Sea & Sea 2008 Port Chart??

Folks,

Rather than ask another dome/lens question I was hoping to look it up. I've seen images posted that have the recommended ports for the Tokina 10-17 for example. Rumor has it S&S has published the 2008 catalog. I know it's out there somewhere. Can any one point me in the right direction. This waiting for a new 40D housing is killing me. If I can't dive at least I could shop. It's amazing the lack of effort the manufacturers put into their websites. You'd think they where trying to keep all their new products a secret. Maybe they spent all their marketing money buying drinks in Florida.

Rapidly drying out in the desert, any help appreciated.

Steve

FYI, I've used the Tokina 10-17 successfully with the optical dome and the SX extension on a 400D in a S&S housing.

Knowing how slow S&S updates their system charts, especially with non Canon/ Nikon brand lenses, I wouldn't hold your breath... Best to give one of the big u/w photo shops like Reefphoto or Backscatter a call/email to see what their hands on experience suggests is the best dome/ extension combo for the Tokina fisheye.

Thanks Pakman!

I've been talking to our friends at Backscatter and they have been a big help and been very responsive. I just don't want to bother those guys with every one of my dumb questions. I'm still trying to figure out for example if I can use both the 10-17 and the 10-22 behind the same dome. If so which dome is better between the NX big plastic dome and the glass dome. I'd like to shoot through glass and it's great to know that you've been successful! Being the anal engineer, I still want to see the documentation. I'm one of those guys that actually reads the manuals. There are other options I'm thinking about for the system. I want to see the port chart. They went to the trouble to produce it. Why not make it available? I still think it's out there in the ether someplace. Sorry for the negative vib, I'm not good at shopping. Now my wife..............

Steve

The recommended port/extension for the Tokina 10-17mm SX Extension(50261), Optical Dome Port(30104) and Zoom Gear(31114).

 

The Recommended port/extension for the Canon 10-22mm Extension Ring 40(56111), NX Fisheye Dome Port(56401) and Zoom Gear(31125)

Dan

 

Aquatic Camera

Way to go Dan!

OK but somebody help me out. I'm thinking the optical dome is smaller than the NX dome. The 10-17mm fisheye has a wider field of view than the 10-22mm. I'm missing something here.

Steve

Dan, thanks for sharing the info (and for confirming I haven't been using the wrong setup for my 10-17 and 10-22 all this time!!! ).

Steve, while the 10-17 has a wider FOV, it is a fisheye lens so it handles better behind a dome (I'll let the experts explain the technical reasons). The 10-22mm is a rectilinear lens and so would benefit in the corners from the larger dome. I have used the 10-22 behind the glass dome + 40mm extension. Not bad, but at around 12-10mm it could use a diopter as the corners start to smear a bit. A good diopter for a 77m thread is expensive.

thanks for the info Dan

is the port/extension recommendation for the Tokina 10-17mm in the nikon chart the same as the canon chart? (optical dome port, SX extension ring)

thanks,

scott

OK guys I'm starting to get the idea. Underwater digital photography is like a treasure hunt. You get little clues from people all around the world about equipment and then you put your best guess together and see if it works to get the magical image. Of course the equipment changes all the time and someone will figure out a new way to use some old piece of gear so you have to read Wetpixel everyday just to have a chance to get the treasure. Every once in a while someone will print a map to the treasure to give everyone hope. Then they immediately change everything so it's out of date. This digital stuff is more fun than I thought it would be!

Trying to get in the spirit, I noticed Pakman's Athena dome on his post and went surfing and guess what I found. Athena is releasing a new dome for Sea & Sea called the 170V. V for variable I think, I don't read Japanese. They list the Canon 10-22 along with a bunch of other lens for the new glass dome. They also have an interesting new port for the 100mm macro. At least I think thats what it says. Could someone who reads Japanese go take a look? You know the best part? They don't list the Tokina lens. Ha! Got me again.

Just for fun I checked the S&S Japanese website for the new port chart, It is different (shows the 400 camera) but it's not the 2008.

Still searching for the treasure,

Steve

The Athena dome port 170V is the Sea & Sea Optical Dome port.

Thanks Dan, so the 170V is an update to the 170? I was confused by the fact that the 10-22 is listed for the new dome and not for the original 170. The site I looked at has different camera's listed for the two domes. I probably got lost in the translation.

Steve

Interesting, the 170V looks like it has a different dome shade vs the old 170.

Interesting indeed. It is a puzzlement. Might be a major clue to the treasure. I've put the call in to Dave at Backscatter. We'll see what he thinks.

The 2008 catalog with new charts can be downloaded here (7mb file):

http://www.seaandsea.com/PDF_manuals/2008_...SEA_Catalog.pdf

The online SLR system charts are being updated presently and will be available shortly.

Hooray!!!!!!

A new map to the treasure. Thank you for responding! Kudos to Sea & Sea on the images in the catalog and bigger kudos for givng the photographer credit where someone can see it. Of course you didn't include everything on the treasure map. Like the 40D isn't listed, but hey it's not offically released yet so that's understandable and one should always keep a little suspense in a relationship.

When I'm filling out my order to Santa should I assume if it works for the 400, or the ?? it will work for the 40D?

Has anyone figured out if the 170 glass dome and the 170V dome are really the same thing?

Thank you again! You made my day! B)

Steve

Steve,

Looking at the catalog, the S&S optical dome there does appear to be the newer Athena 170V, or at the least it has the newer two piece dome shade without the sides.

Hi Steve-

Yes, the 40D should be quite similar if not identical to the 400D as far as port/gear combinations.

Since the catalog printed prior to the new MDX housing production they unfortunately could not be included. Electronic versions will be available in the early new year.

Since the catalog printed prior to the new MDX housing production they unfortunately could not be included.

Thanks Sea & Sea!

OK boys and girls, we potentially have a new clue to the treasure! What do you suppose an MDX housing is? It's not in the new catalog, all those are DX housings. What does the M stand for? Typo from our mysterious friend? Nope, Reef Photo has the new MDX housing for the 40D listed. New port dia.? Nah. Eric showed us pictures from DEMA. Could the holders of the treasure just be trying to confuse us and throw off the unworthy?

Update: If I'd just read the Nikon posts. Duh. M stands for machined?

MDX series are machined out of solid block aluminum for a lighter weight housing and higher tolerances than a cast housing such as the D200. Also, the ergonomics are drastically enhanced, LCD window is A/R coated on the inside to help with reflections while using live-view,

The journey continues!

Steve

Thanks Sea & Sea!

 

OK boys and girls, we potentially have a new clue to the treasure! What do you suppose an MDX housing is? It's not in the new catalog, all those are DX housings. What does the M stand for? Typo from our mysterious friend? Nope, Reef Photo has the new MDX housing for the 40D listed. New port dia.? Nah. Eric showed us pictures from DEMA. Could the holders of the treasure just be trying to confuse us and throw off the unworthy?

 

Update: If I'd just read the Nikon posts. Duh. M stands for machined?

 

MDX series are machined out of solid block aluminum for a lighter weight housing and higher tolerances than a cast housing such as the D200. Also, the ergonomics are drastically enhanced, LCD window is A/R coated on the inside to help with reflections while using live-view,

 

The journey continues!

 

Steve

Anyone know why the Tokina 10-17 is only compatible with the optical dome and not the NX Fisheye? Anyone use that set up with SX or Extension 40?

Just wondering.

Thanks

Jay

Jay,

I asked S&S the same question and I'm awaiting a reply..

most likely, the differences will only be in the corner sharpness...

I use the 10-17mm with the compact dome port. when I added the SX extension, I noticed the corner sharpness improved.

my friend uses the lens with the large dome port and is happy with the results.

so all 3 choices work (glass port + SX, compact + SX, large dome port). it also works without the SX extension, but at a slight loss of sharpness.

I wish someone could test the 3 choices underwater to see if there are any noticeable sharpness differences. I'd do it if I had all 3 ports!

scott