Nikon D7000 + what!

Hi,

I have been putting off buying an SLR underwater set up for way too long!

So, I'm booking a trip to Sipadan at the end of March, and I want a new set-up by then. Currently I have an old Nikon D-80, but it is not very reliable any more and I don't want to take it underwater. I'm really interested in the Nikon D7000, and then what bits would I need to get? So far, I have been taking photos with an Olympus point+shoot, and really enjoy Macro photography underwater.

From looking through the forums I guess a good start up might be:

Nikon D7000 (body)

60mm (or 50mm?)

Wideangle/Fisheye (10-17 or 12-14?)

Strobe kit (two - one will make shadows?)

Sturdy case!

Any advice on equipment; or dealer recommendations in Vietnam/Singapore/Hong Kong/Malaysia/Thailand would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Hannah

Nikon D7000, 60mm, 10-17mm, 1 or 2 strobes, up to you. Seems like a good setup.

For Marco

60mm + Port + Focus Gear (if need)

1 strobe + FO/Syn Cable

2 x 5" arm

wet diopter +4/+5/+6/+8 (may be)-67mm will be cheaper choice

Focus Light (Optional)

Fro WA

10-17mm + Zoom Gear + Dome (4"/8") + Ext Ring (some of the dome need it)

2 x strobe + FO/Syn Cable

2 x 5" and 2 x 8" arm

1.4 TC (Optional)

Will be perfect....

Thanks cor + ckchong!

ckchong - had a look at your flickr site, nice photos! do you have any companies/shops you can recommended buying gear off in Kuala Lumpur? (or elsewheres in Malaysia). I don't know anywhere in Vietnam - so may as well fly overseas to buy it!

Thanks, Hannah

For Marco

60mm + Port + Focus Gear (if need)

1 strobe + FO/Syn Cable

2 x 5" arm

wet diopter +4/+5/+6/+8 (may be)-67mm will be cheaper choice

Focus Light (Optional)

 

Fro WA

10-17mm + Zoom Gear + Dome (4"/8") + Ext Ring (some of the dome need it)

2 x strobe + FO/Syn Cable

2 x 5" and 2 x 8" arm

1.4 TC (Optional)

 

Will be perfect....

I'd invert CK's advice on strobes: two help avoid dark shadows in macro photography, but one works quite well to highlight the foreground of wide-angle images, with ambient light filling in the shadows: two help to spread out the light, but there's no way to light the whole frame...

Macro, one strobe:

Wide-angle, two strobes:

The lens advice is spot on, though zoom wide-angle lenses are fussy about being behind the right port: otherwise they produce fuzzy edges away from the middle of the image. Good luck in Sipadan!

Tim