Which housing manufacturer's have multiple port sizes?

It is easy for new and experienced photographers to be caught out by this one. Subal for example now have two port sizes. I thought it would be useful to compile a list. Hopefully it will be short.

The change coming with the introduction of the D3 and D300 housings and all subsequent housings are available in two port sizes (with converters between the two).

Which other manufacturers offer more than one port size? One of the guys on my workshop this week had bought a new Aquatica dome, which would not fit on his housing. But I don't know the details of that change?

Alex

Which other manufacturers offer more than one port size? One of the guys on my workshop this week had bought a new Aquatica dome, which would not fit on his housing. But I don't know the details of that change?

 

Alex

Hi Alex,

I use a Nexus housing and I know that Nexus have two port openings.

They are catalogued as M5 and M6.

I can't remember if the change came at D200 or D300.

Nexus also offers a step up adapter for the differing sizes.

HTH,

Bruce...

Older Anthis/Nexus housings (D70/D200) have M5 ports, the D300 (and D700, I think) have D6 ports.

SeaTool list "M"-mount ports and offered "S"-mount ports in the past; they also make adapters between their housings and a range of other manufacturers' ports: Subal, Sea&Sea, Nexus and Inon.

Tim

For "D-6", read "M-6", of course....

... though how you hit "d" instead of "m", I have no idea!

Tim

Thanks Tim. Great info.

Yeah, I remember in film days that Nexus had their standard and pro port sizes.

Alex

Older Anthis/Nexus housings (D70/D200) have M5 ports, the D300 (and D700, I think) have D6 ports.

 

SeaTool list "M"-mount ports and offered "S"-mount ports in the past; they also make adapters between their housings and a range of other manufacturers' ports: Subal, Sea&Sea, Nexus and Inon.

 

Tim

 

Hi,

Just little correction here.

D70/D100 M5 port only

D200 M5 or M6, buyer can choose at time of order.

D300 M5 or M6, buyer can choose at time of order.

D700 Anthis did not announced this model yet.

Sam

Sea&Sea's new line of entry-level acrylic housings abandoned the good old NX port line.

So now S&S has:

- CX port line: For VERY OLD CX housing for Canon Rebel (Film)

These are the same ports used in the NX port line under the name "Compact Macro Ports" plus something that could be called a "compact macro dome" and an extension ring that could be used in the NX housings with the "Compact Macro Port Base" adapter. It is a very good and compact macro system. I use it as it you can easily put together something for almost any type of super-macro configuration.

- NX port line: For all NX (film), DX(old digital) and MDX(current digital) housings

With the new Nikkor 105mm VR there is a new compact port system called "NX Compact Macro Ports".

- RDX port line: For new RDX (acrylic housings).

For now only two adapters, one for NX port line and another one for CX port line or Compact Macro Port (not the newer NX!), and a flat port for kit lenses (and the 60mm macro) exists.

Sea&Sea seems to be working harder and faster than in the last years to accommodate a greater number of lenses under it's official system chart.

Another option is a company named Athena makes good ports and domes for so called "professional" lenses for Sea&Sea and other housings.

Hi Alex, i'm curious about that guy with the Aquatica Dome Port, we have been with the same bayonet port system since the early 1990's (introduced with the Nikon F5 film housing), Can you have the chap e-mail me, I want to sort this out, the only way I see it would not fit is if he ordered some obsolete ports from E-bay without checking compatibillity. In any case, he is an Aquatica user and I want to make sure he's a happy camper as well

To answer the post question, Aquatica has only one size of bayonet port.

One of the guys on my workshop this week had bought a new Aquatica dome, which would not fit on his housing.

 

Alex

I missed this part. This is rather odd. Perhaps his "new" dome was actually a very, very old unused dome. Occasionally they pop up on ebay. Usually discovered in the back room of B&H, Helix or Adorama.

I am the unhappy camper. I'd be glad to send in the port for you to see. I bought it from one of the listed dealers. we cant change the past, but I certainly learned a hard lesson. Thans to alex he had a 'spare' d2x housing with a dome port, so all was not lost. You guys have my email as the housing was won in a wpxl contest a few years ago. If not I'll re provide it

Hi,

Just little correction here.

D70/D100 M5 port only

D200 M5 or M6, buyer can choose at time of order.

D300 M5 or M6, buyer can choose at time of order.

D700 Anthis did not announced this model yet.

 

Sam

Just a little addition here:

The old pro port was an M4 e.g. Nexus for the F4 (sweet, had one).

The earlier D80 were M5 and the latter D80 Master is M6.

The Oly E3 is M6.

The announced D90 is M6.

Best guess is that new Nexus housings will be M6. M6 has a larger diameter than the M5.

Regards,

Bob

I am the unhappy camper. I'd be glad to send in the port for you to see. I bought it from one of the listed dealers. we cant change the past, but I certainly learned a hard lesson. Thans to alex he had a 'spare' d2x housing with a dome port, so all was not lost. You guys have my email as the housing was won in a wpxl contest a few years ago. If not I'll re provide it

Just curious. Was it an 8" or 9.25"? Too big, too small? Did any extensions fit on it? I guess the better question is whether it was the port or the housing. Did you have a flat port that fit it?

Weird. Major bummer.

The port in question is an obsolete model that we discontinued +/- 15 years ago, it got purchased on the net, suffice to say that when in doubt, one should always contact the manufacturer if compatibillity issue are in question. I am in communication with vazuw and trying to make his camping experience happier.

Again for the records Aquatica has had only one bayonet size since the early 90's, obliviously as experienced by our poor collegue here, there are still some outdated obsolete accessories floating around on the net, care should be taken to confirm that the products you are interested are compatible with your current housing, wether it be an Aquatica or any other brand of housings. it is unfortunate, but there are too many instance of product being sold with incomplete description. For Aquatica user's, just remember that I'm here should you need information on any of our products.

Just to close the chapter, we contacted Vazuw and got him a new dome (as in not an obsolete new dome) at a good will gesture pricing, this even thought we as a manufacturer were not at fault (to recap, said dome was bought as a new unit on web from some unknown to us dealer, as it so happen this was a very obsolete model from a decade ago).

The opening quote kind of induced the reader to think that we had pulled a fast one and changed our bayonet mount specification without notice to our consumers, which could have been checked and cleared by us in minutes had we been contacted.

One of the guys on my workshop this week had bought a new Aquatica dome, which would not fit on his housing. But I don't know the details of that change?

 

Alex

I strive to be as accessible as possible to the members on this forum on technical aspect of not only our products but general underwater photography. I am to say the least disappointed that a simple background check was not done in this instance, as it turn out we are one of the most stable platform in this industry, having not changed our compatibility since the implementation of this bayonet mount nearly 15 years ago.

I repeat, at the risk of beating a dead horse , that we remain accessible to answer your questions whether it is prior to purchasing or after the fact. This is the surest way to get your info straight for the horse’s mouth (not the dead one mentioned earlier)

Thanks for the clarification, Jean.

Alex