The traditional overlay a camera experiment

So, I took the rear shots of the d200 and the d300 from DPreview and scaled/aligned them to as close as I could make it fit, using the flash hot shoe as the reference point for size and alignment. The eyelets on the right hand side were measured and have the same internal dimension, so I am pretty comfortable that these images are equivalent in dimensionality.

Then I layered the d200 on the d300, and the result is attached.

The menu buttons have moved quite a lot, it seems that the space for the new large LCD came from the left side button area. The d300 is a lot squarer than the d200. People with very close fitting housings for their d200 (like my Sea and Sea) I think are probably going to have problems fitting the d300 to the d200 housing.

Nice work Craig, from the dimensions I thought they were much closer.

Luiz

That's really interesting Craig, thanks.

Yea I suspect now that Light and Motion had the right idea with a bigger housing, etc! Smaller and more form fitting isn't always better in housings, especially in this case and for buoyancy specs too!

I don't hold too much promise for the Subal ND20 fitting it either. Possibly with a different tray alignment or different back made for the d300 to fit the ND20, it will be interesting to see what the housing manufacturers have to say?

We will see!

Carol

nice image. I do think the layout would work better if the cameras were aligned at the base instead of the hot shoe. looks like the d300 hot shoe is a little higher but otherwise the dimensions look quite similar (except of course for the offset rear layout). lets hope it'll fit d200 housings with a new back. fingers crossed.......

Nice work Craig, but to be honest i hope you images are not correct. According to the specs on Dpreview the D200 and D300 should be exactly the same size:

D300: 147 x 114 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.5 x 2.9 in)

D200: 147 x 113 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9 in)

Probably both images were taken with a different lens or from a slightly different angle and isn't it possible to allign them correctly. As far as i can see (or actually hoping) we're only going to have to modify the menu buttons in our housings. For the rest i'm optimistic because for sure the prices of a spare D200 body are going to drop!! Anyway if i had the coice i would love to have a D300 and a D200 as a spare camera...

cheers, Udo

So, I took the rear shots of the d200 and the d300 from DPreview and scaled/aligned them to as close as I could make it fit, using the flash hot shoe as the reference point for size and alignment. The eyelets on the right hand side were measured and have the same internal dimension, so I am pretty comfortable that these images are equivalent in dimensionality.

 

Then I layered the d200 on the d300, and the result is attached.

 

The menu buttons have moved quite a lot, it seems that the space for the new large LCD came from the left side button area. The d300 is a lot squarer than the d200. People with very close fitting housings for their d200 (like my Sea and Sea) I think are probably going to have problems fitting the d300 to the d200 housing.

I link this on autocad, buttons are aligned.

Some buttons displaced

Good comparison fras, if that's really accurate I think it will certainly fit in the housing, but many buttons will lose functionality. The viewfinder seems to be on the same location...

To do this properly, you'll want to make sure that the centerline of the lens, viewfinder, and tripod mount are all in the same position. Afterall, you want to mount the new camera in the housing and have the center of the lens line up in the port, at the same time being able to see through the viewfinder. I know this because I've found out the hard way.

If that doesn't work then you'll either shim up or lower the camera in the housing using a shim or a new mounting base.

So the key measurement if you don't want to buy a new housing back is the distance between the centerline of the lens and the centerline of the viewfinder.

Information you can only get if you look at photos of the front of the cameras.

Hope this helps,

James