I finally got around to diving with Nikon's 10.5 mm fisheye lens with the Sea & Sea DX-D200 housing and my old SX dome port (8"). It turns out that this combo DOES NOT work. The SX dome port moves the dome out too far so that the fisheye lens will capture the inside edges of the aluminum port beyond the actual dome. The old SX port seems to work great with the 12-24 mm zoom, however.
Therefore, I am now in the market for a new dome port. I am considering Sea & Sea's optical dome port ($$$$), but am curious as to the image quality of their standard NX Fisheye dome port. The reason I am also considering the NX Fisheye dome port is that according to Sea & Sea's systems chart I could use that dome with both lenses, the 12-24 mm zoom and the 10.5 mm fisheye. The last thing I want to have to do is travel with 2 dome ports (in addition to my flat port), but if the NX fisheye dome port just can't deliver the optical quality of the Optical glass dome port.... Are there other options out there? What about the Athena dome port? Would I be able to use it with both lenses with good results?
Thanks for your input!
GG
I have no real experience to add here as I only use the Sea & Sea compact dome with the 10.5. I am interested in answers to your questions though.
From previous posts it seems that the Athena glass dome is the same item as the new glass dome now sold by Sea & Sea.
Also, from a recent post by John Bantin on the results from his Sea & Sea glass dome he implies that the results are still not as good as those when using a larger fisheye dome. Some corner softness is mentioned. It was not clear from his post if this was a direct comparrison to the Sea & Sea larger fisheye dome or some oher make.
I have no real experience to add here as I only use the Sea & Sea compact dome with the 10.5. I am interested in answers to your questions though.
From previous posts it seems that the Athena glass dome is the same item as the new glass dome now sold by Sea & Sea.
Also, from a recent post by John Bantin on the results from his Sea & Sea glass dome he implies that the results are still not as good as those when using a larger fisheye dome. Some corner softness is mentioned. It was not clear from his post if this was a direct comparrison to the Sea & Sea larger fisheye dome or some oher make.
Could anyone confirm that the diameter of the Athena dome port for the DX-D200 housing is the same as that of the Sea & Sea Optical Dome Port? I somehow seem to remember having read that Athena's dome is an 8" dome whereas the S&S optical dome is a 9" dome? My old S&S SX dome is an 8" dome, though the curvature isn't anywhere near that of either the Athena nor the new optical dome by S&S.
I also have now read multiple posters stating that both the Athena and the S&S glass domes would work with the 12-24 mm Nikkor when using the NX-40 extension ring. I have not yet found any posts as to real-world experience re edge focus/clarity using this combo (or even that of edge performance when using the 10.5 mm fisheye with either of these domes). Anyone out there who'd mind sharing their experience and recommendations?
