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[bubblebubble]

Hi,

I was hoping some of you could help me choose my next camera and housing.

My current setup comprises a Panasonic GF2, 8mm FE, 10 bar housing & dome port. This combo has served me extremely well and was great for photographing large animals in the shallows using available lights. I'd like to take my photography to the next level and I have narrowed it down to the D600 in combination with a sigma 15mm FE, ikelite housing, 6" dome port. My reasoning for this choice is as follows but I'd appreciate any input:

Body (D600 vs GH3 vs OMD vs D800)
I really wanted to stick with m43 but I feel they no longer offer the best value for money. I've considered the GH3, OM-D EM-5 and D800 but the D600 seems to stand out looking at cost, available lenses, available housings, DR, dolor depth.

Lens (Panny 8mm 3.5 vs Sigma 15mm FE 2.8)
I love my 8mm F3.5 Lumix FE but the Sigma 15mm 2.8 promises to be even faster. However, I don't know how they compare optically (wide open). Thoughts?

Housing (Ikelite vs Nauticam)
There was nothing wrong with my 10Bar housing and I'd get another one anytime. For the the D600, I was thinking to go with Ikelite looking at cost but also size and weight. Everyone says that Ikelite is bulkier than the rest but when I compare dimensions it seems that the Ikelite housing is about the same as a Nauticam housing. Am I wrong? Also, the Ikelite housing is lighter, I think. On the other end, a lot of people hate Ikelite with passion but I'm not fully sure why. Will it be a massive step backwards from my 10bar housing? Has anyone compared the Ikelite D600 vs Nauticam-D600?

Dome ports (6" vs 8" vs Zen vs Precision)
Suppose I go with Ikelite, what port should I use? I'm leaning towards the 6" standard port but I'm not sure if this is a good choice. The 6" port is lighter and a lot cheaper than 8" Ikelite/third party ports. How do they compare optically? Corner sharpness allegedly suffers with the 6" dome port. The question is to what extent does corner sharpness suffer? Pictures taken with a FE lens tend to draw attention to the picture center due to barrel distortion. Can you readily see imperfections introduced by the 6" dome or would they go unnoticed unless you look for them? How would the ikelite dome compare to the optics of my current 10Bar dome?
Would you encourage me to go for 8" at the expense of weight/cost or Precision or Zen?
Does anyone have image samples that could help me make a decision?
Are there any tweaks necessary to optimize the lens' position in the dome port. I see an extension port is not necessary for this lens but would it benefit from one optically?

Thanks for sharing your insight!

 

[Mario V]

Hi Bubblebubble.
when considering housings i strongly believe you get what you pay for.
Ikelite SLR housings are all right but when compared to brands like Nauticam Subal or aquatica they are miles apart.
Ikelite uses one box for all they housings models adapting it to match every camera model. Because of this the ergonomics are compromised and therefore the easy of use. The port diameter is also too small for certain lenses.
The port lock system in Ikelite housings is based on four rather flimsy plastic clips that hold the port in place and rely on the water pressure to secure the port in place, not a problem at depth but in the shallows it has always made me nervous after seeing a fair few housings flooded during safety stops.
The great advantage of Ikelite housings comes when you pair it with an Ikelite strobe and if you plan to use TTL. Because the housings have built in TTL converter, the camera can "talk" to the strobe and you will get true TTL and will be able to control the strobe from the housing.
I have used many different housings in the last 10 years and right now I think your best options is Nauticam. The ergonomics and easy of use are incredible, and you will get one of the most secure port systems. Subal has announced atheir version and I'm really looking forward to see what they bring out.
As for the dome, the 6" is not a dome designed for fisheye lenses, the optics will not work very well. If you wish to keep your rig as small as possible, the Zen 4" dome is your best option. Currently I'm shooting with a Canon 60D and with an Olympus OMD. On the Canon I use the Tokina 10-17 with the 4" Zen glass port and I cannot say anything bad about it, it performs brilliantly. The only limitation will be shooting split levels when the larger the dome the better the results will be.

 

[bubblebubble]

...
The port lock system in Ikelite housings is based on four rather flimsy plastic clips that hold the port in place and rely on the water pressure to secure the port in place, not a problem at depth but in the shallows it has always made me nervous after seeing a fair few housings flooded during safety stops.
...
As for the dome, the 6" is not a dome designed for fisheye lenses, the optics will not work very well. If you wish to keep your rig as small as possible, the Zen 4" dome is your best option. Currently I'm shooting with a Canon 60D and with an Olympus OMD. On the Canon I use the Tokina 10-17 with the 4" Zen glass port and I cannot say anything bad about it, it performs brilliantly. The only limitation will be shooting split levels when the larger the dome the better the results will be.

Thanks,

so the Ikelite is not very safe for freediving then I take?

I was leaning towards the 6" dome because the 8" port and assembly add quite a bit to the cost and weight. Ideally, I'd like to keep both to a minimum. I'm happy to accept comprised corner sharpness depending on how bad it is.

 

[Mario V]

If you check the Ikelite port chart the 6" dome is only supported for wide angles, not fish eye lenses.
Alex Mustard wrote an interesting article about mini domes for wetpixel. there is some useful info in there
Thoughts on Mini Domes :: Wetpixel.com
If you are going to be freediving, ergonomics are a very important, you need to be able to made adjustments very quickly. for this particular reason I'll go down the Nauticam route. The housing will be heavier but it will feel much better in your hands and you will be able to use the mini dome with the Sigma 15mm reducing dramatically size and weight.
the price of the Nauticam mini dome is less than the 8.5" but a bit more than the 6"

 

[bubblebubble]

Ikelite says the 6" dome would work but produces vignetting unless you shave the shades:

SLR Port Chart - Sigma Lenses

I also found the 5" precision domes for ikelite:

Precision 5" Modular Dome for the ikelite modular port system

Maybe that's what I should go for?