Ikelite Support for Sigma 10-20mm lens?

So I was looking at the Ikelite port chart for the Nikon d70 and it now shows "no" across all fields regarding the Sigma 10-20mm lens. I know this lens used to be supported by both a standard 6" dome and the 8" dome port. I recently purchase this lens and have been trying to decide on which port to purchase, now it seems I might be SOL.

What gives? Anyone using this lens with the Ikelite/d70 set-up? Is too late in the day to call Ikelite, anyone knows why they stop supporting it?

Thanks

I just noticed this also, and was wondering the same thing. I have both the 6" and 8" dome that "was" recommended for the Sigma 10-20. So what is the reason for pulling the support? Are there inherent problems with this lens housing combo? I have only used the 6" 10-20 combo a couple of times and the 8" 10-20 about 5 times while on a recent trip to Palau. It is a real pain to assemble this lens/camera/port assembly, but once it's together, it seems to work OK. Perhaps Ike got too many complaints about how difficult it was to put together. If that's the problem, I'll live with it. If it's something else, I would really like to know.

Ok, so i talked to Ikelite on the phone today. Apparently the problem is that the diameter of the lens is large enough that it can make the zoom mechanism bind. You can still use the lens with the housing and either a 6" or an 8" port, but they recommend that you do use the zoom and just preset your focal length before putting the lens in the housing. Of course, this negates the flexibility of the zoom lens, but I guess it would be better than nothing.

Anyone out there using this lens on the Ikelite d70 housing and successfully zooming?

Or anyone interested in buying a Sigma 10-20mm lens? :-)

thanks

Ikelite says that the lens diameter is right at the limit of the 3" max diameter their zoom clamps can accomodate, and since you can't zoom the lens, putting it in a port isn't a good solution.

I disagree, and think a 110 deg prime lens is very valuable. 5503.51 is the appropriate port.

I do have customers who I"ve sold 17-35 zoom gears for this lens, and they aren't complainging that I sold them the wrong parts, so I think it can be done...

Thanks Ryan,

I have a 5503.55 I was going to try it with. What about the 8" dome, would that be a viable alternative in your opinion?

5503.55 will probably vignette. The 8" port should have sharper corners than the 6" dome.

Can Ikelite please comment either on their website or here.

I've also just bought the Sigma 10-20 but for a 350D and was saving pennies for the 8" port to match but now see it's not listed .

If they are not willing to state it as "fully functioning" please can they explain the limitations. If I can zoom but no manual focus I'll still be happy.

(On land so far I love the 10mm on APS-C camera.)

Cheers,

Richard B.

Anyone out there using this lens on the Ikelite d70 housing and successfully zooming?

Hello,

Dont' worry, a friend of mine use this setup (Ikelite D70 + Sigma 10-20 with 5503.50) with no problem for zooming I have the same setup with a Canon 350D, no problem again. But yes, you have to be very careful when you install the zoom clamps.

Thanks. Appreciate that. I tried the lens on a 5503.55 port and I could zoom (on land) no problem. I think I'll just get either the 5503.50 or 5503.51 for it and later on upgrade to an 8" dome with either the Nikon 12-24 or the 10.5.

Thanks for all the replies

I confirm what Krikri said. I helped a friend put together the same setup and it works fine. THe zoom clamp is really hard to get onto the lens, so I'd suggest leaving it there once you've got it on. This way you won't have to struggle every time.

Good idea. I don't plan on using this lens on land much anyway.

Thx

Update

I sent my lens to Ikelite so they could test it with the 5503.51 port. This port is slightly larger diameter than the 5503.50. After testing in it with my lens they are still not convinced that the zoom gears will work with this lens. Their recommendation right now is to set a fixed focus before housing the lens and not add the zoom gear.

Not an ideal situation, but I don't have many options right now since I can't afford a new lens and my first option would be a 10.5 which is a fixed lens anyway. We'll see how it works out. I might still try adding the zoom gear and see what happens since a few of you seem to be using this set-up with no problems.

thanks,

J.C.

Just wondering if anyone has had any more luck with this? I was looking at buying this lense but would like zoom control..

Just wondering if anyone has had any more luck with this? I was looking at buying this lense but would like zoom control..

I just returned from a trip where I successfully used this lens with the 5503.51 and the 17-35mm zoom gear. It works ok.

Hi,

Since my earlier post I've now splashed out and got the Ikelite 8" to go with this lens (using a Cannon 350D setups). It's not perfect but it works okay.

The main issue is that the standard clamp ring will not fit on the lens and still fit into the port extender. To overcome this I used some black insulation tape and a couple of bits of plastic (cut up cable tie) stuck (in line with the axis) to the lens zoom ring to give the housing zoom ring something to grip.

<I'll try to post some pics shortly>

You have to assmeble the housing in an odd order ; Camera in and boxed up, zoom sleeve on lens, lense in, port on, but that's not a big hassle.

Some times the zoom gear slips but if you are gentle with the zoom control it all behaves nicely.

Cheers,

Richard B.

Believe we initally backed off the lens because the #5503.51 port wasn't available yet and the port body taper (inherent with molded parts) on the #5503.50 port, "grabbed" the lens, like it did with the Tokina 12-24mm. When the #5503.51 port was developed for the Tokina 12-24mm lens, we found it also worked for the 10-20mm Sigma. We again offered a port for the 10-20mm Sigma with no zoom capability because of the slippage problem caused by the larger inside diameter of the #5503.51.

Not sure why we didn't also offer the 8" dome again other than not wanting to offer a marginally acceptable (questionable zoom) setup with the more expensive dome.

Hi,

As promised, here's some photo's of the home made zoom clamp.

Click the link :-

http://www.images-underwater.com/8%20port%...20mm%20lens.htm

Cheers,

Richard B.

Hi,

As promised, here's some photo's of the home made zoom clamp.

Click the link :-

http://www.images-underwater.com/8%20port%...20mm%20lens.htm

Cheers,

Richard B.

Hi,

Got a recent request for the above since the link was dead. I have posted photos again here :-

http://www.images-underwater.net/Modified_zoom_clamp.html

Cheers,

Richard B.