Roll Call - Nikonos

[PapaBob]

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).

I don't know if IIIs are collectable, but they are still servicable. About 5 years ago I flooded (yes I admit it) one of my IIIs. I kept it wet in salt water until I got home and then bathed it in fresh water. After a long bath and plenty of swishing and spraying (garden hose) I zapped it dry with air from my tank. The lense was disassembled in fresh water and dried too. The following week the camera worked fine but was then sent in for routine service as a precaution. Mr. Stein, you are not crazy.

---Bob

Could you find me one of those deals? I will even pay US.

 

[diversteve]

I've been away a few months. What happened to the Nikon Forum? As a new Nikonis user I was really looking forward to it.

Quoting TechAdmin: "The Nikon forum was pretty small so we merged it back into the main u/w forum. People had complained that the u/w forum was simply overloaded with subforums requiring them to scroll a page or two just to see the threads in that forum."

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=91112&page=2&pp=10

 

[ZAquaman]

Me likey my Nikonos V!

I have a 35mm, extension tubes, 15mm, Aquatica Aqualens housing (16mm fisheye I use for that), and 2 SB-105's.

I also have a housing for my Nikon CoolPix camera. I usually give it to a dive buddy if I'm not diving alone. It gives them something to do instead of just shadowing me.

 

[Scubatooth]

bobuba

what i have been doing is cruising ebay for III and V (im looking at getting 1 of each, plus a 20 and 28 mm lenses and maybe a stobe) and right now III's seem to be going in the 175-225 range and V's from 200- 500+ and may or maynot have a SB 105 with it (depending that may add 1-200 to the price). you really just have to watch ebay as thats what i have been doing.

like for example i just picked up a sekonic L164b light meter for 60 shipped to my door

FWIW

Tooth

 

[PapaBob]

I have received just this Christmas a Nikonos V with (2) 35mm, a 28mm and a 15mm lenses, two SB-105s, a smaller Ikelite strobe that I don't remember, various extention tubes, a close up kit, a wide angle converter, various viewfinders, frames, trays etc. My boss gave it to me. She RULES!
Expect to see horrible stuff from me in the near future. I have many questions.

Hi Kev:

What a neat rig! Can I work for Lynn too? If you have any questions, post them here. There are a few Nikonos Neanderthals who would be willing to help you out.

---Bob

 

[fdog]

...Snip... There are a few Nikonos Neanderthals who would be willing to help you out.

---Bob

Yep! I will never give up my Nik III.

All the best, James

 

[MoonWrasse]

I have a Nikonos V I bought new 8-9 years ago, but I no longer shoot it, instead I use my Sony DSP100. Much more fun UW IMO.

However, I cannot bring myself to sell my Nikonos V, someday I'm sure it will be retro and the thing to shoot with.

 

[dbarrett]

Two Nikonos V, ike's 100 ( the old really heavy one ), 35mm, 28mm, 20mm, helix 1:3, and helix 1:2. I brought this to Bonaire and Cayman Brac and was very pleased with the results.

I was thinking of picking up a smaller flash. Does anyone have an opinion on which of the ike 50's to pick up (the M, MV, Ai, etc) for macro work?

Thanks,
dbarrett

 

[Chris Bangs]

The Ai is actually a 100, as for the 50s try to get the newer SS 50, a bit more powerful. otherwise I think the Mv is also TTL where as the M is not

I still have my 150s and 225, big bulky and heavy, but they produce such a nice ide even beam for wide angle work.

 

[spyder]

I bought 2 MV's back in the '80s and they're still going strong but Chris is right, the new ones are more powerful. They are TTL but older one's require an update to use rechargeable batteries. The original center posts were bare metal and would corrode parts of the camera due to circuit completion/electrolysis. Supposedly the outer case of alkaline batteries are insulated but rechargeables are negative. They changed at some point to insulated posts to stop the circuit. I found this out the hard way, lots of white corrosion around the strobe cable connection on the camera and pitting on the front edges of a lens after only a couple of hours. With 2000mah Powerex NiMh batteries the recycle time is extemely fast, alkalines take awhile after only a couple flashes. I use both with a dual sync cable to get coverage for a 20mm lens.