Roll Call - Nikonos

[adshepard]

Still shooting slides until I'm so convinced that digital gets a better image.

DSDO

Alan

 

[TomvdH]

Packed away I have the III, IV and V along with more extension tubes, frames, and lens than I remember. I keep two V's out for my wife and visitors. [I also have a few Sea & Sea MotorMarines for students]

I use the RS and have two bodies, and two $sets$ of lens for each, along with 6 SB-104's. Chargers, batteries, sync cables, arms, legs, etc. This does not include the RS I floooooded diving Pink Beach at Komodo in 1995. Damn, never figured out where the leak came from, but we were on the third day of a 10 day dive-site mapping trip for the Ministry of Tourism, and there was just no way to save it.

Now you see why I am still diving Nikonos. I need another decade or two to pay down the investment I have already made.

A fellow Nikonos Neanderthal

 

[Chris Bangs]

Packed away I have the III, IV and V along with more extension tubes, frames, and lens than I remember. I keep two V's out for my wife and visitors. [I also have a few Sea & Sea MotorMarines for students]

I use the RS and have two bodies, and two $sets$ of lens for each, along with 6 SB-104's. Chargers, batteries, sync cables, arms, legs, etc. This does not include the RS I floooooded diving Pink Beach at Komodo in 1995. Damn, never figured out where the leak came from, but we were on the third day of a 10 day dive-site mapping trip for the Ministry of Tourism, and there was just no way to save it.

Now you see why I am still diving Nikonos. I need another decade or two to pay down the investment I have already made.

A fellow Nikonos Neanderthal

those 104s work great with digital SLRs, well that is untill you fill the housing with water

 

[TomvdH]

those 104s work great with digital SLRs, well that is untill you fill the housing with water

I do agree, but the price on them can set you back a bit. The folks in LA are asking about US$1,400+ (each), but they can be had from Chicago for US$800, when available.

I have not used housings, but will conside it once I hear how the new BlueTooth interface is doing. I really like the idea of not having to "crack" my RS body open after each dive, not to mention that 36 slides can go too fast on a good dive. I asked my wife to cary my back-up RS (with 104s) on a dive or two, but it was like hoisting a sail and away she went - so I am stuck at 36.

 

[spyder]

Nikonos V, 35mm, 20mm+viewer, extension tubes, 2 Ikelite MV strobes

 

[Chris Bangs]

I do agree, but the price on them can set you back a bit. The folks in LA are asking about US$1,400+ (each), but they can be had from Chicago for US$800, when available.

I have not used housings, but will conside it once I hear how the new BlueTooth interface is doing. I really like the idea of not having to "crack" my RS body open after each dive, not to mention that 36 slides can go too fast on a good dive. I asked my wife to cary my back-up RS (with 104s) on a dive or two, but it was like hoisting a sail and away she went - so I am stuck at 36.

The RS was the finest underwater SLR ( optically ) ever produced and may never be matched.

I have and use 4 SB-104s, remnants of a old system - don't ask! still use the RS trays with my Nik Vs.

not having to open up the housing between dives is one of the BEST features! in reality, two things are currently lacking with digital. one dynamic range. point one at the sun underwater and wo will know what I mean, I still use my Nikonos for these shots!

the second is the limit of the internal cache. the current cameras are limited at 6 to 8 frame bursts ( in RAW ). that sucks when you have a whale staring you in the face for a moment.

 

[TomvdH]

The RS was the finest underwater SLR ( optically ) ever produced and may never be matched.

I have and use 4 SB-104s, remnants of a old system - don't ask! still use the RS trays with my Nik Vs.

not having to open up the housing between dives is one of the BEST features! in reality, two things are currently lacking with digital. one dynamic range. point one at the sun underwater and wo will know what I mean, I still use my Nikonos for these shots!

the second is the limit of the internal cache. the current cameras are limited at 6 to 8 frame bursts ( in RAW ). that sucks when you have a whale staring you in the face for a moment.

I have to agree, nothing like having that lens right at the water for quality and being able shoot that entire roll when the 'once in a life time' shot appears is great as well. I never will give up my RSs, but I will be taking a digital with me soon.

As for the 104s, they are like Coke, go good with everything. I charge them up and use them for an entire day and into the night.

The tray is nice and the arms are strong. They could have done better with the locking pins, but that's what tie wraps are for. I typically use a dual mount (weights in just under a ton), so long as the current is not too strong.

I dropped an RS with 104 in Alor in 1992 or 1993. From the surface to the top of the undersea mount we were diving was about 110 feet. It was either the camera or me, and I am here to talk about it, so I guess I made the right decision. We dove the site for three days after that trying to find the RS, and finally did. The sync cable had gotten caught on a rock about 140' down the side of the mount. The camera had been bashed around by some serious current the entire time. I am still using the same body & lens and even have one of the pictures from that roll on my wall. Takes a beating!!

 

[Big Sky Dave]

V, 80, 35. 20, tubes, close-up kit, 105. So far I'm just crawling around in trout streams getting hypothermic. Did get a couple cool shots of crayfish mating and brown trout lurking under weeds. But I sure haven't figured out exposures. Mine seem so dark. Guess it's the limited flash distance and poor distance guestimation. Or???

 

[Scubatooth]

just as a question why is it that used nik V's are going for almost the same price as new on ebay. as i have been following them pretty much for a couple months now and it seems like even the worst conditioned V gets in the ballpark of 350+ and if it has a strobe the go for well over 450+ to 500. i have a 5050 for underwater but would also to get a nik but as a student my budget is limited and since i dont get to dive as much really puts the hurt on. any good leads on where to get a good deal on a used nik? also in the S/N of nik V whats the difference between say the 200K SN and the 300+K SN nik V's



then second question is what did the RS cost new and price for lenses as im regularly seeing them go for over 2k used without and lenses and 800 + for the lenses

tooth

 

[MarkH]

just as a question why is it that used nik V's are going for almost the same price as new on ebay. as i have been following them pretty much for a couple months now and it seems like even the worst conditioned V gets in the ballpark of 350+ and if it has a strobe the go for well over 450+ to 500. i have a 5050 for underwater but would also to get a nik but as a student my budget is limited and since i dont get to dive as much really puts the hurt on. any good leads on where to get a good deal on a used nik? also in the S/N of nik V whats the difference between say the 200K SN and the 300+K SN nik V's



then second question is what did the RS cost new and price for lenses as im regularly seeing them go for over 2k used without and lenses and 800 + for the lenses

tooth

I don't know about the Nikonos 5's, but I've seen the 3's in price guides going for more than a new 5. I managed to buy mine (Nikonos 3) for $200 (Canadian) with a strobe, extension tubes/framers, a hard case, books, extra o-rings, etc... Don't make eye contact, just give him the money and run before he changes his mind. With the older ones, collectability (sp?) is a factor and for durability, the old ones with no electronics are hard to kill. I laugh in the face of flooding. Ha! Ha! Ha! (crazy laughing).