D100 and Aquatica Housing

Howdy! I'm a first-time poster, so please forgive me if this has been discussed before.

A little background: I have been doing UW photography since 1987, first with a Nikonos V and more recently with a Nikon N90s in an Aquatica housing. I love the Aquatica/N90 setup, but it's time to move on to digital.

I now have a D100, with an Aquatica housing on the way. I hope to check it out on Little Cayman in three weeks. I have two questions, one about the ports and one about the strobe.

1. I have an 8" dome port for the Aquatica. I have a Nikon 20 mm lens that I have not used in the housed system, but I expect it to do fine. However, with the D100, the 20 mm becomes 30 mm, which is certainly not a very wide angle lens underwater. My wife recently surprised me with a Nikon 14 mm AF lens. This is a big lens both in length and diameter. I think that I can make this lens go through the housing and port opening, but it almost touches the dome port. I assume that I need a port extender, but which one? I asked Helix, but they said that no port extender is needed. The lens/port chart shown on the Aquatica website doesn't show this lens, only a Sigma 14 mm lens which does need an extender. Has anyone used the Nikon 14 mm AF lens in an Aquatica housing, and if so, which port extender is appropriate?

2. I am hoping to use my Nikonos SB-105 strobe with the D100. I understand that it will not work in TTL mode. I hate that, but I shot manual for years with the Nikonos V, so I can do it again. I have read that the SB-105 will not fire at all, even on manual, with the Nikonos sync cord. Where can I get a sync cord that works with the D100 and SB-105? Also, on the Ikelite webpage, there is a diagram that indicates that my Nikonos sync cord will work (manual flash mode) if I tape over one of the hotshoe contacts. Has anyone tried this?

Thanks for any help!

P.S.: If you have the March/April 2003 issue of "Alert Diver" (the DAN magazine), the "Parting Shot" photo on the inside back cover is mine.

The tape over the hotshoe technique should work

I don't have your housing or port, but I suspect you won't want to use an extender if you can avoid it. The Nikon 14mm fits in my Nexus D100 with the 6.7 inch dome quite easily.

Try shooting the 14mm in the pool and see if you get soft/blurry corners. Shoot some tiles w/ a grid pattern on them and look for distortion.

If you can get your hands on a 16mm fisheye or 15mm sigma fisheye, shoot that lens instead (IMO)

Here's an article by Stephen Frink that describes which contacts on your hotshoe to cover w/ tape:

http://www.stephenfrink.com/seacam/D1Xjournal.shtml

Welcome to Wetpixel! Great behavior in your "Seafood Dinner" shot!!! Way cool.

Cheers

James Wiseman

Hi Jimbo,

I just got back from Palau shooting the AD100 housing with 2 Ike strobes.

I've seen the 14mm, but have never used it. E-mail Blake at Aquatica to see if they have information on using the 14mm. Their lens chart is very old. I shot the 17-35mm zoom, which is big and long. Aquatica now has port extension just for that lens. Prior to that, it required two 105mm extensions strung together. Lens position is critical, but there are enough existing extensions that should suit the lens.

Rather than mess with taping contacts, I just went ahead and bought an Ikelite non-TTL sync cord, part # 4104.32. I don't see a version listed for Nik to Nik connections. You can contact Ikelite to see if they have a version yet or not. It may work with existing Nikonos strobes. I don't have a functioning Nik strobe to test, but you can check with Maurecio Handler, who may have tested that configuration.

Regardless, there is a way to use your existing SB105 with the D100.

Thanks very much for the responses. You guys have been a big help, and I appreciate it. About the 14mm lens, Blake at Aquatica is now working with me on this. Aquatica has been really good to help me make this work.

Hopefully, I'll have the housing in time to check it out in the pool before we hit Little Cayman in 2+ weeks!

Thanks again,

Jim

Since you've been using the N90s in an Aquatica housing, you will have no problems with the housing setup. The d100 is actually easier to set in the housing than the N90s.

The on/off switch is a little wierd. You have to position it just right to get the shutter release to work. Everything else is very simple. Make sure the mode dial on the upper top of the camera doesn't get accidentally turned. This wasted one of my dives

Spend time with the D100. You need to know the camera better than you do the housing. Turning the rear command dial (shutter speed) is a pain in the ass, whereas the front command dial can be turned without moving your hand from the handle.

As soon as you get your unit, check to make sure your handles fit properly into the handle base. Also, check to make sure your strobe arm connects to the handle properly.

The on/off switch is a little wierd.  You have to position it just right to get the shutter release to work.

I've never noticed this - maybe there is a problem with your housing

You can use the camera's programs to set the rear and front command dials to operate either shutter speedor aperature. With the Subal housing the rear dial is much easier to use so I set it to aperature.

I've never noticed this - maybe there is a problem with your housing

Possible. I've got the one I used and one in inventory at the shop. The exact position of the shutter release lever was slightly different on each. The on/off knob is a circular piece of plastic that turns the on/off dial. It has a cutout so the lever can reach the shutter release button in the center of the on/off dial. If you turn the housing control all the way clockwise to turn the camera on, the shutter release lever won't clear the cutout of the circle. I just have to back off from the on position a little to get the lever in the right spot.

You can use the camera's programs to set the rear and front command dials to operate either shutter speedor aperature. With the Subal housing the rear dial is much easier to use so I set it to aperature.

Interesting. I am aware of the ability to program the dials. The Aquatica has a big knob that is in fingertip reach for the front command dial. I prefer easier control for f stop than shutter speed. The rear dial is controlled by a geared knob that goes directly through the back of the housing. This requires removing your right hand from the grip to change the setting.

The Subal has front and back knobs to access the 2 command dials. The front one has some very lonnnng gearing. The back one accesses the rear dial directly and responds very quickly. Both can be reached with your right hand without moving it. Like you I like better control over aperature so I use the back dial to control it.

Dave passed on his idea a while ago and its a great solution.

I've tried it, but have not adopted it because I still shoot my 35 mm housing alongside the digital and want them to have the same controls in the same place. Although, infuriatingly, on my Subals I have to turn the knobs in different directions on the film and digital housings (because of the different gearing used for the controls!).

But maybe I should switch the controls to help me avoid confusing my housings. During my last vacation I have to admit I keep trying to press the image review button on my 35mm housing after I took each shot!

Looks like I'm turning into a proper digital snapper now!

Alex

Looks like I'm turning into a proper digital snapper now!

You have a picture of a digital snapper? A new species?