going digital..nikon d80

[dhotz]

I have been using a nikon 50 film camera with a sea n sea housing for years. I have a flat port and wide angles with several lenses. I also have been using two nikonos sb 105 strobes. I want to go digital and am thinking of the nikon d80 with the new sea n sea housing. My question is .....how much of my old equipment can I keep and use with the new digital system? I hate to start all over from scratch again

 

[Nomaster]

Thought this might be a general discussion.
I just bought a D80 Tuesday the 24th, I dropped by looking for info.
I'll bring by whatever I find specific to your questions.

 

[vladimir]

I am using sb105 strobes and subal ports left over from my film system with my d70. I don't know anything about sea&sea though.

 

[fisheyeview]

I have been using a nikon 50 film camera with a sea n sea housing for years. I have a flat port and wide angles with several lenses. I also have been using two nikonos sb 105 strobes. I want to go digital and am thinking of the nikon d80 with the new sea n sea housing. My question is .....how much of my old equipment can I keep and use with the new digital system? I hate to start all over from scratch again

I went from the F100 to the D200 both in Sea & Sea housings. You can use your ports & stobes with the Sea & Sea housing for your new camera. You will not be able to shoot ttl unless you get the ttl convertor, and I'm not sure if the ttl function will work with the 105's.

The lenses depend on which ones you were using on the film camera. Some just don't shoot well due to the crop factor on the dslr sensor. Some of the older lenses may not work at all on your new system. Which lenses do you have?

 

[dhotz]

I have a AF 105mm 2.8d lense, a AF 16 mm 2.8d lense, and a AF35-80 mm 1:4 - 5.:6 lense. All of these were lenses used with my film camera.

 

[AUTiger]

Welcome aboard Diane.

I'm the guy from Divebums who steered you in this direction. If anybody can answer your questions, these guys probably can. Another resource is www.wetpixel.com in the dSLR forum.

David

 

[jarhed]

Your 105mm and your 16mm will work great underwater and are some of the most popular lenses for macro and wide angle. Not sure about your zoom, or if there is a good port/ext ring/diopter combo made by sea & sea for that. There is for the other 2 lenses.

Eventually you may want to look at a nice mid range zoom for underwater, but I tend to rarely use mine, instead preferring my fisheye, 60mm macro and 105mm macro. I also like the 12-24mm for some wide angle. these 4 lenses accound for over 95% of my pics.

Take care,
John

 

[fisheyeview]

I have a AF 105mm 2.8d lense, a AF 16 mm 2.8d lense, and a AF35-80 mm 1:4 - 5.:6 lense. All of these were lenses used with my film camera.

The 16mm & the 105mm are both great lenses & will work fine. I use the Custom Flat port with the 40mm extension ring for the 105mm, and the 8" fisheye dome port for the 16mm. (You can also use the Flat port with the 40mm extension ring for the 105 - it just does not have the knob for manual focus.) I also have the 10-17 Tokina. For this I use the 8" dome with the xs extension ring.

If you have the 105mm VR you will have to do a little modification to the Custom Flat port/Flat port. With the 105mm VR you can do away with the 40mm extension ring and use the xs extension ring. Ryan at Reef Photo did the modification for me.

I have never used the 35-80 before so I don't know if it would do you any good.

 

[Jim Ernst]

The 16mm & the 105mm are both great lenses & will work fine. I use the Custom Flat port with the 40mm extension ring for the 105mm, and the 8" fisheye dome port for the 16mm. (You can also use the Flat port with the 40mm extension ring for the 105 - it just does not have the knob for manual focus.) I also have the 10-17 Tokina. For this I use the 8" dome with the xs extension ring.

If you have the 105mm VR you will have to do a little modification to the Custom Flat port/Flat port. With the 105mm VR you can do away with the 40mm extension ring and use the xs extension ring. Ryan at Reef Photo did the modification for me.

I have never used the 35-80 before so I don't know if it would do you any good.

Hey scott, just thought id say hello , wanted to go dive with you guys again but dont know if I will get too.

Sorry for interupting this thread!

 

[John Chenault]

Why the D 80 and not the D 200? I had the opportunity to shoot with a D 200 ( My standard camera is a D 70) a month ago and the difference was striking. Much better color saturation. Better feedback on the photo in the display etc.

I believe the D 70 and D 80 are roughly the same generation of technology. The D 200 is the next step in evolution. You are going to spend more on the housing than on the camera. I would go for the better camera. At the least go take some land pictures with both and look at the images before you go the D 80 route.

John Chenault