Just getting back into underwater photography after using Nikonos for years

[jchance]

I have a fewquestions. I own a Nikon D7100 which I love to use. With the demise of film, I switched to underwater video several years ago. I still have my entire Nikonos system including the large fisheye wide angle. Is there any kind of market for this old stuff?

My second question is about housings for my newer camera. There appears to be 4 different companies making housings for it: Ikelite, Sea & Sea, Nauticam and Aquatica. Since being out of the underwater still market for 10 years, can anyone educate me in the relative advantages/disadvantages of each besides costs? Who makes the best all-around housing with the best reliability?

Lastly, I use Light & Motion lights for my video. I also still have my Nikonos SB-103 from my old set-up. Can the SB-103 be used with any of the current cameras/housings? Same question for the Solas.

Thanks!

 

[AZTinman]

I'll offer my proverbial 'two cents' worth, but I'm sure you'll also hear from others who may have opinions that differ from mine.

First, film isn't dead, but given the difficulty of getting most models of Nikonos cameras serviced, shooting many of Nikonos models isn't practical. I've got a Nikonos II and III that really aren't serviceable any more. Both cameras are nice decor items.

I've heard that service for Nikonos IV's may be available, but I don't own one of those.

I see a lot of Nikonos cameras and Nikonos gear listed on Ebay. I don't really know how readily this stuff sells or what kinds of prices it brings.

My Nikon D7100 does a very nice job in an Ikelite housing. I've been on trips with photographers who use the other housing brands you mentioned in your post. Nauticam and Aquatica seem to be popular choices. My Ikelite is kinda clunky looking compared to to milled aluminum housings like Nauticam, Aquatica, and Sea & Sea.The majority of the underwater photographers I've been diving with have been happy with whatever housing they've been diving with.

I've been shooting the D7100/Ikelite rig for a couple of years and haven't seen anyone flood a DSLR housing yet. All of the photographers I dive with are really fussy about maintenance and housing assembly stuff. Others may disagree, but I believe reliability is a function of how closely one pays attention to the assembly of the housing and the whole rig. I've seen a few floods on point & shoot and iPhone housings.

I've seen photographers using SB 103 strobes with housed digital DSLR's. I've no clue about how they have the strobes rigged or how their cameras are setup.

The D7100 can shoot video so video lights will work. I often dive with my Ikelite strobes set in dual function strobe/video light mode.

Cost is a major difference between Ikelite (acrylic) and the other housing manufacturers (milled aluminum) you mentioned.

-AZTinman

 

[Ramon Fregoso]

Hi jchance,

1.- Yes there is a market for Nikonos stuff, price will depend on condition and how rare it is, as always. I have bought some very nice cameras and strobes for very cheap, but I have also seen some very pricey ones being sold on eBay and similar and they sell. Collectors are a very particular breed. Other than me, I have not seen people using Nikonos for the last five years.

2.- I only use Sea and Sea housings, first one for the D100, then one for the D300 and now one for the D800e, but several friends use Ikelite and Aquatica.
Ikelite is less expensive, and lighter (which is nice when you travel and you will save some dollars since you will not have to buy so many floating devices). Aquatica and Sea and Sea seem to be very similar. Metal construction, heavy but very resistant, very well made and ergonomically excellent. Once I saw a guy on a boat, getting out of the water and droping very violently his housing in the fresh water bucket where everybody had our cameras rinsing, one Ikelite got broken from the impact and my friend's Aquatica got scratched. There is something to think about. Also you can use almost any strobe brand available (for what I read Ikelite seems to be very picky in this department).
You will need the housing, the ports (wide and macro) and the extensions for the ports. Aquatica allows you a more wide selection of lenses to use with their housing than Sea and Sea.
As AZTinman mentions reliability depends on you. All brands that you mention are 100% reliable, but every housing will eventually get flooded unless you do not use it, it is like Murphy's Law. They are very well made and IF you follow the right procedure 100% on 100% of your dives they will not fail or flood, but I assume that you are human, so... you know.
I believe that in the end your decision will depend on how much money are you willing to spend, and I assure you it will be A LOT!

3.- Your video light will work fine with any of the brands you mention, probably you will need more lights, but to start it will do. The strobe will work with Sea and Sea housings I do not know with the others, but you will not have the possibility of TTL. That is a very important point, check compatibility with TTL for the housing you select. When I changed to the D800 housing, I found that the housing was not compatiple with the TTL converter which needed to be modified and after that it will only work with only two models of Sea and Sea strobes. Bummer! I can use TTL with the optic fiber cables, but it means slower frame rate, slower recharging camera flash time and higher battery consumption.
Just in case you are unaware, there was a Nikon recall on the SB-103 check it here: Nikon | News | Notice of Recall Request to NIKONOS Speedlight SB-103 owners
You can use your video light for photography with excellent results for macro, in wide it will not be as good to say the least.
I recommend that you buy your housing used, you will save a lot of money, just send it for service. Backscatter has given me an excellent service, but there should be others as good as they are. There are several forums where you will find what you want with a great saving SB photography forum is probably the best one.

Good luck with your decision.

Ramon

 

[Shark_feeder]

Here is my 2 cents as well,

I shoot with an Aquatica housing and dual SB105 strobes, for me they are carry overs from my Nikonos days, plus I don't even get them serviced, if they stop you can buy brand new ones on eBay for under $200 and slightly used for $100-125. Side effect is that they have to be used in manual, and with a little time and practice you know keep them set on full and adjust f-stop, great advantage of DSLR is the LCD, too dark change setting, to light change settings and shoot again. Sync cords are also available on eBay cheaper than new ones by Sea and Sea or fiber optic ones.

Another area that adds up quickly is the cost of all the arms, clamps, strobe adapters and in some cases tray to mount the housing too.

Ikelite is usually the least expensive housing, Sea and Sea, Aquatica, Nauticam are generally around the same price, Subal is the most expensive. All of them have access to all the standard and some not used camera features, but all the basics will be there in easy reach will keeping your hands in the same place.

Are you planning on wide angle, macro or both? then you have different ports for each type, and depending on the lens choice might need zoom or focus ring gears.

Look around the forum and other sites as well, you might find a housing and ports used for your camera.

As for the Nikonos stuff, the body and most standard lenses are going cheap used, however you mentioned a wide angle lens, there is a market for the 15mm or the 12mm Sea and Sea lens, Nauticam has an adapter to use them on there housing. They say they produce better results than putting it in a dome.

Depending on the housing brand, you can change your strobes to ones that use fiber optics to trigger the flash, using the cameras internal flash, guess I am old school, and like a wired connection, have seen to many fiber cables break in the past.

Hopefully that helps some, let us know if you have questions we are here to help.