Aquatica Megadome/Tokina 10-17 question

Hi Guys-

I'm in the process of selling my Ikelite D200 and Fuji S2 housings and going to back to Aquatica for my D200. No slam on Ikelite whatsoever I just want an Aquatica housing again. My primary wide angle lens will be the 10-17. My question is this: Is there a big difference in image quality between the megadome and the 8" dome? Should I buy the 8" dome and spend my money on the viewfinder???

Thanks for all of your help.

Chris

I would spend the money on the viewfinder - it is available and shipping, and then get the megadome ( still finalising a few design points ) once it begins to ship.

Your main concern should be getting good glass for your wide angle lens. You should buy a nice nikkor lens they have less chromatic aberration and less barrell distortion from the start.

see http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19621

Your main concern should be getting good glass for your wide angle lens. You should buy a nice nikkor lens they have less chromatic aberration and less barrell distortion from the start.

 

see http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19621

I'm not nearly as concerned with those things as I am sharpness. You can't fix soft corners in Photoshop.

I just got out of the pool for a series of test with the 8" dome on a Canon 1:6 camera and the Tokina 10-17 in order to calibrate the extension ring required (or not) for the set up, the verdict, the lenses as shown extra ordinary sharpness in the edge using a 18456 (our thinnest extension) on the Nikon D200 & D80 a 18463 would be the one to use, with out extension the lenses as shown more than quite acceptable corner sharpness. next week should see me testing the same lenses, and our different domes.

Right now i know that i'm getting a Tokina 10-17 and will use it personnaly on my D200 rig, it is producing highly publishable quality image using the 8" dome and is at par with my 10.5 Nikkor with which i've done some very tack sharp work in double spread. i'll keep you posted on my pool result of the comparative test betwen the different domes and this lenses.

Whatever the outcome of the test, I know that the 8" dome & 10-17 deliver solid stuff across the frame and i'd worry more about the quality of the water i'd be using it in.

Regards

I recently spent a week with a bunch of industry folk - all very experienced shooters.

The interesting thing was that we had a common area depite the various Nikon / Canon / Subal /Aquatica / Sea & Sea options.

ALL were shooting the Tokina 10-17 and all left that lens on their rigs for the week, despite the fact that they all had lens bags full of options - I think that says a lot.

Certainly it is my current pet lens of the moment.

Your main concern should be getting good glass for your wide angle lens. You should buy a nice nikkor lens they have less chromatic aberration and less barrell distortion from the start.

 

see http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19621

I think Stephen Frink's comparison of those two lenses said that while there is some color abberation with the Tokina lens, it is not nearly as bad as the distortion of the nikkor lens. He provides photos to show the two.