Nikon F100 / $4,000 housing .. NO WAY

Was searching a few days ago because I was thinking of getting into underwater photos... as I love taking shots on dry land.. why not.

I own a Nikon F100 w/ several lenses... only found one housing and it was 4G's... are these people crazy???

Anyone know of a decently priced housing for my camera... or any suggestions on a true underwater camera..... whatever the solution.. it MUST support multiple lenses..

Thanks

I've been shooting an F-100 in an Aquatica housing for over a year. This set-up works extremely well. I checked out every available housing at the time and decided on the Aquatica. There is a cheaper housing, (Ikelite), but for me the Aquatica offered a lot more for the price. You can get an Aquatica housing for your F-100 (no port) for under $1500 from B&H. Heck, I didn't pay $4000 for the housing, F-100 camera, Macro port, extension ring, 105mm Micro Nikkor, 60mm Micro Nikkor and a set of TLC strobe arms.
You can go here to see a few of the photos I've taken with this set-up.
http://www.netpci.com/pages/rooster1/guam1.htm

Go here for some good info about the Aquatica A-100 housing.

http://www.aquatica.ca/catalog/housing/02housing.html


If you have any questions drop me an E-mail.

Hope this helps

Dive Safe,
Rooster

SUPER SWEET... O.K., I'm not nearly as distressed... I tell ya... I don't know where I was, but all their cases were at least like 2G's and above... YIKES... (heck I have lenses that are almost 4G's)

Anyhow.. thanks.. didn't even think of checking out B&H...

Hi, Wheezy,

Another source of housings is Berger Brothers at http://www.bergerbrothers.com . They sell Aquatica and Sea & Sea--and others if you ask, I think. The current listing for an Aquatica for a Nikon F5 is $1449.99 (much cheaper than $1500.00) and, so, my guess is that the equivalent for an F100 is the same or a little less.

I have done business with these folks over the years and have been thoroughly satisfied with them.

Joewr

Rooster,

Sorry, I forgot to say, "Hello"!

Hello!

Hmmm, a housed camera! Will you lower your standards and still dive with a Nikonos user? I DO have two strobes....

Oh, yeah, Wheezy, if you have not looked at Martin Edge's book, The Underwater Photographer, please do. He has a nice section on housings. I cannot remember whether he covers the Ikelite (and I am too lazy to go look), but many folks think the controls on the Ikelite are not as good as on the Subal (now, that is one pricey housing), the Sea & Sea, or the Aquatica.

Joewr

Originally posted by joewr
Rooster,

Sorry, I forgot to say, "Hello"!

Hello!

Hmmm, a housed camera! Will you lower your standards and still dive with a Nikonos user? I DO have two strobes....

Oh, yeah, Wheezy, if you have not looked at Martin Edge's book, The Underwater Photographer, please do. He has a nice section on housings. I cannot remember whether he covers the Ikelite (and I am too lazy to go look), but many folks think the controls on the Ikelite are not as good as on the Subal (now, that is one pricey housing), the Sea & Sea, or the Aquatica.

Joewr

Click to expand...

Hi Joewr,
Anyone that is willing to get in the water with me and a camera is more than welcome! I did look hard at the Ikelite, but you are right on the controls. The Ikelite does not provide access to several (important to me) camera features, the most important is the MSC switch, so you can not switch from Auto to manual focus underwater.
Dive Safe,
Rooster

I own a couple of Nikons and was thinking of a housing (probably for my F5). This $1500 case that you are mentioning, can you use is with a regular UW strobe or do you need another special case for a land based flash like the SB28?

PEEEERRRRRFECT... .thank you very much. I have never even thought about doing this until recently...

I have 0 underwater photography experience so it should be an interesting learning curve to say the least... most of my stuff is outdoor action (dirtbikes, cars, ect...)

Not even sure where to start but that's what makes it fun..

Thanks again for all the great info...

ohhh ya.. VERY NICE PICS.. you're an excellent photographer.. that pic of the squid is pretty cool...

Hey, Wheezy,

You still there? Sorry to be pest, but may I be so bold as to suggest a couple of books? U/W photography is a very different animal than land photography! Chime in, Rooster, any time if you think I am off base.

I always suggest that folks new to the exercise look at two books--sometimes four! But the two that I recommend most because they are well-written, cover a range of issues, have some killer photos in them, and helped me the most are:

(1) Martin Edge's The Underwater Photographer (already mentioned above), and

(2) Jim Church's Essential Guide to Nikonos Systems.

The latter is not only a guide to Nikonos, but a general guide to U/W photography. They are both very readable and, to me at least, very inspirational.

So, before you spend those hard-earned bucks, why not curl up with a good book? Just a thought. And now that we know a little more about your needs...I have to say that you have about $400 to $1000 (or more) to spend on u/w strobes. We can help you select them, too, but, sadly, we cannot help you pay for them! (With all those commas in that sentence, there has to be a comma fault somewhere!)

Wheezy, are we still friends?

Joewr

OF COURSE we are still friends....

anyhow... I kinda know a little bit about the subject.. but thanks for the refrences on the books...

one thing about me... I'm always very prepared waaayyy before hand.

Thanks again though... I figure I'm going to be close to the $3K mark... slightly under... it's gonna have to be pieced out.... but you gotta start somewhere..

take it easy