Issue with Ikelite Customer Support

[Barmaglot]

For the reference, here is a sample of 16-35mm (f/2.8 GM version, but the f/4 Z should be similar) being shot at f/4 with reasonable quality - not great, but reasonable.

However, this is a $2k+ 230mm glass dome. It is huge, heavy (2.67kg), cumbersome (I wouldn't want to even try freediving with one), not to mention expensive. Ikelite doesn't offer one like that at all, although Zen Underwater sells it in both DL and FL mounts. They don't have a port chart for Ikelite housings posted, but if you contact their sales or support, they should be able to suggest what extension should be used for your housing and lens.

 

[cerich]

For the reference, here is a sample of 16-35mm (f/2.8 GM version, but the f/4 Z should be similar) being shot at f/4 with reasonable quality - not great, but reasonable.

However, this is a $2k+ 230mm glass dome. It is huge, heavy (2.67kg), cumbersome (I wouldn't want to even try freediving with one), not to mention expensive. Ikelite doesn't offer one like that at all, although Zen Underwater sells it in both DL and FL mounts. They don't have a port chart for Ikelite housings posted, but if you contact their sales or support, they should be able to suggest what extension should be used for your housing and lens.

oh yeah, Zen makes great ports, I have 3 of them. I also trust when they say a lens/port combo works or will not. I would have with Ikelite until this as well.

 

[BoltSnap]

Zen makes great ports, I have 3 of them.

You use them with your M43 camera/lenses?

 

[lupiphoto]

Hello @cerich and @Barmaglot!
Sorry for my delay in replying, I have read through your comments and feel I have learnt a lot.
I guess you guys have been doing this for a while and have built this knowledge based on trial and error as well as reading. Without first hand experience, it's quite hard to understand things based on reading alone. I am going to proceed with trying to return the dome, and try to get the 8" dome, until I am in a position to add a fisheye lens like the old tokina. Once again I thank you for your wise input, it has helped me greatly and at least given me a foot on the ground that my impression was at least not unfounded.
Regards,
Lucia

 

[Barmaglot]

If you still have your old Nikon-mount Tokina, then watch out for the release of Monster Adapter LA-FE2. Their 1st gen adapter lacks the screw drive that the Tokina needs to focus, but 2nd gen promises to add it, and then you will be able to use it with a Sony camera if you zoom to 15mm or further. Shaving off the hood will let you use wider zoom settings.

 

[lupiphoto]

If you still have your old Nikon-mount Tokina, then watch out for the release of Monster Adapter LA-FE2. Their 1st gen adapter lacks the screw drive that the Tokina needs to focus, but 2nd gen promises to add it, and then you will be able to use it with a Sony camera if you zoom to 15mm or further. Shaving off the hood will let you use wider zoom settings.

No, I sold all my Nikon gear to buy the newer Sony gear...
Oh well....

 

[cerich]

You use them with your M43 camera/lenses?

yes, sorry just saw this.

Have the

DP-100-EP 100mm Fisheye Dome Port for Panasonic 8mm with a PT-EP10 housing that I found for an amazing price about 3 years ago (half of the retail of just the dome alone) virtually unused that I have the E-PL6 in it. It's super tiny and great to travel with when I expect only to be doing Wide angle.​

​

Then I have the most used WA-100-EP Pen Dome for Olympus 9-18 with the converter to use in my old trusty PT-EP08 with the 9-18 and a +2 diopter . Also great to travel but still notice how much bigger than above, however I have a macro port for it that allows me to use the 60.. so when I am unsure what I will be doing .. it's great. You can use the 60 behind the dome, but i don't​

​

Then the "big" housing is the PT-EP13 (also got cheap used) with my E-M1 mk2 with the large dome I use the Oly 7-14 pro and the Old Olympus 4/3 with MMF3 adapter 8mm fisheye. Honestly, it's not that it's that massive but I find myself waffling more often than not and grabbing one of the other two because it's a bigger system and whole better quality images by a bit and far faster focusing ... the other systems work fine if I am on my game. Obviously can use the macro port on this or the PT-EP08 with an easy switch versus changing ports on the PEN housings which is a true PITA.​

​

I should sell a couple really, but I keep around because each has a use case and if I also find myself teaching a uw photography class with them. Even the now 13 year old E-M5 in the PT_EP08 can still produce more than acceptable images as you know and prove.​

​

​

 

[Barmaglot]

No, I sold all my Nikon gear to buy the newer Sony gear...
Oh well....

If you aren't too attached to the SEL1635Z (assuming that's the lens that you have), you can sell it, buy an MC-11 and a Sigma 15mm f/2.8 and still have some money left over.

 

[cerich]

yes, sorry just saw this.

Have the

DP-100-EP 100mm Fisheye Dome Port for Panasonic 8mm with a PT-EP10 housing that I found for an amazing price about 3 years ago (half of the retail of just the dome alone) virtually unused that I have the E-PL6 in it. It's super tiny and great to travel with when I expect only to be doing Wide angle.​

​

Then I have the most used WA-100-EP Pen Dome for Olympus 9-18 with the converter to use in my old trusty PT-EP08 with the 9-18 and a +2 diopter . Also great to travel but still notice how much bigger than above, however I have a macro port for it that allows me to use the 60.. so when I am unsure what I will be doing .. it's great. You can use the 60 behind the dome, but i don't​

​

Then the "big" housing is the PT-EP13 (also got cheap used) with my E-M1 mk2 with the large dome I use the Oly 7-14 pro and the Old Olympus 4/3 with MMF3 adapter 8mm fisheye. Honestly, it's not that it's that massive but I find myself waffling more often than not and grabbing one of the other two because it's a bigger system and whole better quality images by a bit and far faster focusing ... the other systems work fine if I am on my game. Obviously can use the macro port on this or the PT-EP08 with an easy switch versus changing ports on the PEN housings which is a true PITA.​

​

I should sell a couple really, but I keep around because each has a use case and if I also find myself teaching a uw photography class with them. Even the now 13 year old E-M5 in the PT_EP08 can still produce more than acceptable images as you know and prove.​

​

For size perspective, the second pic is even giving the small one a forced perspective size bump..

 

[lupiphoto]

If you aren't too attached to the SEL1635Z (assuming that's the lens that you have), you can sell it, buy an MC-11 and a Sigma 15mm f/2.8 and still have some money left over.

Hi, yeah, I would, but I do interior and hospitality work, I actually need the lens.
It's just too much money spending already for what is just a hobby. I'd still need to pay for the new dome price difference and transport, because I really don't want to keep the compact, and I just changed all my gear, and it adds up quickly...
I have to "stop the bleeding"!