Housing Choice

As I live in remote Alaska, I cannot put my hands on any of this gear, so I am asking for yet more assistance.

First trip is surface shooting of humpies in Tonga, then stopping in Fiji to dive on the way home.

I will prolly be shooting with the 10.5mm fisheye and 12-24mm lenses. If I change later to say, Tokina 10-17 fisheye and or Sigma/Nikon 10-20mm zoom, can I use the same port, or do I need to get new ports for each?

For now, I have decided to go with a mid range system for my Nikon D300 and would like to discuss pros and cons of each or other system. Besides the obvious depth range, is there more things I should look into?

Less expensive or more available accessories: ports, gears, strobe choices, etc (I currently own a SB-105 and could save money if I could use that ... for now).

Is one more intuitive?

Easier to get serviced?

Any feedback or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I hope is is OK to start a post like this. I welcome discussion here, via PM or e-mail. Heck, if sometone is willing to talk realtime I can call you.

Thank you in advance,

Honestly, I went for Ikelite for one main reason: it was the only high-quality housing that I could afford. Price is the great equalizer! I was also using an older camera (Canon 30D) that few manufacturers had housings for. Plus, I like how I can see all of the o-rings, and the full TTL support in the strobes.

From what I understand, Aquatica (http://www.aquatica.ca) housings are a little more user-friendly in terms of being able to adjust more things from your fingertips without having to take your hands off of the handles. That would be "nice" for me but I am more than happy with my Ikelite for now. Perhaps I will "move up" to another housing in a few years with my next setup.

Regards,

Dan

Boring answer, but both are good quality aluminum housings and have a nice range of ports and zoomgear. I think you will be happy with either.

One plus in my book for Aquatica is that they offered D200 to D300 conversion kits, so D200 customers didn't have to buy an entire new housing.

You can most certainly use the same port for the 10.5, 12-24, 10-17 and the 10-20, as the rectlinear zooms usually perform best behind fisheye domes, but they may need port extensions of various lengts and perhaps a +dioptre for the 12-24.

You can use your SB 105. Don't know if it's possible to get TTL working though, perhaps with a Heinrich Weikamp TTL converter or with the Sea&Sea version?

good luck

/c

<<Price is the great equalizer! >>

So true. I used to get only "the best", but I really can't justify getting the best, since after moving to Alaska 6 yrs again, I haven't "gotten wet". I'm long over due!

 

<<I was also using an older camera (Canon 30D) that few manufacturers had housings for. Plus, I like how I can see all of the o-rings, and the full TTL support in the strobes.>>

 

I sold my D200 DX and bought a D700 FX. I had planned to go FF, but then traveled to NZ and OZ, making wanting to get back into diving again. Seeing o-rings seated and water intrusion is attractive.

 

From what I understand, Aquatica (http://www.aquatica.ca) housings are a little more user-friendly in terms of being able to adjust more things from your fingertips without having to take your hands off of the handles. That would be "nice" for me but I am more than happy with my Ikelite for now. Perhaps I will "move up" to another housing in a few years with my next setup.

 

Regards,

Dan

Thanks Dan