What are different gears and do I need them?

While reading trough DSLR discussions on ports and lenses there are references to different gears used. What are these gears and do I really need them? If it makes any difference I am mostly intrested in Ikelite / D300 combo, possibly with Canon 18-55 and Sigma 15 FE lenses.

Zoom gears? All DSLR zoom lenses need these gears, no zoom buttons in the camera?

Manual focus gears? Most lenses are AF and if I don't plan to use manual focus the manual focus gears are not necessary?

Aperture gears?

According to NVLAD Ikelite 5503 seems to be correct dome for 18-55, but what is part number for "zoom gear adaptor"?

Which dome for Sigma 15 mm FE? Ikelite port chart recommends 5503.15 for Canon 15 mm FE. 5503.15 is for lenses shorter than 63 mm, according to lens specs Canon is 73 mm and Sigma is 73.5 mm. What am I missing here? Do you remove the lens shade while housing these lenses?

Sami

Hi sami - I am also a bit new to this and have recently got the Drebel/Ikelite housing/domeport set up. I got it with the 18-55mm kit lens.

For starters there is no camera zoom on the Canon - the manual zoom is used on the kit (or other) lens. To do this with the Ike housing you use the gear which comes with the port - its easy to fit and easy to use. I think you can fit manual focus gears to some lenses but I use AF all the time. I have not come across `aperture gears` but again the aperture can be adjusted via the housing which has the appropriate buttons/knobs. For the Canon, this is done via a simple (and affective) friction knob.

The 5503 port comes with the zoom adapter which will fit a variety of lenses as it is spring loaded and has foam inserts to protect the lens and apply torque - I fitted the medium thickness inserts.

As for which port for the WA lens - remember the sizes are based on the lens length fitted to the camera and not the total length of the lens so remeasure the lens fitted.

Hope this helps

Kirky

Moi Snuuba Helsingista,

I have the Dreb + kit lens and the Ike housing for it. The gear and the adaptor comes with the housing. You have to order the port separately.

Basically how it works in that there is a little stretchy ring that you put over your lens. Then you put a cylinger inside f the port which corrents with groves to a tounge on the stretchy ring. The cylonger has "gears" or "teeth" that engage with a knob, so you can "turn" the cylider while underwater. This is how you zoom your lens.

Hope your ice melts early, and that you have a long warm divey summer.

Terveisa sinne Suomeen taalta jenkkejen Neitsytsaareilta!

Marjo