Sell or hang onto my Nikon....?

[Compressor]

Here is my take @Doc Harry. Going to a point and shoot is difficult to do when one is used to using a DSLR or Mirrorless Camera. Why? You loose lots of control that at the moment, you take for granted. In photography, we create images from things we see using the settings on our tool, the camera. If the tool is not there, we become compromised.

You can simplify what you have and see how you feel when you dive with the rig.

If you are not going to take UW photos any longer then you can sell the stuff on ebay or KEH. Last year I sold an Ikelite housing for my D300 to a guy in HongKong. It worked out well for both of us. Currently I shoot a D500 with Ikelite DL200 housing. Smaller and more lightweight.

Hope this helps.

 

[Akimbo]

But I'm getting old and considering selling my system, and going back to a small POS

Please let us know if you make the switch and how you adjust to it, meaning do you miss the control and lens quality versus dealing with the bulk and complexity.

I made a transition of sorts about 10 years ago when I realized that I am more interested in documentation than art photography — mostly stills and a few short videos. Strange, but that epiphany was sort of freeing.

 

[Compressor]

As an example of simplification: I shoot with one strobe. I mount the GoPro onto the Ikelite Housing for video (I find the DSLR cumbersome to shoot UW video). I use the flat port for macro shots. Makes the housing manageable and smaller.

 

[Hoag]

Assuming that you are still getting satisfactory images from it, the D300 set-up (camera and housing) has one advantage that no replacement will have. Because the resale value on it is pretty much gone, the camera and housing have, for all practical purposes, become expendable. If something were to happen to them for some reason, you no longer have an expensive system at risk.

It is a good position to find oneself in, to be able to capture images with a system that if suffered a sudden catastrophic failure (such as a flood), you can walk away from it knowing that it served you well.

You also have the advantage of knowing the system very well.

 

[Doc Harry]

Update January 2022

Today my housing flooded while in Belize when a housing latch accidentally opened.

I assume the Nikon D300s body is a total loss.

Do you think the Nauticam housing is salvageable?

Do you think the Tokina WA lens is a loss, too?

If anyone is interested, I am cutting my losses and selling off everything else that is still good.

Nikkor 60mm lens
Nikkor 105mm lens
Nauticam housing
Glass WA lens port
60mm lens port
105mm lens port
Viewfinder for the Nauticam housing
Inon Z-240 strobes
Fiber-optic cables
Strobe arms with flotation
Large Pelican storage case
Small hard carry-on suitcase

 

[Gene]

I've only had one housing leak before and it was in salt water around 100 feet deep. My Nikon was a total loss but the lens got repaired by them, and I still use it! The housing also wasn't an issue to get repaired and re-use.

 

[AJMcc]

I would be Interested in the Inon Z240 strobe(s) if willing to separate Items.

Thanks
Anthony

 

[David Haas]

Doc Harry,

You won't likely recall but you were on a Cozumel trip with me and one of my groups ages ago. I had lots of photographers on board with various UW rigs from compacts to full size SLR rigs.

5 years back I decided it was all too big to haul. After a Philippines trip shooting my first 1" sensor Canon compact side by side with my SLR I came home and sold all the SLR items in 2 weeks. Camera bodies (2), lenses, land flashes, housing and underwater ports and strobes gone.........

Since then I've traveled with an iPhone and Canon 1" sensor compact. Lately a Sony RX100 VII compact and used both the Canon and Sony compacts in Fantasea housings.

I used a pair of tiny INON S2000 units but now take no strobes unless borrowing a single optical strobe from friends.

The 1" sensor cameras produce great files and the Sony RX100 VII has the same autofocus as Sony's A9 II costing around $4,500.00.

I recently had a friend decorate with 3 of my compact 1" sensor photos from Africa plus a Moorea' humpback whale photo. His layout measures almost 8' wide on a wall in his condo (see below.)

Traveling light and easy is more enjoyable after 52 years diving and hauling tons of stuff.

My advice would be sell it all and maybe get a compact and learn how to use it. It's all still ISO, shutter speed and f-stop.

I learned how to use the Sony RX100 VII (after being a Canon guy for decades) from a YouTube video by one of Sony's PRO ambassador shooting the RX100 VII compact.

Diving will be fun and travel easy in Fiji early May for two weeks, Red Sea in August plus a return to Moorea' for whales in early October.

You can search for my name and see sample compact pics here in various posts.

PM me or email direct if you have other questions

David Haas
davidhaas4596@gmail.com

 

[Doc Harry]

I would be Interested in the Inon Z240 strobe(s) if willing to separate Items.

Thanks
Anthony

I'll be in touch

 

[Doc Harry]

Doc Harry,

You won't likely recall but you were on a Cozumel trip with me and one of my groups ages ago. I had lots of photographers on board with various UW rigs from compacts to full size SLR rigs.

5 years back I decided it was all too big to haul. After a Philippines trip shooting my first 1" sensor Canon compact side by side with my SLR I came home and sold all the SLR items in 2 weeks. Camera bodies (2), lenses, land flashes, housing and underwater ports and strobes gone.........

Since then I've traveled with an iPhone and Canon 1" sensor compact. Lately a Sony RX100 VII compact and used both the Canon and Sony compacts in Fantasea housings.

I used a pair of tiny INON S2000 units but now take no strobes unless borrowing a single optical strobe from friends.

The 1" sensor cameras produce great files and the Sony RX100 VII has the same autofocus as Sony's A9 II costing around $4,500.00.

I recently had a friend decorate with 3 of my compact 1" sensor photos from Africa plus a Moorea' humpback whale photo. His layout measures almost 8' wide on a wall in his condo (see below.)

Traveling light and easy is more enjoyable after 52 years diving and hauling tons of stuff.

My advice would be sell it all and maybe get a compact and learn how to use it. It's all still ISO, shutter speed and f-stop.

I learned how to use the Sony RX100 VII (after being a Canon guy for decades) from a YouTube video by one of Sony's PRO ambassador shooting the RX100 VII compact.

Diving will be fun and travel easy in Fiji early May for two weeks, Red Sea in August plus a return to Moorea' for whales in early October.

You can search for my name and see sample compact pics here in various posts.

PM me or email direct if you have other questions

David Haas
davidhaas4596@gmail.com

View attachment 701028

I remember you! My in-laws are Haas.

Will be in touch later.