room around it so you can hand-tighten it, in case you didn't pack the stubby blade screwdriver in your Cam kit, or nobody has a nickle.
* Synch Cord points UP. Huge improvement. The right angle on the D70 was a huge improvement, but pointing it up is even better. When you set the housing on the rocks, on the dock, in your passenger seat - the synch cord is at far less risk. Excellent idea.
* Electronics to right side - nice. This is now essentially a one handed rig.
The Bad
* The shape of the housing makes it very tough to see the mode you're in on the top LCD screen. When you change from M to A or S or whatever, the letter is all the way to the far left side of the LCD screen - right under a countour in the PolyCarb housing. I now have to look at the top of the housing to make the 2 handed adjustment (thank you very much, Nikon) then look back into the viewfinder to see what mode I'm in. Not fun.
* The TTL is no longer illuminated. That stinks. On the D70 you received illuminated confirmation that your strobes were connected correctly and the TTL curcuit was complete. There is no illumination on the D200's TTL electronics. That's not good. It also requires a much longer gaze to determine where you are (O, +1/3, -1/3, etc, etc...) Also not good. For night shooting, its going to be a real pain. The indicator is a simple cut out on the wheel. Completely inadequate to the task. C'mon, Ike. Bring back the LED's. I know the D200 eats batts, but they're easy to change now and we all have spares.
* Can't thumb focus. The thumb actuators now work the lame AE-L / AF-L button. To get the thumb actuator to work the AF button, you need to go to Ike for the parts or the mods, or do it yourself in 12 minutes or less.
All else, after three dives and two outings seem to be the same.
K.
.
.
.
.
.
.
