Nikon D300 Choices

[fda483]

Have been using a Nikon D100 in an Aquatica housing for a couple of years, bought the housing used after the D200 came out and a lot were traded in. The housing has been great no issues at all with it. Have been shooting with two Nikon SB-105's from my old film days. Well the new D300 has enough advantages over what I currently have to consider taking this expensive upgrade step. I was originally thinking I would stay with Aquatica for the housing, ($2500) and reuse my dome and macro ports. Now having some thoughts of going to the Ikelite housing ($1500) plus the cost of the dome and flat macro. Cost seems about the same for each option. Have never used the Ikelite system how does it compare with the Aquatica?

As far as strobes looking at both the Ikelite DS-200 or the Inon Z-240. Love the small size of the Inon units and the fact they can use rechargeable AA's. Any comments on either of these strobes.

Thanks for the input.

 

[DivePhotoGuide]

Both strobes are good options. You may want to add the Sea & Sea YS250's to your consideration set. Your points on the INON's are exactly why most people choose those, however personally, I like the color temperature of the Sea&Sea's and the Ike's over the INON's. The new S&S 250's also have the wide power setting range like the INON's - a very useful feature!

As for the D300 itself - this last round of Nikons (D300 & D3) are game changers. The D300 is a better camera than the D2x. I just bought a D3 and I feel like a giddy school girl, it's a nice piece of equipment.

As for the housings - Aquatica vs. Ike is metal versus plastic (ok it's slightly more than that, but that's the material difference - no pun intended), that's where the price differential comes from. Both are waterproof and can accomodate your needs generally. The optics (ports) on the Aquaticas would be a little higher quality as well. But you'd be happy with either one with that D300!

 

[Larry C]

Wish I had a housing already to take the ports from. That makes the Aquatica awfully attractive. I'm looking at the Ikelite as about the only one that makes economic sense from a practical point of view, starting from scratch. Downside is, like you, I'd have to invest in Ikelite strobes for the ttl. I'm drooling over the Sea & Sea. Machined from billet and anodized, like the Seatool. Very compact. See the review here:
Underwater Camera Articles: First dives with the Nikon D300
Unfortunately, even keeping my YS-110's, it's like $5800 with ports and ttl converter, and that's with the standard eyepiece, not the $1200 Inon with the bigger view. I think you can get into the Ike for less than $3K, plus strobes.

 

[DivePhotoGuide]

You touch on a good point...most underwater photographers are beginning to get frustrated with how often they are upgrading. I know I am! I just dropped $5k on a D3, the housing and new ports will cost me $6k or so, and of course I have to wait until March for the first D3 housings to even hit the market (S&S). Usually I buy two rigs. I've decided to only buy one D3 rig and use my D200 as a backup/macro camera. I just didn't heave the heart to spend $20k+, especially when there are rumors of a D3x in the future (but who knows when? could be 9 months, could be a year or so).

In the last week alone (because of the PMA show in Vegas this week), there have been something like 20 or 30 new camera announcements. The housing manufacturers just can't make housings for all of them. It's getting difficult for the manufacturers. They have to predict which of these cameras will become popular for underwater shooters.

Ok I'm outta here - got a bg day ahead of me. Happy shooting today everybody!

 

[dbh]

The Ikelite DS200 and S&S YS250 are both more powerful than the Inon Z240. But how much power do you need? Dual Inon's will easily light up a Nikon 10.5mm lens plus 2 Inon Z240's are about the same size & weight as 1 of the DS200's or YS 250's. This is important in these days of airline restrictions.

I have been a happy Subal user (D70 & D200) but am going to take a hard look at the Seatool housing when it is available for my D300. The Seatool will offer fiber optic bulkheads thus eliminating sync cords which are a weak link in most systems. It will drain the cameras battery faster but I have a spare and don't mind changing it every couple of dives (I download the card anyway). Seatool is the smallest housing on the market today so I am hoping I can fit it in my carry-on. They also make an adaptor so I can use my Subal ports. If I don't like it.....I will get another Subal.

If you go with Ike strobes it makes sense to get an Ike housing for the built-in iTTL.

Dave

 

[dbh]

Machined from billet and anodized, like the Seatool.

The Seatool is plastic....Seacam is aluminum.

Dave

 

[spt29970]

You touch on a good point...most underwater photographers are beginning to get frustrated with how often they are upgrading. I know I am!

One of the reasons that I went with the 5D in an Aquatica housing was that I figured that I could stay with it for a long time. When the 5D replacement eventually appears, I am certain that it will be wonderful, but I will almost certainly skip it because the cost of upgrading would be too high. When I eventually do upgrade, I will be able to keep my ports, extensions, strobes, TTL electronics, and magnified viewfinder.

Besides, cameras have finally gotten to a level, where the benefits of the next generation won't substantially improve the quality of images that I can take.

P.S. Sorry to crash the Nikon forum, but the high cost of upgrading is universal.

 

[Warren_L]

I've owned and used both the Ikelite and Aquatica housings for the dSLRs. I had an Ike D70 housing and now own an Aquatica D200 housing. Both are quality housings, however, there are some differences which may or may not matter to you. Outside of the obvious plastic vs. aluminum difference, I found that overall the gearing on the Aquatica felt more precise (from the command dials to the zoom and focusing gears and rings). This made for much less frustration underwater when have to adjust. I found that the Ike command dial controls slipped a lot (although I've heard that might be fixed or you can add a rubber pad on the knob to help). I really didn't like the collar and zoom gear system on the Ike setup much.

The other main reason I switched to Aquatica was because of the depth rating, which is to 300 ft. And that's not because of the housing, but because of the controls. Aquatica does offer an upgrade to run the housings deeper (not sure exactly how much and to what depth) which involves stiffer springs, etc.

I also just bought a new D3 which I intend on housing in an Aquatica housing, which, coincidently, I was speaking to them yesterday, should be available also in March/April time frame. My D200 will remain as backup.

 

[fda483]

Thanks everyone for the great comments. Just an update, just got the D300 body on Friday along with two Inon Z-240's. Aquatica housing on order, hope to have it before next trip in late March. Now kind of see what everyone is saying about the liveview feature. May be useful for some applications but is slower, kind of like the old days of shutter lag.

Was curious on the benefits of the add on viewfinders such as the Aquaticia Aqua View finder or the Inon 45 degree finder. I hear good things from Backscatter about the Inon unit. Anybody using these??


Jason H. - Thanks for the recommendation on the Nocturnal focus light. Used in on trip to Belize and it was great!! Sorry the next scheduled NYUPS meeting is on 3/24, heading to India that week on business, but going to head to the Andaman Islands the following week for some diving - hopefully with the D300 in a housing!!!

Joe

 

[DivePhotoGuide]

I bet you'll find live view to be a bell and whistle you won't use much, if at all. Same on my D3 - the live view feature disables the auto focus system temporarily and does create shutterlag. I posted a slightly more articulate explanation of this somewhere on the board last week or so. The short version - live view sorta blows

But CONGRATS on the new gear. It's like we're all little kids again getting our new toys. Oh yeah ... my new toy tripped my home owners insurance bean counters to reclassify my policy as professional (ok maybe it should be, but regardless i'm pissed). I find out how much that's gonna cost me this week. Now I'm considering getting separate gear+flood insurance for my gear again (like I used to before learning that homeowners insurance covers it). With 4 camera bodies, 3 housings, 6 strobes, + accessories, insurance starts getting expensive no matter who you buy it from...