Canon 100mm macro usm, S&S 350D...what port?????

Hi All, I've decided to hang the WA up for a while and invest in some macro kit.

I'd like to get a Canon 100mm usm macro for my Sea&Sea housed 350D

Looked at the Sea&Sea site for ports but there seems to be quite a few options. Any recomendations out there? I already have extension rings 40 and SX so that might make it more affordable (always a problem!) for me.

Any help appreciated.

Cheeers

I already had the compact macro port base for my 60mm so instead of getting the monster NX Custom Macro port, I went with a longer Compact Macro Port (M?) and picked up a zoom gear from Athena. Reduces the # of ports I need to carry around when I'm bringing both a 60mm and 100mm macro lens. Works fine, but given how negative this housing is, it might be better to get the bigger diameter ports for additional buoyancy.

They have also come out with a sleaker looking DX port. S&S now has their own focus gear that will fit in either the DX port or the Custom Macro Port.

Accordingto the system chart below, I guess you could reuse your SX Extension with the NX Custom Macro Port.

http://www.seaandsea.jp/products/img/canon_digital1.gif

** IMHO, I strongly suggest getting a focus ring with this lens as the AF seems slower/ hunts more on the 100mm macro USM than the EFS 60mm macro and I find I need to manually fine tune the focus once in awhile.

Cheers Pakman, I like your thinking about using the 60mm macro as well. Though I don't see on the chart the Compact Macro Port M being compatible with the 100mm usm?????

I'm sure I'm just confusing myself now! Is the NX custom really massive? I must say I was looking forward to somthing more compact than my dome!

Cheers

Cheers Pakman, I like your thinking about using the 60mm macro as well. Though I don't see on the chart the Compact Macro Port M being compatible with the 100mm usm?????

I'm sure I'm just confusing myself now! Is the NX custom really massive? I must say I was looking forward to somthing more compact than my dome!

Cheers

It's not listed. I believe the S&S focus ring won't fit. This was something Yuzo had suggested as I already had the compact macro base. Also the athena focus ring allows me to use the housing focus/ zoom so my left hand can stay on the handle while fine tuning focus.

It's not that bad (the NX macro port)... Size wise, just think of a port as wide as the housing lens opening (5.3" diameter?) sticking out 5-6". Also, with the NX custom macro port, I think the focus knob is on the port side. With the DX port, I think the new focus ring works with the housing zoom/focus knob.

Again, its a trade off... smaller/ compact traveling size but you lose the extra buoyancy of the bigger ports.

Ahh Ok. I'm thinking I like the DX base and port might be nice and small for poking about. The option to add a focus gear is a bonus. Off topic but how are you getting on with the 400D?

I don't know if anybody in OZ sells Athena, but I'm loving these ports:

They are lightweight (delrin), and have a 67mm threaded front which yields wicked macro with a wetmate lens.

Ryan, you're evil... I'm gonna have to put you ignore or hide my credit card if you keep posting all these new goodies...

Well that's the focus ring I've got. Only complaint I have about it is that it has a tendency to slightly flex towards the gear end and can result in the teeth slipping with the housing focus gear. But putting a little single sided foam tape on the inside of the focus gear teeth opposite to where it contacts the housing gears seems to have solved it.

edit: oh, and did you see their new 20cm monster dome (OPD-200Vpro)?

Ha ha ha... it is my job you know

I have to tape those gears a bit too... A little messy, but once set up it works ok for me. I'd prefer they cut them tighter.

I have seen that dome... In fact a couple hundred of them. We are using that same piece of glass (which is AMAZING!) to build a competing product that isn't quite ready yet.

I have been using the 220 mm Athena dome for several weeks now on the pictured Olympus housing with the 7-14 zoom and 8 mm fisheye, it is quite AMAZING.

With the Olympus 7-14mm (14-28 equiv.) zoom the "Phat lens" problem does not exist.

Phil Rudin

Notorious,

Well it's a crap day today here in HK... City is socked in by some nasty haze/ pollution so that killed my idea of trying my new 40D outside. I figured I'd snap some pics of the 100mm compact macro port setup and Athena focus ring for you.

(100mm Macro USM lens with Athena focus ring attached)

(Athena 100mm macro ring broken down. You can see the small white foam tape I've attached inside the ring)

Ryan, that port looks great! Suitable for the canon 100mm usm? Is it the same as the Nikon VR version? Now you've confused me even more! Looks good though and the wet lens option really apeals.

Do you know if the Sea & Sea DX Macro Port 50 can be used on it's own? and if you could can one squeeze the 60mm macro in there? (maybe I'm asking for too much there!)

Pakman, thanks for taking the time to take those photos, looks like quite a nice setup, very compact.

I have some desisions to make. 1 week untill payday