A bit of an update on my search:
Based in part on your helpful feedback, I decided to say no to the 'great deal' on the FD70 Fantasea housing and am at the moment left with either my old film setups, or a Canon p&s (in a very nice Ikelite housing ...but no strobes, and I miss my SLR!).
I said no for a few reasons: firstly, the FD70 seems to be quite a different housing from the FD70N, which is being sold today new, despite the discontinuance some time ago of the Nikon D70. I believe the FD70 was Fantasea's first DSLR housing, and to come out with another model for the same digital camera (and we know how long a digital camera is 'current') indicates that they simply made some early errors.
Secondly, new FD70N's are available from reputable dealers for about the same price as used Ikelite D70 housings. That also says something - at the entry level SLR price point, Ikelite has a fine product (and of course, you can spend much, much more!).
Three: having taken many, many topside photographs with my D70 in many conditions, I know it is a marginal performer when it comes to low-light auto-focus. The inability to manually focus with the Fantasea housing would have driven me crazy!
Finally, you've made some good points regarding the D200. It is simply a better all around camera for the job. I have one. Why don't I just use it?
So, while I can't afford a new D200 housing, I can be patient. As the first wave of eager early adopters begin to roll their D200's into D300's and D3's, I will hopefully snag a deal on an Ikelite or similar housing.
(of course if a real deal came along on an Ikelite D70 housing, I might have no self-control!)
Based in part on your helpful feedback, I decided to say no to the 'great deal' on the FD70 Fantasea housing and am at the moment left with either my old film setups, or a Canon p&s (in a very nice Ikelite housing ...but no strobes, and I miss my SLR!).
I said no for a few reasons: firstly, the FD70 seems to be quite a different housing from the FD70N, which is being sold today new, despite the discontinuance some time ago of the Nikon D70. I believe the FD70 was Fantasea's first DSLR housing, and to come out with another model for the same digital camera (and we know how long a digital camera is 'current') indicates that they simply made some early errors.
Secondly, new FD70N's are available from reputable dealers for about the same price as used Ikelite D70 housings. That also says something - at the entry level SLR price point, Ikelite has a fine product (and of course, you can spend much, much more!).
Three: having taken many, many topside photographs with my D70 in many conditions, I know it is a marginal performer when it comes to low-light auto-focus. The inability to manually focus with the Fantasea housing would have driven me crazy!
Finally, you've made some good points regarding the D200. It is simply a better all around camera for the job. I have one. Why don't I just use it?
So, while I can't afford a new D200 housing, I can be patient. As the first wave of eager early adopters begin to roll their D200's into D300's and D3's, I will hopefully snag a deal on an Ikelite or similar housing.
(of course if a real deal came along on an Ikelite D70 housing, I might have no self-control!)