Need help to choose housing for a Nikon D200

[Fota]

To help with your fast moving dolphin issue, you might try switching your focus mode on the front of the D200 from S to C mode. The C continuous mode will track a moving object and you can have different shutter release priority than the S single servo mode which you have set to not release the shutter unless focus is achived. The Ikelite housing has the control arm for the focus control knob on the front of the camera. Switch back to S mode for stills and slow fish.

I have been following your thread and appreciate the information. I just recently sold my C-8080 rig and am looking at the Ikelite setup. I have been shooting my Nikons topside for a while but have yet to take one swimming. Keep the information coming, your pics are looking good.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Thanks!
Yeah, you are right. When the camera was housed that would have been the best choice if I had had the time to find the shutter priority in the menu (I always have it set to "focus priority"). But it was very stressful and the dolphin just passed me once in a few seconds... Now when I can have second thoughts, I should have removed the port, changed the 60mm macro lens to manual and then preset the manual focus to eternity (or almost) and kept one hand on the big focus knob. But, I wasn't thinking clear, the waves were big and I was dead tired as I forgot the snorkel on the boat.


/Fota

 

[Fota]

wow. havent been here for awhile " You last visited: September 30th, 2005 "

Hugyfot D200 with W/A Dome for Tokina 10-17 (no strobe config for snorkeling)

I have the Hugyfot D200 and there is a big difference on control "feel" from the Ikelite Housing (I had one.) The Hugy fits the camera like a glove, making control precise. It does not guarantee better pictures, but it makes it easier getting there.

Often times in the Ikelite I have to LOOK at the control I am trying to get to. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Ikelite products and would recommend them to anyone wanting to try underwater photography. I had Ikelite for the Nikon 5700, 8400, D70, D200.

I don't disagree. There are controls for (almost) everything on the Ike. The only thing you can't change is things that are almost impossible to make controls for, like the single/CL,CH etc knob. A setting I wouldn't need to change uw. Also, the manual/AF setting on the Nikkor 60mm. That is a major pity though but I don't think any housing supports that on the other hand.

Removing the port is very fast and easy, so you can change the setting even if the camera is housed (unless it's submerged ).

But yes, a few knobs are easy to mix up and you either pratice or you (like me, I have only used it on 14 dives) have to look at the housing from time to time.
There are two knobs there are a little tricky to operate. The one the presses "Mode" (it's good that it keeps Mode pressed though) and the one that alters M/S/C (you easily skip from M to C but you need to be careful to set it at S).

I wouldn't be surprised if at least some of these things are better in subal, hugyfot and sea&sea, but I think the bottom line is that the Ike housing is good, well built, has many nice and important features (including true TTL for multi strobes and knobs for "any" control, ports for just about any lens) and Ikelite provide _excellent_ customer service (!!!) for a reasonable price. It's also transparent, which has its benefits. It may be a little bigger and heavier (actually it's the mounting plate that is heavy, probably to give the housing negative bouyancy...?).

One may think (I thought so the first year using my old Ike housing) that Ike housing has no good focus light options (i.e. make it possible to move the strobe arm without altering the focus light), but they do, I have it and it works great.

If you can and want to spend more money, you will probably get an even better housing. Make sure you can connect the strobes you plan to use with TTL (if you want TTL). If 45/90 degrees viewfinder seems really cool and you have the money, go for the housing that provides the best solution for that. Some makes it very hard to see the display.

You wont see the whole viewfinder in the Ike housing. You will need to move your head a little, get a feeling of how much is left or simple always shoot with same extra space at the hidden edge (that's how I ended up). I don't know how this is on the other brands.

It's always hard to know how long one will keep ones camera. Will Nikon release a full frame D-SLR with a great working live-view feature for affordable money?
What then? I would kill for a great live-view feature (uw) but what about my old lenses etc.

/Fota

 

[tx51210]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks!
Yeah, you are right. When the camera was housed that would have been the best choice if I had had the time to find the shutter priority in the menu (I always have it set to "focus priority"). But it was very stressful and the dolphin just passed me once in a few seconds... Now when I can have second thoughts, I should have removed the port, changed the 60mm macro lens to manual and then preset the manual focus to eternity (or almost) and kept one hand on the big focus knob. But, I wasn't thinking clear, the waves were big and I was dead tired as I forgot the snorkel on the boat.


/Fota

Fota

The bitting sarcasm is not appreciated. I was merely trying to help. The single servo and continuous servo operate differently even with focus lock priority set.
I can appreciate fleeting opportunities and have missed my share of shots in similar situations but I thought this was a friendly board where members tried to help each other.

 

[Fota]

Fota

The bitting sarcasm is not appreciated. I was merely trying to help. The single servo and continuous servo operate differently even with focus lock priority set.
I can appreciate fleeting opportunities and have missed my share of shots in similar situations but I thought this was a friendly board where members tried to help each other.

Oh, no sarcasm was meant! Please note that many of us here on the board don't have English as our first language. I'm from Sweden for instance, so you have to be understanding that we may not express ourselves perfectly all the time.

I was simply saying that in my situation, as I had both the S and C set to Focus priority (and yes you are correct that it can be set differently and the C can be fine tuned with even more parameters), so it was too messy to deal with at that stressed situation. But, if my C was not set to focus priority, it would have been a very good idea to use that.


/Fota

 

[tx51210]

Oh, no sarcasm was meant! Please note that many of us here on the board don't have English as our first language. I'm from Sweden for instance, so you have to be understanding that we may not express ourselves perfectly all the time.

I was simply saying that in my situation, as I had both the S and C set to Focus priority (and yes you are correct that it can be set differently and the C can be fine tuned with even more parameters), so it was too messy to deal with at that stressed situation. But, if my C was not set to focus priority, it would have been a very good idea to use that.


/Fota

Fota,

Misunderstandings are very easy on these boards. Short messages can covey the wrong tone very easily. No harm done.

I also keep my C mode set to focus priority. My point was, with all settings being equal, I find that C mode will obtain acceptable focus for release with moving subjects when S mode will normally lock out and result in a missed shot. No big, deal, it's just how the focus systems are intended to work.

If I was shooting macro or potraits, my preference is for S mode, because it's more picky nature results in more tack sharp results. Are you shooting most of your shots in S mode?

 

[wjsdive]

Hey:
I have about 65 dives on a D80 in a Sea and Sea housing. I have about 50 using a 12-24mm WA and my 60mm macro is less thatn a month old and I have about 15 dives with that.I am very happy with the results with both lenses. You are right about the costs involved and I chose the d80 over the d200 for that reason. I have bought several cars for less than this set me back. You won't go wrong with the d80 in my book, and as for the lens just make sure you can get all of the port configurations because the lens is really your choice based on what you like to shoot.

 

[danishDiver]

Hi wjsdive

I ended up getting a Nikon D200 + Ikelite housine + Ikelite DS125 + 60mm (unfortunaltly with a 6" dome, instead of flatport (stupid me).

I had 18 good dives with it, and some of the pictures are okay (none raw->jpg processed yet)

 

[Fota]

Fota,

Misunderstandings are very easy on these boards. Short messages can covey the wrong tone very easily. No harm done.

I also keep my C mode set to focus priority. My point was, with all settings being equal, I find that C mode will obtain acceptable focus for release with moving subjects when S mode will normally lock out and result in a missed shot. No big, deal, it's just how the focus systems are intended to work.

If I was shooting macro or potraits, my preference is for S mode, because it's more picky nature results in more tack sharp results. Are you shooting most of your shots in S mode?

Good!

Regarding S vs C. Yes, you are absolutely right. C is much less picky, so when giving it second thoughts, C might have worked. I mostly use S mode, but I use C mode from time to time. Not only on moving targets, but also when I move slightly. A typical example is when taking 1:1 macro shots standing up, with no tripod or other suppport for me or the camera. In that situation one almost always, tend to move slightly forward and backwards. As the dof is so short, the small and slow movement is enough to get out of focus after the camera sets the focus in S mode. But, in C mode I get much better results as it follows and predicts my movements. I have yet to test it uw, but I guess it could be very useful in situations when you find no support or the current is strong. It's a little annoying if you forget about it and try to set focus and then recompose though... has happened to me more than once.

I often get razor sharp results when using C on handheld unsupported 1:1 macro shots. I seldom get razor sharp results when I shoot moving targets, that I follow with the camera in C mode though. Maybe I need to practice that more...


/Fota

 

[Fota]

Hi wjsdive

I ended up getting a Nikon D200 + Ikelite housine + Ikelite DS125 + 60mm (unfortunaltly with a 6" dome, instead of flatport (stupid me).

I had 18 good dives with it, and some of the pictures are okay (none raw->jpg processed yet)

Congrats!

But why did you go for the 6" dome? Was is to be able to use one dome for many lenses?
What are the problems you have had with it together with the 60mm? I've read that it's not recommended but that's about it. Yeah, you will get less tele effect (the 1.3x time the water / air increases the subject when using a flatport) but maybe you didn't want that (I did!) anyway.

Now, lets see your pictures!

I plan to get the 8" and the 12-24. Not that I'm already bored with the 60mm I have yet to start use it in Sweden, on the contrary, but simply becuase it would be fun to practice on some wide angle shots.


/Fota

 

[danishDiver]

Hi Fota

Thanks.

The reason was pretty simply, stupidity from my side, i just looked at what the german company could provide, and what dome i could use for the lense.

The problem i have had, is that underwater i can't get close to the things i wanted to shoot :-( I got some okay christmas tree worm shoots, but never got as close as i wanted

I have been talking to an old photographer here in Denmark, and he has an ikelite flatport i can have for free

So now i just need th solve my wideangle lense problem.(See other thread)

What 12-24 lense do you want ? I am looking at the Tokina (to save money compared to Nikon's)

p.s. Don't worry i'll put some pictures online soon