Slippage – Sea and Sea Zoom Gear

I just got a Sea and Sea DX D200 for my Nikon D200 and have used it four times now. It turns out some great photos and I really like the way it handles. But I have one complaint…the Zoom Gear for the Nikkor 18-70mm lens keeps slipping. The O-ring design does not seem to be very efficient. It does not happen every time, only when I need to zoom in on something . Does anyone else have this problem and if so do you have a solution?

Thanks

Semper Dive,

Brian

Hi Brian,

Could you post a picture of the friction surface of the ring? I think I'll be of more use next week when I get my zoom ring for the Canon 16-35mm, but a picture might help.

Martyn

the Zoom Gear for the Nikkor 18-70mm lens keeps slipping. The O-ring design does not seem to be very efficient.

Hi Brian,

you mean that the Zoom Gear keeps slipping between the lens and the gear and not between the Gear and the housing, right?

I had a similar problem. Now i put an elastic band over the lense and than the zoom gear.

Rachid

Well, MY solution (up to now) has been a rather messy looking combination of matchsticks (pushed between the lens & ring) and electrical tape (wrapped over where the ring ends on the lens).

It's a bit late now, but my solution would have been "make your own". Check out this post

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=15291

Hey Martyn,

I hope this helps. The O-ring is the only thing that holds the gear onto the lens. I was not able to get it to fit with the whole O-ring and the instructions that came with the zoom gear said to cut the O-ring into 3-6 pieces if it did not fit. Then, if it was too loose to apply some tape that was included. It does not seem like a very efficient way of gripping onto the lens. A friend of mine has a D70 with an Ikelite housing and he uses the same lens, their system seems much better.

Semper Dive,

Brian

Thanks Brian,

I got my gear today and fitted it. Luckily its a very tight fit. With the full o-ring it didn't want to go on initially. After licking my finger and rubbing it round the o-ring to apply some "Mother Nature's Lube TM" to the problem it slowly worked into place. Once itwas there for a while it took a set from the ribs on the zoom ring on the lens and is good an solid.

I can also work it back off again, so I'm happy for now. We'll see if it gets naughty in action, but it feels pretty solid for now.

Cheers,

Martyn

I just got a Sea and Sea DX D200 for my Nikon D200 and have used it four times now. It turns out some great photos and I really like the way it handles. But I have one complaint…the Zoom Gear for the Nikkor 18-70mm lens keeps slipping. The O-ring design does not seem to be very efficient. It does not happen every time, only when I need to zoom in on something . Does anyone else have this problem and if so do you have a solution?

 

Thanks

 

Semper Dive,

Brian

A colleague of mine had same problem. There are two versions of Nikon 18-70 lenses with minimal difference in zoom ring diameter. The "new" version appears to be slightly thicker then the old version, so it might be that you have the old lens and the new zoom gear. If you don't want DIY solutions, you might check with S&S, maybe they have the correct version of the zoom ring.

In stead of 3 short 'o' ring sections, try a full ring. The increase in contact area may be enough to tighten it.