I purchased a Nikon D7000 several months ago with the intentions of making it become my new dive camera. I have not yet invested in a housing for it, though I plan on purchasing an Ikelite housing for it in the near future. I am looking for some advice on what lenses and strobes to get. I like to take pictures of fish and some landscape pictures. Does anyone have any recommendations/suggestions?
Nikon D7000 Accessory Recommendations
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For portraits, you can use a 60mm macro. For landscape Tokina 10-17 fisheye. for cheap combo, OK but not great at either, some people use the kit 18-55.
Larry is right on. Need to check if it is possible with Ikelite but a great add for the Tokina is the Kenko 1.4 teleconverter, gives you chance to shoot wide angle macro, sharks, etc... Don't skimp on strobes! Buy the most powerful you can afford. Another decent all-around lens is the Sigma 17-70mm HSM.
PatW
Contributor
I have the D7000.
I have a Nauticam housing. I had a Canon G11 before with an Ike housing. The Ike housing is functional. It is a large box so it can be rather awkward to handle compared to metal housings. Also, the Nauticam housing has far more responsive controls than the Ike housing does. Given the amount of money you are going to drop in a DSLR system, you might consider trying to scrape up the extra money for the metal housing. That is just a suggestion. I do not know your circumstances, so I can not say. By the way, given my frugality, I would have gone with the Ike housing but my wife pushed me towards the Nauticam. She was right.
I have three lenses.
The Nikon 60 mm macro. This lens is good for small fish at a distance (you know those pesky, fast moving damsel fish) and close up work. To get true macro, you have to get really close and anything that can move will. Still, it is the one I would recommend. The Nikon 105 macro costs more and I understand is far trickier to handle.
The Tokina 10-17 is a great lens. It has a really short minimum focus distance which allows you to use a 4" dome which is about the same size as a macro port. The lens is great for landscape shots. With the short range minimum focus, you can have a small object in the foreground and all sorts of stuff in focus in the background. It also allows you to get really close to large subjects like divers giving you clear shots. It is also good for other large subjects that will tolerate a close approach like stingrays and oblivious turtles. However, it is hard to get close enough to even mildly wary subjects like big angel fish. Big angel fish are too big for the Nikon 60 and too small for the Tokina. Another thing about this lens is it takes great dive boat shots. The fisheye gives a quirky vibe. The focus is not that critical with any kind of F stop (good on a boat) and it has a huge field of view. It also makes for good landscape and candid shots on land. It is quite a bit of fun.
I have the Sigma 17-70 macro lens (not true macro just sort of close up). The major downside with this lens is it requires a dome of 6" or better yet 8". An 8" dome is not that hard to handle but it is noticeable compared to the Nikon 60 and the Tokina 10-17. However, the Sigma lens really shines when it come to large fish. It has the reach and the zoom to allow you to get close and still get the shot. It even has enough wide angle to do a decent job with diver shots.
As for quality, the Nikon 60 is by far the best optically. The Tokina and Sigma lenses do just fine when you stop them down some. I just don't ask them to operate wide open. I understand that the Tokina works just fine with an full frame camera as long as it is 1) stopped down to at least F8 for corner sharpness and 2) at 15 mm or above.
Now, with the Nikon 60, I would strongly recommend a focus light. Often, cute little critters are in dark spots and a focus light really helps.
You might also want a few floats on your rig to make it sort of close to neutral buoyancy.
The final thing is you are should get two strobes and the stronger the better.
I have a Nauticam housing. I had a Canon G11 before with an Ike housing. The Ike housing is functional. It is a large box so it can be rather awkward to handle compared to metal housings. Also, the Nauticam housing has far more responsive controls than the Ike housing does. Given the amount of money you are going to drop in a DSLR system, you might consider trying to scrape up the extra money for the metal housing. That is just a suggestion. I do not know your circumstances, so I can not say. By the way, given my frugality, I would have gone with the Ike housing but my wife pushed me towards the Nauticam. She was right.
I have three lenses.
The Nikon 60 mm macro. This lens is good for small fish at a distance (you know those pesky, fast moving damsel fish) and close up work. To get true macro, you have to get really close and anything that can move will. Still, it is the one I would recommend. The Nikon 105 macro costs more and I understand is far trickier to handle.
The Tokina 10-17 is a great lens. It has a really short minimum focus distance which allows you to use a 4" dome which is about the same size as a macro port. The lens is great for landscape shots. With the short range minimum focus, you can have a small object in the foreground and all sorts of stuff in focus in the background. It also allows you to get really close to large subjects like divers giving you clear shots. It is also good for other large subjects that will tolerate a close approach like stingrays and oblivious turtles. However, it is hard to get close enough to even mildly wary subjects like big angel fish. Big angel fish are too big for the Nikon 60 and too small for the Tokina. Another thing about this lens is it takes great dive boat shots. The fisheye gives a quirky vibe. The focus is not that critical with any kind of F stop (good on a boat) and it has a huge field of view. It also makes for good landscape and candid shots on land. It is quite a bit of fun.
I have the Sigma 17-70 macro lens (not true macro just sort of close up). The major downside with this lens is it requires a dome of 6" or better yet 8". An 8" dome is not that hard to handle but it is noticeable compared to the Nikon 60 and the Tokina 10-17. However, the Sigma lens really shines when it come to large fish. It has the reach and the zoom to allow you to get close and still get the shot. It even has enough wide angle to do a decent job with diver shots.
As for quality, the Nikon 60 is by far the best optically. The Tokina and Sigma lenses do just fine when you stop them down some. I just don't ask them to operate wide open. I understand that the Tokina works just fine with an full frame camera as long as it is 1) stopped down to at least F8 for corner sharpness and 2) at 15 mm or above.
Now, with the Nikon 60, I would strongly recommend a focus light. Often, cute little critters are in dark spots and a focus light really helps.
You might also want a few floats on your rig to make it sort of close to neutral buoyancy.
The final thing is you are should get two strobes and the stronger the better.
divengolf
Contributor
I've got the D7000 in an Aquatica housing. I fully concur with what's been said above. Definitely get a focus light for 60 mm and 105 mm. The Sigma 17-70 makes a great "scouting" lens. You will probably need a 8" dome or so. I carry the four lenses mentioned by PatW. Probably use the 17-70 and 60 mm 75% of the time.
Spend some time in the pool with the kit for balance and bouyancy checks.
Spend some time in the pool with the kit for balance and bouyancy checks.
Thank you everyone for your responses. I have heard a lot about the Tokina 10-17, that a lot of people use it. I think for what I am wanting to take pictures of, that it will probably be a good starter lens. I am still undecided on the Ikelite vs. a Nauticam or Aquatica. The metal housings are so darn expensive but, like PatW said, considering how much I am going to spend on the set-up, what's another couple of grand? I appreciate everyone's input!
Stoo
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I think if you get a chance to "fondle" the Ikelite, Aquatica and Nauticam housings, the difference in price is easy to understand. I have the Aquatica AD7000 (AD90 previously) and it is an absolutely superb piece of kit. I am not overy familiar with the Nauti, but a friend uses one and it's also a quality piece of gear.
Not to take away from the Ikelite too much, but if the budget allows, I think you'll be much happier with one of the others. Apart from ergonomics, the Ikelite is also mach larger and boxier. It does have the advantage of being able to visually check seals and being able to see "inside" for water, but then they take short cuts like a pretty rinky-dinky port lock. I know of two people personally who have flooded Ikelite's when entering the water when the dome simply fell off...
I chose the Aquatica over Nauticam largely because there isn't any retailers near me where I could see them. Aquatica is in Montreal which is about 6 hours from here so I had the pleasure of visiting their plant and getting to know the owners and staff and learning about how the housings are made first-hand. Had I seen Nauticam as easily, I might well have gone that route too...
Back to your original question, I use the Tokina 10 - 17 for wrecks and landscapes, and the 60 macro for portraits and uncooperative larger stuff (like sharks that won't come too close). I also have a 105 macro which is great but tough to focus unless you are planted firmly on the bottom. On the cropped sensor, it's behaving like a 160 mm lens or so and DoF is really tight. You really need to play with your aperture to get the look you want. You'll also need a flat port, some extension rings possibly and a dome port too. Focus and zoom rings also, depending on the lens/port combo you end up with. I use the 8" acrylic dome. I'd love to own a larger glass dome, but if you need to trim a little, that's one area you might. Aquatica has some neat mini domes as well that are supposed to be very good, but are somewhat lens-specific.
Getting back to Ikelite again, while I am not a huge fan of their housings, I love their strobes. I use two DS 161's and they have worked flawlessly. I still have some old Substrobe 225s that are 20-25 years old and they still work... Just not on digital cameras. Using these strobes with an Ikelite housing does allow for TTL metering, but I have yet to meet a successful photographer that shoots TTL.
Also, if you aren't in a huge panic, keep an eye on the classifieds here and on Wetpixel. Housings for D7000s already come up now and again and some folks have moved up to the D800. I bought my D90 housing that way, and saved a fortune. You just need to figure out a way to confirm it's in great shape before you buy...
Not to take away from the Ikelite too much, but if the budget allows, I think you'll be much happier with one of the others. Apart from ergonomics, the Ikelite is also mach larger and boxier. It does have the advantage of being able to visually check seals and being able to see "inside" for water, but then they take short cuts like a pretty rinky-dinky port lock. I know of two people personally who have flooded Ikelite's when entering the water when the dome simply fell off...
I chose the Aquatica over Nauticam largely because there isn't any retailers near me where I could see them. Aquatica is in Montreal which is about 6 hours from here so I had the pleasure of visiting their plant and getting to know the owners and staff and learning about how the housings are made first-hand. Had I seen Nauticam as easily, I might well have gone that route too...
Back to your original question, I use the Tokina 10 - 17 for wrecks and landscapes, and the 60 macro for portraits and uncooperative larger stuff (like sharks that won't come too close). I also have a 105 macro which is great but tough to focus unless you are planted firmly on the bottom. On the cropped sensor, it's behaving like a 160 mm lens or so and DoF is really tight. You really need to play with your aperture to get the look you want. You'll also need a flat port, some extension rings possibly and a dome port too. Focus and zoom rings also, depending on the lens/port combo you end up with. I use the 8" acrylic dome. I'd love to own a larger glass dome, but if you need to trim a little, that's one area you might. Aquatica has some neat mini domes as well that are supposed to be very good, but are somewhat lens-specific.
Getting back to Ikelite again, while I am not a huge fan of their housings, I love their strobes. I use two DS 161's and they have worked flawlessly. I still have some old Substrobe 225s that are 20-25 years old and they still work... Just not on digital cameras. Using these strobes with an Ikelite housing does allow for TTL metering, but I have yet to meet a successful photographer that shoots TTL.
Also, if you aren't in a huge panic, keep an eye on the classifieds here and on Wetpixel. Housings for D7000s already come up now and again and some folks have moved up to the D800. I bought my D90 housing that way, and saved a fortune. You just need to figure out a way to confirm it's in great shape before you buy...
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divengolf
Contributor
I second what Stoo said about used equipment. I have bought virtually all of my cameras. lenses, housings and misc. accessories used. Mostly on wetpixel.com, but occasionally on SB and a few items on EBay. I found that the folks on wetpixel were pretty accurate in their descriptions of their gear. The only problem that I have had was on EBay with a lens that would not work in AF. The buyer took it back. Make sure that you only buy from EBay sellers who agree to take back items within a reasonable period. And test everything as soon as you get it.
MHDahle
Registered
I have a D7000 and with the Aquatica housing. I shoot with the Nikor 60 mm lens almost excessively and love it. I have a Sigma 12mm lens and the 8" dome. It's good for wrecks, but the distortion of a wide angle drives me nuts. If you get the Aquatica housing, expect to use floats. I did flood my first D7000...my fault...so when Backscatter came out with the vacuum system, I bought it.....LOVE IT! My strobe is a Zinon 240, and it is pretty great too. The set up is fairly heavy, but now that I've gotten used to it, I really like it.
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