Fuji S1 Pro

Before I bought my Nikon 5000 and my

housing from Ike.

I was looking into buying the Fuji S1 Pro

My reasons were its low light ability.

For one reason or another my plans

changed and I bought the Nikon.

Now I'm thinking about buying it again.

A gray market camera can be bought for

under $ 1,400. Thats a great deal.

Ikelite sells a housing for it at $1,300.

My Question, Does anyone know, or have

any feed back on the images that this camera has taken underwater, and the

housing that Ike makes for it ?

Ike if you can answer this please do.

Stay Wet,

Marc

It's a nice camera, but only 3.34 megapixels.

Here's a shot that my friend Terry took of his aquarium:

My opinion, wait a few more months and buy the Nikon D100 for ~ $2,000 I'm eagerly awaiting this camera and I'm pretty sure that there will be housings available.

Cheers

James

Marc,

You mentioned that you want to use the Sigma 15-30mm lens w/ the S1pro underwater.

Some things to consider:

What dome/extension rings/shade will you use w/ this lens?

What shade will you use? This lens is said to flare easily

What about aperture and Mfocus rings?

What about the lenses built on lens shade/petals? Does this come off?

I have looked at this lens as a DSLR option as well. It's a really nice lens at a good price.

Also might want to consider the Sigma 14mm AF lens. Eric Cheng has one that he uses w/ his Canon. Might want to ask him how he did it.

Cheers

James

[Edited on 5-30-2002 by jamesw]

Hi James,

This could be a potential problem on this lens.

The shade is part of the lens. I can only hope at this time

that it might fit inside a dome.

If not, I’m ready to cut it off where necessary.

At this time I have not place any order for any lens.

I’ll be calling Ike to get some input from him before

I purchase any lens.

I still favor buying this lens because of its zoom

range verses its price.

I’m till flexible on the lens, or lens’

I’m sure the mechanic can be worked out.

Any comments from Ike?

Stay Wet,

Marc

Before you buy the 15-30mm, make sure you ask Ike if it will fit into the dome port. I've got a Canon 20-35mm that I use on my EOS A2 in an Ike housing and it barely fits once you put the zoom ring around it. The Sigma is listed as being 3.4" max diameter, Ike's site says max diameter for his housings is 3.3". Even if it does fit, you may not be able to get the zoom ring around it. With a wide angle zoom, you shouldn't need a manual focus ring so I wouldn't worry about that. My experience with the 20-35 is that I almost always just left it at 20mm. However, the zoom was nice to have occasionally. Do you actually need an aperture ring -- can't you set the aperture with the camera controls?

Mike

Marc and Mike,

With the 1.5X lens magnification factor you may want to also consider the Nikon 18-35mm EDIF lens. I'm using it on a N80 film camera with great results with an extended dome port and +4 diopter. (Ikelite housing system with DS125) I'll be using it initally on a D100 which will be equivalent to 27-52mm. Jack and Sue Drafahl got some nice stuff with a Fuji S1 Pro in Ikelite housing. Mostly fish and close-ups I've seen.The camera is definitely capable and the price is right with the S2 Pro and D100 coming out for more $$$$$. Eric Cheng and Jim Watt have gotten great images with the Sigma 14mm due the lens "seeing" the sharpest part of this lens.

Also, the S1 and S2 plus D100 allow aperture changes via the command input dials (reversable via custom function, too) negating the need for rings other than zoom.The large diameter of the 18-35mm does require mounting the lens through the zoom sleeve, and then putting it on the camera, and then sealing the port. But with the Ikelite system, it's a cinch once you've done it.

Hope this info. gives you some more choices.

Dave Haas

http://www.naturephotographers.net/oa0602-1.html

Note that the lens does not accept screw on filters. Don't most zooms require a diopter (screwed on) to work behind a dome?

Mike

Future DSLR users,

Any lens that can't focus to 1' usually requires a diopter to "see" the apparent image a dome port creates in front of the lens. Most zoom focu to 1.5', 1.75', etc. and the 18-35mm EDIF Nikkor AF zoom in my previous post focusses to 1.1'. The Ikelite extended dome port needs the +4 diopter as recommended on their site. This allows full zoom range underwater with the same focus range (1.1' - infinity.)

One note, when you adda diopter to a lens behind a dome port, the lens will focus UNDERWATER in the range. ABOVE water if you do a "last check" before hopping in hte camera will focus, but extremely closer than below the water.

As to having to buy a 14mm=21mm with the newest DSLRs, that's true. The Sigma 14mm is one that seems to produce great results due to the DSLRs "seeing" the central sharpest part of these lenses.

Hope this info. helps.

David Haas

[Edited on 6-3-2002 by dhaas]

I've come to the conclusion that the 1.5X "magnification factor" on DSLR's is great if you're a nature photographer shooting Grizzly bears or somesuch...

But it stinks for underwater photo!!!

I think a lot of people ("a lot being a relative term) are going to buy ultra-wideangle lenses - whereas in 2 years when full frame CCD's come out they won't be necessary anymore...

I've been looking into this a lot lately and nothing seems "optimal" With a film camera, you can get a GOOD reasonably prices 20mm f2.8 lens.

With a small fortune, you can get a DECENT 14mm f2.8 lens (21mm equivalent).

Cheers

James