Installing WA lens UW??

[divengolf]

I'm considering buying an Ikelite housing for my wife's Nikon P5100 along with a strobe and a WA lens (Ikelite with 67 mm threads).

Question is: How difficult is it to thread the lens onto the housing underwater?

I'm fairly mechanical and I'd be concerned about cross-threading the lens/housing. Above water I'd back the lens off (counter-clockwise) until you feel the threads drop. Then screw it on. Underwater I doubt that I'd be able to feel the "drop" especially with gloves on.

Should I go with another WA lens that snaps into place on the housing?? What adapter to use??

I'm going with Ikelite to get the hard-wired TTL. MY wife is an avid Phototog and wants the TTL/Manual UW.

Also Ikelite base doesn't seem to have a spot to store the lens when not in use. Do I have to fabricate something??

BTW: This is a great forum. I've taken about 6,000 UW pictures with a Sealife DC500 as a starter camera, but decided to get serious about UW photo. I'm learned a lot about what to do and esp. not to do in this forum, wetpixel & digital diver. Thanks to everyone for sharing their expertise.

BBTW: I'll be selling the DC500, strobe and all the gadgets for it. If some one is interested, PM me. It's a good, inexpensive starter camera. I've got a housing for my wife's "old" Nikon D70.

 

[livewire]

Hi there! Congratulations on the decision to get more serious with UW photography, it's an incredibly rewarding adventure.

On your question about how difficult it is to thread the 67mm lens underwater: My migration took me from a Sea & Sea MX-10 with Bayonet mount lenses to a Light and Motion Housing with 67mm threads. I have an Inon UWL-100 wide angle lens for it and I have successfully removed and replaced this lens underwater lots of times without damaging it. It IS trickier than the bayonet lenses, and slightly more challenging doing it with gloves on than without. Even with gloves you can feel the threads drop, though (I wear 3mm neoprene gloves in California). You'll also be able to see and feel if you cross threaded it. If you want to be more certain about it, you could also put a paint mark on the lens body to line up with a mark on the housing so you'll know where to start the threading. Line up the marks, set the lens on the threads, and you know you're starting at the right place.

On attachments: I have seen 67mm lens holder accessories that you would attach to your strobe arms, so I'm sure you could purchase them. I usually just commit to the lens and don't switch them much. It complicates my dive to switch out the lens, find a place to stash it, re-attach it, and right now I'm more in to WA anyway. You do have to burp it at the start of your dive though, so there is at least one removal/replacement exercise every time.

Incidentally I'll be selling a flawless spare Inon UWL-100 (67mm) soon if you're interested! Take care!

 

[JackConnick]

You might consider the Fantasea Housing, as they have a WAL-02 lens and a holder that mounts on the arms for the lens. It's a very good setup; smaller, less expensive and lighter than the Ike.

Jack

 

[paradicio]

I've got the Canon G9 with Ike housing 67mm threaded port and the Ike WA lens. I've had absolutely no trouble putting the lens on under water...even with my thick cold water gloves.

 

[divengolf]

You might consider the Fantasea Housing, as they have a WAL-02 lens and a holder that mounts on the arms for the lens. It's a very good setup; smaller, less expensive and lighter than the Ike.

Jack

Jack,

I've looked into Fantasea, but I help out at my LDS and they're an Ikelite dealer. In return I get anything I want at cost. So I have lots of toys.

Also I don't believe that the Fantasea housing provides TTL via a non-optical link, but I may be wrong on that. My wife insists on TTL via an electrical connection. None of this sensor stuff for her.

Harry

 

[divengolf]

If you want to be more certain about it, you could also put a paint mark on the lens body to line up with a mark on the housing so you'll know where to start the threading. Line up the marks, set the lens on the threads, and you know you're starting at the right place.

Great idea-The best ones are always simple.

You do have to burp it at the start of your dive though, so there is at least one removal/replacement exercise every time.

MY DC500 WA lens burbed itself as soon as it was submerged. I'm surprised that the WA lens or housing manufacturers haven't designed in weep holes to get rid of the air without removing the lens. Maybe it's time for my trusty drill!!

Incidentally I'll be selling a flawless spare Inon UWL-100 (67mm) soon if you're interested! Take care!

If you're going to sell it soon, I'm interested. I'm leaving on a dive trip on 10/9 and will need it by then. PM me if you can.

BTW: Thanks for the response to this question. SB is the best!!