Housings for D300 - thinking of switching

I'm considering trading in my Ikelite rig for D300 (housing, dome and flat ports, tray etc) for an aluminum housing. Somehow the flood risk and the flimsiness of the Ikelite port attachment getting in/out of the water still bothers me after a year of using it. Had a few near misses with other divers floundering at the surface, fins akimbo nearly knocking off the port and I have managed to detach it accidentally myself on the dive boat a few times...scary or perhaps I'm just unluckily clumsy

A secure bayonet mounting would probably make me happier. Also had the chance to play with the S&S housing with the (expensive) optional 45 deg viewfinder (very nice) and this has got me thinking about paying the bucks and making the change - new ports and all.

I have 2x Ikelite DS125 strobes - again if I change housing is it worth moving to a pair of Inons or get iTTL convertor/sync ?

Appreciate any feedback/comments

Steve

Steve:

There are definitely several positives to going with an aluminum housing. The MDX housing you mentioned from Sea & Sea is what ive been using for a year, and it is without a doubt the most ergonomic SLR housing Ive ever used. Its also quite compact, the port lock is a real nice feature, and of course the Sea & Sea ports are fantastic.

With regards to TTL, Inon and Sea & Sea strobes both work well with the TTL Converter. Although it violates warranty and is not guaranteed, I personally know of a couple of shooters using the MDX-D300 with Ike strobes and the S&S ttl converter, and all seems to be working great for them. You can of course get some pretty good money for your DS-125s should you decide to make the switch to the more compact Inon or S&S strobes.

Best of luck, let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Having just done exactly the same thing myself ( Ike D300 to Subal ND30 ) I figure at least marginally qualified to answer.

Downside:

Cost is hideous - probably more so now with the Euro exchange rate on Subal. The Subal dome is quite expensive and if you start looking at the larger superdomes then they are very heavy.

The glass ports and domes are harder to scratch but if and when you do they are tough to fix - the Ike ones are very easy to polish up.

Yes the port is probably more secure and I managed to break the Ike once, I have also managed a minor leak in the Subal (never found the cause).

My pictures in no way got any better as far as I can discern.

Upside:

The Subal is a thing of beauty it is just 'nice' to handle and use and very well engineered, the Ike is merely a functional lunchbox in comparison.

The button layout on the Subal pretty much 'makes sense' and I just picked it up and went diving.

Conclusion:

My head says that the sensible thing was staying with the Ike, my heart just loves the Subal.

As for the strobes if they are working stick with the DS125 unless you have an issue with the weight of them.

FWIW - I got mine from Ryan @ Reef and he was and is top drawer and a nice guy to boot. No connection to me at all ( Can I have a discount on my next one Ryan?

Paul C

I can only second what Mike L said.

Sea&Sea user for 10 years.

Personally I think the D300 + MDX-D300 housing are the best combination for UWPhoto today.

I operate the D300 on land with the MB-D10 battery pack, and amazingly when I use the housing the camera doesn't seem so much bigger!!!

Of the accessories you described I think the most useful one is the 45 viewfinder, the TTL converter is nice, but it doesn't make such a difference as the viewfinder.

I would go with 2 Inons or 2 YS110a instead.

Good luck!!! And If you need any help just shout, I have an amplified compatibility table for lenses on S&S ports.

I moved from Ike (D70) to S&S (D200) last year. I'm very happy with that decision.

The main thing I gained was peace of mind. I had my issues with ikelite port system. It's not a very scientific statement, but S&S just feels more reliable.

I kept 2x DS-125. They work great with Ikelite iTTL converter. The only reason I would consider switching to other strobes would be compactness of inons or say YS110.

I use an Aquatica housing and am very happy with it. I wish it was lighter weight for packing ease on trips. I use dual inons with sea and sea converter.

Subal's are more ergonomic but not worth the financial difference in my opinion.

I have seen a nexus setup and it is smaller and lighter than my Aquatica and should be considered in your considerations.

Also seatool looks interesting.

I do not hesitate in recommending Aquatica, but when packing for trips wish I had a smaller/lighter rig

Thanks for the input so far guys....as I suspected I'm not alone in having thought about or actually made the switch.

I guess Subal may still be too pricey for me but I'm not getting paid in worthless UK pounds anymore, so that may help a little, and being based in Malaysia I'm hoping to get a reasonable deal from my local supplier...hint, hint if you're reading !! The S&S housing does look pretty nice and seems to handle well too.

I guess the question now is whether to try to get a more compact rig and trade in the 2x DS-125 for Inon. I do like the idea of a slightly more compact rig - the Ike strobes are big, heavy buggers in comparison to the Inons. The spare battery pack I carry seems to be as big as an Inon strobe itself.

Also the viewfinder on the S&S (I know its expensive) is a huge plus in my eyes (pun intended...sorry).

Guess I need to find out the resale values of the Ike stuff now and do the math...<involuntary shiver> At least its not *quite* as bad as starting from scratch...:-D

I had a near miss in a rinse tank with the dome port prior to a dive. The O ring wasn't seated exactly right. That, along with the creaking of an Ikelite housing when going deeper made me dump Ike. I'm very happy with my Seacam setup. Each of the manufacturers you've listed makes great gear.

If you have the money, upgrade. There are ergonomic differences amongst the housings. Ikelite's are the worst. Ikelite is about value. I've always grouped the Aquatica, S&S and Nexus together due to fairly similar pricing, but there are definitely ergonomic differences. Nexus isn't the best choice unless you feel fiber optic is the only way to go. Subal housings are quite nice. I still own one, but I'm not sure I one can rationalize the price difference. BTW, I've flooded my Subal because the port twisted open on the boat ride to the dive site.

Aquatica or Sea & Sea will give you performance you can't get from the Ikelite. Just get the Ikelite TTL converter if you so desire.

BTW, I switched out the Nikonos connector for an Ikelite connector in my Aquatica.

I use the seatool with dual inon's and am quite happy. I don't have anything to compare it to but it seems very easy, small, easy to pack, etc. Hope that helps. Scott

I always recommend trying to spend time at a dealer actually holding the different housings in your hands if possible. Try pressing the buttons, working the controls, see where your hands and fingers fit. The differences, particularly in ergonomics, and how they work in your hands, become immediately obvious. That's why I chose Subal.

Take a close look at the Aquatica. Im using Nexus now and I m switchng to Aquatica. They might even have an adapter so you can use your ports on their housing. It can make the upgrade a little easier on the wallet.

I don't have a D300 but I did just receive my Seatool housing for my 450D. Very impressive housings and well thought of. Dave (dbh) has a write up about his experiences with the D300 in a Seatool housing. Look for one of his posts and use the link to go to his site.

Jeff

If you're looking for a secure port mount check out Nexus. They still use a threaded mount. I much prefer this method over any other.

Thanks for the input everyone...getting my hands on Subal, Nexus and Aquatica housings may be tricky here in KL, but I think I know a few dive buddies and acquaintances that may be able to oblige.

Really keen to get input on whether to stick with the big Ikes or to go down the Inon route....guess thats another topic ...

Will let you know how it goes. Thanks again to all. Now to price things up and find a buyer for my Ikelite kit...

Steve

Thanks for the input everyone...getting my hands on Subal, Nexus and Aquatica housings may be tricky here in KL, but I think I know a few dive buddies and acquaintances that may be able to oblige.

 

Really keen to get input on whether to stick with the big Ikes or to go down the Inon route....guess thats another topic ...

 

Will let you know how it goes. Thanks again to all. Now to price things up and find a buyer for my Ikelite kit...

 

Steve

I have the Sea & Sea and it's great, but limited to 200 feet -- I really wish I had held out for the Aquatica which is good to 300 but it didnt exist at the time I needed the housing

I have the Sea & Sea and it's great, but limited to 200 feet -- I really wish I had held out for the Aquatica which is good to 300 but it didnt exist at the time I needed the housing

My understanding is that the main issue with depth has to do with the stiffness of the button springs, and conversions can be done if needed. The tradeoff is increased stiffness when pressing the buttons at shallower depths. Aquatica buttons are noticeably stiffer to press.

I have the Subal housing for the D300.

As mentioned it is a work of art. Very compact. All the controls work fine. At least all the ones I know how to use.

Great for travel.

Expensive.

My understanding is that the main issue with depth has to do with the stiffness of the button springs, and conversions can be done if needed. The tradeoff is increased stiffness when pressing the buttons at shallower depths. Aquatica buttons are noticeably stiffer to press.

Interesting. I have a nice little wreck in 225 that I want some stills of so maybe I will give it a go and gradually increase the depth !

Seatool housing for D300 is good, light-weight, compact and ergonomically good. It is also working perfectly with S-TTL of INON Z-240 through Optic Fiber.