New Hugyfot D200

This afternoon will do its OW course! . It´s my first DSLR so I don´t how to compare, but I think the aperture control needs too much turning in order to change the aperture...we´ll see how it works UW!!!

Looks very nice! It would be great if you could post your impressions when you have a chance to use it underwater.

Luiz

Hi David,

Congratulations David!!! I received mine in the end of may and i can write already somethng about my experiences.

First of all, the housing itself feels great and the handstrap is a pleasure while shooting since i often use my left hand to stabilize myself (no, not on corals or whatever; we don't have corals in our dark, cold and poor visibility water). I planned to write a small review about my experiences but i didn't find time for it yet, but i'll give it a try now.

Let's start with the beginning. When you open the housing with the allen key you have to install the camera. For this you need quit big hands since you have to position your camera with one hand and then mount it in the same time with your other hand. It's do-able but i think it would me more convenient when the camera could be mounted on a tray that slides into the housing. Before closing you should not forget to switch on the leak detector because it can't be switched on or off when the housing is closed. The leak detector gets it's power from a 23a 12V battery. The same battery is also used for the Heinrichs-Weinkamp iTTL converter, if you have it installed. Then you have to close the housing which it closes perfectly like an oyster.

While diving the housing is nearly neutral with the standard macro flatport. with the Fisheye port it's perfectly neutral except that the port has the tendency to float, so you have you keep it upright actively, which is easy to do, also with one hand (in the handstrap). This brings me to the next point: the handstrap. It provides real comfort imo. But after five dives, the velcro tape was broken. The guys at Hugyfot sent me immediatly a new one, but is was too late for my Bonaire trip. Over there i attached a watch strap, which lasted for approximately 10 dives before it broke. The newly received handstrap is modified, i brought it to the shoe repair man who sewed a nylon tape on the velco to strengthen it, i don't know yet how long this handstrap will last.

Furthermore, the housing comes standard without any strobe connector and ports. Also, the AF/MF switsch is optional as well as the AE-L/AF-L- and the lens release button. They say it's optional, to reduce the price...So if you want to have have everything installed, the housing will cost you approx 3000 euro's. I wonder why the D70 housing (which is almost the same) is 500 euros cheaper with the same options. Furthermore you can have the Heinrichsweinkamp iTTL converter installed for another 300 euros. It equals almost the Subal housing for the D200.

I remember that there was some discussion on a previous thread about the accessibility of the three upper left buttons (Qual/WB/ISO). Well, all of the three buttons are accessible via the rotating knob on top off the housing. By rotating it the buttons are pushed, to 'unpush' a button you have to rotate the knob a little further.

Taking images with the Hugyfot is a real pleasure. It 's also my first DSLR for underwater use. First of all i was very much pleased that i was able to hear a real 'click' underwater (i know it's silly, but it was one of the first things that i noticed).

I also had to get used to looking through a viewfinder. Also this takes some time, but it certainly isn't necesarily more difficult then with live view on the display. What i did notice is that it isn't possible to see all 4 different corners of the viewfinder at once. For this you have to move your eye... I understood from the Hugyfot guys that they're busy with developing a big viewfinder (45 degrees??). i think it's a nice feature, but absolutely not nescessary.

The shutter lever privides a good feel with 5 mm gloves on, and also the other controls can be accessed easily.

At first i thought that i wouldn't need the AF/MF control, untill i went diving twice while my camera with macro lens was on MF.... I'd recommend everyone to have this control installed. My housing got modified this week.

I started using my Hugy with one Inon Z-240, via the HW iTTL converter and one Inon D180 as slave. On Bonaire i discovered that the D180 wasn't able to sing along with the Z-240 consequently so now i have two strobe contacts installed and the D180 is replaced by another Z-240. Combined with the HW iTTL convertre the Z240s work perfectly, especially the Manual+TTL is awesome. The idea is that you adjust your strobes in manual and the TTL functiones as a sort of safety for overexposure. I tried to figure out how the strobes work via their manual, but it's better to discard this manual and just try your set at home and find out yourself. One thing i should mention is the battery life of the converter. I had to change this 23A 12V battery every 10 dives. They're not really expensive, but also not everywhere available.

In one of the previous threads there was a discussion about retightening the mounting screws with the housing's allen key after every (deep) dive to prevent flooding. I never noticed anything about the screws that loosen after a deep dive. Maybe i tighten my housing more firm then Alex' friend.

I made approximately 30 dives with my new Hugy and i must say i really like it, although i don't have any reference to other DSLR housings. I use it with a standard flatport for my 50 mm Macro and with a Fisheyeport for the 10.5 mm FE and the 10-20 Sigma WA. The FE port works fine with both lenses. When i'm behind my on computer i'll post some example pictures. But fortunately it's weekdn now and i can use it again tomorrow!!!!

cheers, udo

Here are some examples that that i shot at my latest trip on Bonaire with the 10.5 mm FE:

The Hilma Hooker, with the 10.5 mm FE

Hilma's bottom...

One of the nicest reefs of Bonaire IMHO

The salt pier around sunset shot with Alex' filter

Also some pictures taken with the 10-20 mm Sigma:

Some fish at 3 m depth at Angel City:

A large Barracuda which isn't that large through a 10-20 mm anymore

And an image i shot in the Mangroves with poor visibility

An finally some pics taht were shot with the 50 mm macro:

A tiny blenny

Two banned boxer shrimps

A Flamingo tongue (literally translated from dutch)

Hi Udo,

great pix.

Therefore the Hugyfot is one big housing.

As you have found the assembly with the key of Allen for colousing.

You must close with force?

Thanks.

Franco

Hi Franco,

to close the housing i just close it untill it suddenly stops and then i give it i slight push extra, not too much because that could destry the bolt/housing.

cheers, Udo