Sea & Sea housing for D90 ???

Two of the guys from Sea & Sea Japan were in town this past week (in So Cal) and they, along with a few others from Sea & Sea USA came down to our store. I chatted with them for quite sometime about the frustration caused by the lack of a D90 housing, and I reiterated many times that there was a significant interest for D90 housings and that the D90, from what I see and hear, is one of the most popular cameras out right now. The original plan was for them to do an RDX series housing (their new, polycarbonate housing series) but scrapped that idea. They said to start that now would take at least 6 months. We then got talking about them doing an MDX series housing, which of course would be more expensive than an RDX, but as always, well worth it.

I will say, I repeatedly brought up this subject during the 3 hours I spent with them...and I will see them tomorrow at PMA as well where I plan to mention it one more time. Here is my question to all of you.

If S&S came out with an MDX series housing, would you be interested in buying one? They say getting one of these out is much faster than the RDX due to the plastic molds that have to be created.

I would, if the housing makes the following possible:

I want to fire my strobes optically.

Be able to use a had strap on the lefthand side.

Be able to mount the left strobe on the housing.

Simailar to this Seatool setup - http://www.myunderwaterworld.com/seatoolnd300-2.htm - look towards the bottom of the page.

Obviously at a decent price and coming to the market before Seatool, I would go for it.

In my case it would depend on price/features ratio.

Here in UK the RDX housings are 400£ cheaper then Ikelite! That's really cheap with today's weak pound.

MDX price will be similar to other manufacturers so the choice is not that obvious. Looking at prices, new Aquatica AD90 cost 1500-1600£, Sea&Sea for D300 2100£. Neither of them has optical bulkhead, ports cost almost the same.

With price the same as D300 I'd rather go for Aquatica.

Mike L - thanks for asking those guys. At least we know what's going on!

If S&S came out with an MDX series housing, would you be interested in buying one?

I waited 3 months for their announcement, and ended up going D300+MDX-D300.

But I am organizing UWP Contests here in the UAE and I would certainly push for a MDX-D90 among the top prizes!!!

I believe it would be the BEST UW housing for the D90!!!

Thanks for the sweet talk!!!

Well yes I definitely told them an MDX-D90 would have to be reasonably priced for it to sell. Im anxious to see one come out from Seatool as well, we all know that is going to be the most compact of any D90 housing. As for a S&S housing lets hope they seriously consider doing an MDX...only time will tell. A perfect world it would come out within a few months max, and be priced around $2k or so...too bad Im not an engineer.

Mike, I talked the them today and I don't think a D90 housing is going to happen. They just don't seem interested... I too asked about an RDX housing as it's a natural. But the D90 just hasn't been all that popular a seller I think, anyway not anywhere near as big as the D80.

Jack

Well we started shipping our D90 housing yesterday and the order book keeps filling up, me I'm happy that much of the competition was sleeping and missed the boat on that one, still i'm puzzled why they would think this camera is not worthy or why they would take so long to feel the market.

The Nikon D90 is a great performer and you get a definetly good quality video out of it, so maybe its no Canon 5D Mk II on steroid, but heck, you can get the Nikon D90 camera body and housing for about the same as the price of the 5D Mk II body only, that a price bracket worth respecting and you get access to all thoses goody, goody DX optics on top of that, no duck tapping converter to fisheye zoom etc

no duck tapping converter to fisheye zoom etc

I take that personally....no beer for you !!!

Ok, sorry Mc Gyver San, beer(s) on me next time

Hi Jean

Is it in your long term plan to start making housings with which one can use optical cables?

Thanks

Hi,

I found Patima has been shipping D90 houings for few weeks now & it

should be with some Europian dealers by now.

1.It is a compact housing.

2.It has manual focusing on the port for 60mm lens.

3.Manual focusing for 105mmVR will be available soon as an option.

4.Optical connector is available as an option.

5.Has a great price. I am even considering one as a backup system.

6.It takes Nexus port as is. No adapter needed.

Only thing not going to have on time is zoom gear for Tokina 10-17mm.

They are still working on it.

Sam