Would you buy a Fantasea housing for your Nikon DSLR?

[pdks]

I'm a long time u/w film photographer (an Aquatica housed F3 and a S&S Motor Marine) who on a trip to Andros in the Bahamas a few weeks back finally tried u/w digital, in the form of an Ikelite housed Canon p&s. What a dream!

I'm late to the party, but eager to catch up! I would like to purchase a housing for either my D70 or my D200, but am leaning towards housing the former. As it is an older DSLR, I have the opportunity to purchase a used, but in v.good condition Fantasea FD70. Do you think that's a good idea? The price is right!

It comes with the standard port, which they designed around the kit 18-70mm, I'm told, and a 'macro port.'

I own only three 'digital' Nikkor lenses, all zooms: a 12-24mm, a VR 24-120mm, and a 70-300mm. I also own an assortment of nice, but older Nikkor lens ...perhaps my 105mm (non-D) would be of some use?

Would you be able to comment on the compatibility of my lenses with this housing and these ports?

As far as strobes go, what works with the Fantasea?

And which strobes would you recommend for maximum future flexibility (say I bought a Fantasea for the D70, and an Ikelite or some other housing for my D200 in the future and wanted to use the strobes with both?).


I know they're the least costly of the DSLR housings and assume you get what you pay for. What are the big things that I would be giving up if I went with Fantasea, v.s. say, looking for a D70 compatible Ikelite housing?


Thanks for you thoughts!


Phil

 

[mikerault]

The only Fantasea housing I bought leaked. No I would not buy one for a DSLR.

Mike

 

[pdks]

The only Fantasea housing I bought leaked. No I would not buy one for a DSLR.

Mike

Fair enough. I take it that your experience was with a point & shoot style Fantasea housing? Is there a chance that the more expensive DSLR housings are of better quality/design?

Has anyone else had any experience with Fantasea DSLR housings?

 

[AUTiger]

I compared the Fantasea and Ikelite housings for my Nikon D80. I have only looked at the Fantasea housing at a trade show booth, I have not used one. I bought an Ikelite housing. Its been a year since I compared, but I remember that the Fantasea didn't seam as refined or well made as the Ikelite. I had previously had an Ikelite housing for an Olympus point-and-shoot. I like the variety of configurations that Ikelite can handle. They also fit a wider range of lenses. If you want TTL, you can do it if you have Ikelite strobes. Ikelite has the BEST customer service. From reading the photography forums for many years, Ikelite also gets much better reviews from people who buy their equipment compared to those who buy Fantasea.

If you like buying American, Ikelite is in Indianapolis.

This is no comment on any particular Fantasea dealer. In fact, Jack has been very helpful to people on the photography forums. I've met him and seems like a very nice guy. I just wasn't interested in buying his brand of housing.

David

 

[pdks]

I compared the Fantasea and Ikelite housings for my Nikon D80. I have only looked at the Fantasea housing at a trade show booth, I have not used one. I bought an Ikelite housing. Its been a year since I compared, but I remember that the Fantasea didn't seam as refined or well made as the Ikelite. I had previously had an Ikelite housing for an Olympus point-and-shoot. I like the variety of configurations that Ikelite can handle. They also fit a wider range of lenses. If you want TTL, you can do it if you have Ikelite strobes. Ikelite has the BEST customer service. From reading the photography forums for many years, Ikelite also gets much better reviews from people who buy their equipment compared to those who buy Fantasea.

If you like buying American, Ikelite is in Indianapolis.

This is no comment on any particular Fantasea dealer. In fact, Jack has been very helpful to people on the photography forums. I've met him and seems like a very nice guy. I just wasn't interested in buying his brand of housing.

David

Good points all.


One additional thing that concerns me is that the Fantasea housing doesn't appear to allow for manual focusing. The ability to revert to manual focus control is a fairly normal control to have with a housing, isn't it?

 

[dbh]

First off, I would house the D200 and use the D70 for topside shots so i didn't have to take the d200 out of the housing.

Next, I wouldn't buy a new Fantasea DSLR housing let alone a used one. Once more D300 housings hit the market (in the next month or 2), there should be plenty of used Ikelite, Sea & Sea and Subal housings for the D200 to be had. I would contact dealers such as Reef Photo & Backscatter to see if they have taken any in for trade. You may just get a sweet deal.

HTH,
Dave

 

[BrantD]

First off, I would house the D200 and use the D70 for topside shots so i didn't have to take the d200 out of the housing.

Next, I wouldn't buy a new Fantasea DSLR housing let alone a used one. Once more D300 housings hit the market (in the next month or 2), there should be plenty of used Ikelite, Sea & Sea and Subal housings for the D200 to be had. I would contact dealers such as Reef Photo & Backscatter to see if they have taken any in for trade. You may just get a sweet deal.

HTH,
Dave

Good advice Dave.........Ditto!!

 

[MacYankee86]

I'm late to the party, but eager to catch up! I would like to purchase a housing for either my D70 or my D200, but am leaning towards housing the former. As it is an older DSLR, I have the opportunity to purchase a used, but in v.good condition Fantasea FD70. Do you think that's a good idea? The price is right!

I know they're the least costly of the DSLR housings and assume you get what you pay for. What are the big things that I would be giving up if I went with Fantasea, v.s. say, looking for a D70 compatible Ikelite housing?

Phil

Phil- I currently own a FD80 housing for my D80. I just used it for a week in Bonaire for Spring Break. Since I am new to DSLRs I have nothing to compare it to.
I will tell you what I liked and what I didn't:
Liked:
-Price
-Polycarbonate Housing
-Nearly Perfectly Neutrally Buoyant
-Fairly Compact
-Came with a port that worked with the lens I already had
-The pictures I took with it despite no strobes or filters
-Easy to assemble
-Easy to verify a seal (see the oring b/c housing is clear)

Disliked:
-Some buttons were unnecessary
-Had to insert a washer onto one control wheel shaft b/c it was not touching the D80's control wheel
-Some rust has appeared on the back latches between the steel and the polycarb.
-Heard some occasional popping sounds coming from the housing when changing depth (unknown cause???)
-Lever Action on shutter control was hard to get a feel for (push halfway to focus, and full to take a picture)

Most of the dislikes are insignificant. Being a engineering college student I can fix most things, and the price of the housing was very attractive.

Would I buy it again if I had more $? No, I think I would go with Ikelite due to their wonderful reputation.
Do I regret spending the $ on it? No, it was really nice to change from the Canon P&S.

I want to do a full review on here at some point here, but college life has been extremely busy lately. Maybe in a few weeks when school lets out. Anybody else interested in hearing a review or would it be a waste of time?
Feel free to PM me about anything specific.
Cheers!
Gordon

 

[Leisure Pro Brett]

MacYankee86 I would be very interested in hearing your review on the Fantasea. We sell both housings and the Fantasea's have a very attractive price, but I haven't heard much information how they work and hold up. Ikelites on the other hand are very popular and have been for a long time. They have a good system set up and I know a lot of people who are very happy with them. It will be great to hear your impressions whenever you get the time.

 

[MacYankee86]

Brett-
I have started writing a review but it may be a little while since college is really busy this time of year with the end of the semester coming up. I will try to get it up here on the scubaboard soon.
Gordon