Athena to offer "universal" mount for large dome

I was casually browsing Athena's website (the English version) and found that they will be offering a new large diameter glass dome... no surprise here.

However, as I went down the page I saw the following statement:

The world's first universal mount system base mount series matching every maker's housing.

This looks like the Holy Grail many wetpixelites are looking for... at least in theory.

The link is the following: http://www.athena-opt.com/kougakue.htm

And let the debate begin

Michel Gilbert

I was casually browsing Athena's website (the English version) and found that they will be offering a new large diameter glass dome... no surprise here.

 

However, as I went down the page I saw the following statement:

 

The world's first universal mount system base mount series matching every maker's housing.

Uh, except for Seatool and Aquatica, for which it says "undecided". So I guess "every" is a bit of an overstatement. Having said that, Seatool already offers adapter rings for many other manufacturers' ports -- I have one on order that is supposed to mate my S&S NX ports to my Seatool housing. Hope to have it soon . . .

Mike

Yeah,

Sounds like BS to me... :glare:

They also say that they will make ports for different manufacturers.

I sent them an email for one of their 105VR ports with Nexus M5 thread

and the reply came back: no can do...

Might be in the english translation?

Maybe they can translate: full of shit ?

Bruce...

" And "The optical technology in Japan and Germany "that knock over grand person in optical is evolved." It looks like you could actually knock someone over with this dome.

Maybe someone here can graciously help with the translation? Its pretty hard to read the site.

It doesn't look like they are considering Ikelite. That's good for me, as I just finished simplifying my port setup. I don't need to deal with Athena domes creating any buyer's remorse for me. <_<

Seriously, these ports look fantastic. I like the idea of a port system that is seperate from the housing. This would make it cheaper to change housing manufacturers. I didn't see any mention of the Nikon 14-24mm lens compatibility. Is it wide enough?

This has actually been shipping for about a year, but in very low quantities. Phil Rudin got one for his Olympus 7-14 and the corner sharpness is outstanding.

I don't love the way the Athena port's housing adapter mounts to the dome. It uses a bunch of cap screws, which are ripe for dis. metal corrosion.

The dome is outstanding. We use this glass to build a competing product that has just started shipping. At this time we have adapters for Subal, Aquatica, Sea & Sea, and Nexus M5. Alex saw this port in London. More info will be available at zenunderwater.com in the coming weeks.

The housing specific adapter is the bottleneck in this assembly. As Alex hinted at in his LIDS review, our port could be used with housing mounts that are too small for the 14-24's shade (like Subal v. 3, Ikelite, and Nexus M5) via a "stepup extension". We have to see how many D200 and D2 shooters really want to use that lens before we decide that such a product is worthy of production.

At this time there are no plans for Ikelite, as I don't expect there to be large numbers of people putting a $1399 dome port on Ikelite housings.

Does anyone know if it works with Hugyfot?

I think that business assessment is probably right. I think the Ikelite 8" modular port system is about the top end that makes sense in Ikelite housings.

I'm sure someone will want to put the 14-24mm on a DX camera but right now it seems that there are better options Tokina 11-16 F2.8 and the 10-17mm FE zoom among them.

I think the future of the 14-24mm is much more complicated than the present. Right now it doesn't make sense for Ikelite to house the $5K D3, but when FX filters down to the midrange cameras, and more lenses appear in that large diameter, there comes a time when the twain shall meet. So I think that eventually the 14-24mm will be a popular lens. I still don't see a $1400 dome on a $1400 housing but I see a market for the 14-24mm in the next two years among other housing users. Much will depend on the kind of corner sharpness that the lens gives behind a dome. I haven't seen any photos yet from Aquatica.

Mainly, I think its an interesting concept to divorce the port from the housing. With the rate that DSLRS are replaced, it might allow for changes in housing makes between cameras with the substantial investment in ports only a minor cost penalty.

its nice to see more options coming out

I'm just curious, how large is this dome, and is it supposed to offer increased sharpness for the 10.5, 10-17, or 12-24mm lenses over the large domes from S&S, subal, nexus, or aquatica?

Or is the advantage only in ultra-wide (weitwinkel) rectilinear lenses like the 7-14, 10-20, or 14-25 (14mm, 15mm, and 14mm respectively in 35mm equivalents at their widest point, assuming a 2.0crop, 1.5crop, and 1.0crop camera)

thanks,

Scott

The Olympus 7 to 14 mm zoom has outstanding sharpness edge to edge out of the water and with the Athena 220 mm dome glass that sharpness is maintained underwater.

I have seen Ryan's prototype and would agree that the housing adapter for the Zen underwater model is much better, they will also have a removable shade which is another upside if your port threads to the housing which is the case with the Olympus system.

Attached are photos of the Athena port on the new Nexus E-3 housing with the Olympus port adaptor ring.

Phil Rudin

Hi Phil

Which other lenses will this port support - the 8mm and 12-60 ?

I particularly like the "Doom cover 170"

Now THAT should solve ALL my problems

Andrew,

It will support the 8 mm fisheye, 7 to 14 zoom (and I suspect the 8 to 16 zoom which is reported to be released this year), the 11 to 22 zoom, the 12 to 60 zoom and I would guess the 14 to 54 zoom. All zooms need the port extension and zoom gears to match the lenses. All these lenses will work behind the Olympus dome port but not all will NOT have the same corner sharpness. The Olympus dome is a 170 mm glass port which is also made by Athena and is the same 170 mm glass also being sold by Sea & Sea as their new glass port.

Phil