Housing for Nikon d700

Hello my friends from Greece,I am new to underwater photography and I desperately need your help.

I want to buy a housing for my Nikon D700 but I can spend around 2000euro.They told me that Subal has the best housing for my

camera but costs more than 3000 euro with no ports.What do you think is the best choice?Ikelites housing?

My lenses are nikon 14-24, 50mm 1.4G and Tamron 28-75 2.8.

Do you think that these lenses are good for UW photography?I read that 14-24 is not suitable for UW.

I intend to take photos with ambient light in Greece because I wont have any more money to spent for Strobes.

Thank you for your help Giannis.

Hello my friends from Greece,I am new to underwater photography and I desperately need your help.

I want to buy a housing for my Nikon D700 but I can spend around 2000euro.They told me that Subal has the best housing for my

camera but costs more than 3000 euro with no ports.What do you think is the best choice?Ikelites housing?

 

My lenses are nikon 14-24, 50mm 1.4G and Tamron 28-75 2.8.

Do you think that these lenses are good for UW photography?I read that 14-24 is not suitable for UW.

 

 

I intend to take photos with ambient light in Greece because I wont have any more money to spent for Strobes.

 

Thank you for your help Giannis.

Giannis, the 14-24mm is used underwater and its good, but with large dome and stopped down somewhat only, the 50mm 1.4 is going to be of little use underwater and not many manufacturer will support the Tamron 28-75mm, not because it is a bad lens, just because it is not really popular underwater. pretty much anyway you look at it you will go over the 2000 euros for a housing and accessories including ours. look like you will need to make concessions my friend. :-(. If you are going to shoot ambient light, keep a bit of money for a magic Filter, they are really great for ambient light correction.

Giannis, the 14-24mm is used underwater and its good, but with large dome and stopped down somewhat only, the 50mm 1.4 is going to be of little use underwater and not many manufacturer will support the Tamron 28-75mm, not because it is a bad lens, just because it is not really popular underwater. pretty much anyway you look at it you will go over the 2000 euros for a housing and accessories including ours. look like you will need to make concessions my friend. :-(. If you are going to shoot ambient light, keep a bit of money for a magic Filter, they are really great for ambient light correction.

Hello my friend,and thank you so much for the reply.Ikelite doesn't have a port for 14-24,only Subal has one and it costs 1400 euro (only the port...) Moreover ikelite has a port for tamron 28-75.Do you think I will be fine with Tamron or I should get a Nikon 16mm or Sigma 15mm?

Generally ikelites housings are fine right?

Ok magic filters will be needed...

A last question,is there any difference between ikelites port that costs about 150e (usable for one lens) and the dome which is for a group of similar lens and costs about 300e?

I read something about lack of focus with the ports only.Is that true or I misunderstood?

Sorry for my English...Thank you.

Hello my friend,and thank you so much for the reply.Ikelite doesn't have a port for 14-24,only Subal has one and it costs 1400 euro (only the port...) Moreover ikelite has a port for tamron 28-75.Do you think I will be fine with Tamron or I should get a Nikon 16mm or Sigma 15mm?

 

Generally ikelites housings are fine right?

 

Ok magic filters will be needed...

A last question,is there any difference between ikelites port that costs about 150e (usable for one lens) and the dome which is for a group of similar lens and costs about 300e?

 

I read something about lack of focus with the ports only.Is that true or I misunderstood?

Sorry for my English...Thank you.

Ikelite are fine product, the design is different than the aluminum housing and ergonomic are somewhat different, but price wise they do have a an edge, they are sometime snobed by photographer, but overall they are reliable housings. In the end, between the housing you would wish you could have and the one you actually could afford, well its better to be underwater shooting than dreaming about it

The 8" dome port from Ikelite should work well with the Tamron, you might consider adding a +2 close up lens to improve close focusing, about the port, I am not that familiar with the Ikelite system as such, but I would think that the modular port system would pay off in the long run, in other word, paying more now will save you money later, a fisheye is a definitive plus underwater, I would go with the Sigma 15mm, it a better lens than the now very tired and obsolete Nikon 16mm which has not changed since the day of film cameras.

Many if not most lens/port set up for underwater will not let you have access to manual focus if the lens is a zoom, this is probably where aluminum (more expensive) housing will make the difference, I know Subal (as well as us) do offer an extension ring with an extra focusing knob for certain lens (mostly for Canon lenses as they are the one used more often for pro video footage). with the D700, getting a good quality focus light (I know, more money to spend still!!! ) will make all the difference.

Cheers.

BTW, nothing wrong with your english my friend!

Ikelite are fine product, the design is different than the aluminum housing and ergonomic are somewhat different, but price wise they do have a an edge, they are sometime snobed by photographer, but overall they are reliable housings. In the end, between the housing you would wish you could have and the one you actually could afford, well its better to be underwater shooting than dreaming about it

 

The 8" dome port from Ikelite should work well with the Tamron, you might consider adding a +2 close up lens to improve close focusing, about the port, I am not that familiar with the Ikelite system as such, but I would think that the modular port system would pay off in the long run, in other word, paying more now will save you money later, a fisheye is a definitive plus underwater, I would go with the Sigma 15mm, it a better lens than the now very tired and obsolete Nikon 16mm which has not changed since the day of film cameras.

 

Many if not most lens/port set up for underwater will not let you have access to manual focus if the lens is a zoom, this is probably where aluminum (more expensive) housing will make the difference, I know Subal (as well as us) do offer an extension ring with an extra focusing knob for certain lens (mostly for Canon lenses as they are the one used more often for pro video footage). with the D700, getting a good quality focus light (I know, more money to spend still!!! ) will make all the difference.

 

Cheers.

 

BTW, nothing wrong with your english my friend!

Oh thanks again,

So lets sum up to see if I understood everything right...

1)Domes are better because they let you focus manually which is something important for close up pictures...

2)Ikelite is a middle but fair solution for housing.

3)Fisheye and especially Sigma should be a must buy lens...

4)Focus lights will be needed...

Also I totally agree with you about the things we can afford and the things we want...

If I want to take photos of amateur scuba divers these 2 lenses will be enough for me (tamron 28-75,Sigma 15mm) or

I will definitely need some lights?

Oh thanks again,

 

So lets sum up to see if I understood everything right...

 

1)Domes are better because they let you focus manually which is something important for close up pictures...

2)Ikelite is a middle but fair solution for housing.

3)Fisheye and especially Sigma should be a must buy lens...

4)Focus lights will be needed...

 

 

Also I totally agree with you about the things we can afford and the things we want...

 

If I want to take photos of amateur scuba divers these 2 lenses will be enough for me (tamron 28-75,Sigma 15mm) or

I will definitely need some lights?

you are correct on all four point, except that Domes are almost obligatory with wide angle lenses (not just better), when shooting video it is sometime necessary to manually focus, but it is not something to be concerned with the D700. here is a document I wrote on Ports, while it is written for Aquatica's port, the basics info applies to all ports out there. it explain a bit why you need a a type of port or another depending on the lens used. hope its usefulLearn_More_about_Ports_WEB.pdf

Cheers

Ambient light will work in shallow depth situation, as you get deeper at one point there is no getting around it, you will need strobe or some form of lighting to get any color at all

you are correct on all four point, except that Domes are almost obligatory with wide angle lenses (not just better), when shooting video it is sometime necessary to manually focus, but it is not something to be concerned with the D700. here is a document I wrote on Ports, while it is written for Aquatica's port, the basics info applies to all ports out there. it explain a bit why you need a a type of port or another depending on the lens used. hope its usefulLearn_More_about_Ports_WEB.pdf

 

Cheers

 

Ambient light will work in shallow depth situation, as you get deeper at one point there is no getting around it, you will need strobe or some form of lighting to get any color at all

Thanks again my friend I will read your article and make some new answers...