sp-350

[bfisher]

Hee Hee,, looks like ya gotta pay to play. Seriously, I'm getting a lot of useful info on here.

Barry

 

[Larry C]

My view of the SP-350- First dive you have to have a WA for this camera/housing period. When you shoot a photo the screen goes blue with the word busy showing- want to see the photo you shot press a button then press the same button to get back to the view screen, I hated that. Second dive I flooded the housing my fault that damm lens cap cord in the bottom corner fell over the oring I caught it at 40ft to late- camera is in a trash can in Coz. But I saved the xd card and photos I had shot on the first dive and downloaded in the puter. You know I like my 5050Z better even thou I only made one dive with the sp-350. I really do not think i will replace it unless the price plummets allot.I hate it that it was totally my fault it flooded, live and learn and open up the ck book.

Sorry about the flood, Domino. You did it at the right time though. With the current rebate, I've seen new ones on ebay at a buy-it-now of $200.00. $249 is pretty common after the $50 rebate. The busy screen is generally only after a raw shot. Hopefully, the newer faster memory will get it in under the current 8 seconds or so. There is a setting for seeing your last shot. Go to settings and set it for camera on, picture on screen. It will give you a brief review before going back to the viewfinder. My only gripe about the quick view feature, is if it's a RAW, it takes as long to access it as it did to shoot it. I just look for the brief review on screen and then go to the next shot.
I am STRONGLY considering yanking the lens cap altogether because of the way it dangles in my macro shots when the camera is held vertical, and the placement of the hole for the tether is just stupid. They couldn't have moved it to the weight or something equally intelligent? That goes for the camera tether as well. I've come close to catching both strings.

 

[Ben_ca]

Oh Boy, here we go!!!!!!!!!!! I gotta see this.

Be nice now no need for attitude... Larry been kind enough to share his experience so we can learn from it.

Thanks Larry

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Next question - anyone know if any wet-changable wide angle lenses will fit this set up?

The spending just goes on and on doesn't it?

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[bfisher]

Hedy Ben,

No attitude. Just havin a little fun. Larry seems like a good dude.

 

[Ben_ca]

Hedy Ben,

No attitude. Just havin a little fun. Larry seems like a good dude.

No worries... sorry if I misread you....

Let's carry on folks

 

[Larry C]

No offense taken whatsoever. There are a couple of ways you can go on the WA lens. Inon is supposed to have their adaptor out about now, though it wasn't on their website last I looked. I saw a previous post where someone put a 52/56 external bayonet adaptor on and used the available 68 for earlier housings. There are also a couple of threaded ones that will fit the 46mm internal thread. A couple of days ago I saw several cheapie lens/adaptor sets on e-bay. Made in Japan, specifically for the SP, but not for the UW housing, I believe. I'll try to find the previous reference. I don't recall if it was here or on Wetpixel. It might Google under "SP-350, wide angle, underwater".
Just went back and checked. Here's the post on the threaded one from Old Diver on 1/25:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=126975
After a little more research, here's the post for the S&S 16mm Nikonos WA with the 58/52 adaptor. (I don't know how that works, as the ring is only 50mm)
http://www.digitaldiver.net/yabbse/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=16418;start=15

 

[Texman]

I just wanted to take a second and thank everyone for a great thread. Specifically Larry C. the info has been great. I ust purchased a 350 and the housing will be hear on Tues. I have been shooting a Sealife for years with no strobe and I can't wait to try the digital experience. I am also getting a Sealife digital strobe ( I went cheap on the strobe cause I'm out of money). Anyway, my dive buddy and I are headed to Cayman for a week next week. Can't wait to post the pics. I am especially looking forward to some Super Macro shots with the slave strobe. You can get right on top of you subject. So far, I love this camera. The autocofocus is a little slow but the features pay off. More later.

 

[donblume]

Larry,

Could you clarify the adapters needed for the PT-030? PT-030 inside thread mount is? Can a mount be used on the outside and what size? How does a 100 degree UW lens angle of view come out in mm on the SP-350 at widest angle?
I'll be waiting to see if you come up with any other uw lens alternatives.

 

[Larry C]

The only ones I know of currently are the ones on the previous post-two back from this one. The lens thread is 46mm. That's the size I bought my filter in, and it fits fine. The outer mount for S&S 16mm for Nikonos is 52-58 adaptor for the 67mm lens according to the thread I referred to. (after looking back I goofed twice-once calling it 52-56 and once on 68mm instead of 67) I think the 16mm works out to 100 degrees, but I'm not certain. That's not really an area of expertise for me. I have no idea even what the 16mm refers to. The digital diver thread is a fair amount of info, and Old Diver plans to post pictures from a Manatee dive that he took with the Epoque. Check the PT-030 wide angle thread. Don't ask me how you use a 52-58 adaptor on a 50mm o.d. lens ring, but the guy has a picture and all the stuff is very clearly marked. Also on a previous post either here or on Wetpixel, Ryan said Inon would have a mount for their (WLA165 I think it is) in late March. I keep looking on their InonAmerica.com website and it isn't there yet. Their mounts are pretty cheap. Only like $30 or so, and the lenses aren't bad either. They have a great reputation for quality as well, as does S & S.