New EOS D30/D60 Zillion Housing

I just found a new EOS D60/D30 housing from the Japanese manufacturer Zillion. Enjoy the pics unless you can read Japanese. Price is about USD 2200.

http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~zillion/EOSD60/index.html

FYI, if you go to http://world.altavista.com/tr , there is a translator there that will give you a pretty good idea about the housing. It uses INON ports and it appears that there are little connectors on top for a optical cable connection so you can synch off the internal flash . . .

just want to add

Any idea on what lenses the ports support? I went to INON's webpage and downloaded a Japanese .pdf file but it's hard to tell if 1) other brands are supported (e.g. Sigma 14mm) and 2) if manual focus controls are usable with the INON ports . . . The flash compatibility is nice, though.

Mike

Mike,

Here is the INON X1 Port chart.

Lens1. INON X1 Dome Port- EF14mm to 20mm

Lens2. MF Lens- EF35mm-80mmUSMII, EF 28mm-80mm USMIII, EF28mm-80mm USMIV

Lens3. EF22mm-55mm f4-5.6 USM EF 20mm, EF20mm-35mm f3.5-4.5 USM

Lens4. EF 28mm and 35mm

Lens5. EF100mm

Hope this helps...

Mike,

the last 2 INON port on the picture right hand side are the INON X1-MRS Ports.

MRS Port 1 is compatible with EF100mm

MRS Port 2 is compatible with EX180mm

As far as I know, I don't think INON makes a lens gear for the Sigma lens but they have the X1 lens gear that will work with Canon lenses from 28-80mm, 15-50mm and 20-100mm

Thanks Allan,

Looks like there will be several options next year for the D60. Hopefully they'll be timed to coincide with my tax return . The port list is interesting, but take a look at INON's website for this link:

www.inon.co.jp/customersupport/pdf/X1-Z.pdf

On the first page of the X1-Z part you can see a picture of what looks like a 50mm lens in a port with a focus *ring*! Looks like the 100mm lens port has the ring as well. That would be ideal for UW use (better than a knob). I see 90mm in there too but can't figure out what brand they're talking about (I really should have stayed in that Japanese language class longer!). Also, do you know anything about the strobe linkage? It says something about "magnetic switch fiber cable". Does that mean it sticks magnetically and transfers the internal flash signal through fiber optics? Or does it mean that it uses a proprietary INON firing mechanism compatible only with INON strobes? Also, as far as the Sigma 14mm goes, as long as it is used in auto focus, it would probably work OK as long as it fit inside the big dome . . .

I stayed long enough in the Japanese class...

Yes it is a focus ring. Similar to the one on Titan. But I am not sure this one is 'magnetic'. Patent infringement on one of the manufacturers?

The text says 'Focus like on the camera with one hand. No small focus button.' I will have a look on one over here.

In fact the INON guy live nearby. I haven't met him yet though. However, if everyone with S2s (including JamesW who did a wonderful job with the chat/presentation on his website reefpix.org) send me an email that they will buy a USD 3000 INON house - I will hand deliver the list to the INON guy here.

Sorry I forgot...

90mm is the diameter of the focus ring - not a lense.

Strobe connection. I need to check this out. But it says the cabel is connected by 'light' - no risk for water entering, that you can take it off/on under water, that it works with Nikon SB series, and that wireless TTL is possible.

Thanks,

I think I can see how the Inon screw in type strobe cable works with the INON housing, but I'm still having trouble understanding how the Zillion one would work (different connectors). I wish some US manufacturers would be a little more proactive with things like this.

Does Zillion sell into the States? I don't see anything about this housing on digideep yet.

I don't think so. At least not thorugh any authorized dealers.

Can you get any Japanese house except Sea & Sea over there? What about the INON houses, are they available?

Mike,

From what I understand the Zillion fiber optic cable port mount for the INON fiber set is just basically a mount and will not give you TTL. There is no hard wire connection on the Zillion housing. Strobe setup will be SLAVE and the recommended strobe for now is the INON D-180 or the INON Z22 quad ring strobe light.

The INON magnet switch will only work with the INON X1-LZ and NZ film housing.

One thing that really sounds promising is the abilty to adapt the INON X1 port to the Zillion Housing thus permitting the user to use the INON Z22 quad ring strobe light that can be mounted right through the lens port of the housing.

BTW, INON Z22 quad strobe rocks!!!!

Pretty neat huh?

I'll post some more info as soon as it's available.

Thanks Allan,

I had pretty much figured out by looking that the strobe connection wasn't hard-wired to the camera. However if it is, in fact, slaved of the internal flash through a fiber cable, then I could adapt the "output" end to fit my DS-125 slave sensors. Of course, if the housing is clear enough, the sensors might be able to sense the internal flash anyway . . . That Fuji S2 is really looking sweet for UW photography as none of this extra strobe nonsense is necessary. Only problem for me is that I'm already vested in Canon glass and really like it!

The ring flash is, indeed, cool for ultramacro . . .

Mike,

It sounds like you're plan should work granted the Ikelite TTL sensor will read the internal flash. I don't thig it's going to be a problem the fact that the Zillion housing is clear.

btw, the INON lens gear will work with the magnet switch for their X-1mrs lens port. I think it's possible to zoom in and out just by turning the gear on the lens port but I have heard some problems users are encountering using it like the magnet not working.

I don't know much about what's available. I'm just starting out in my quest for underwater photography equipment.

Allan,

That's IF you can pop up the internal flash inside the housing. They stick up a lot and I don't think it will fire unless it's fully open.

I'll try it w/ my S2 and see...but the D60 might be different.

J

James,

Yes, the internal flash will pop up inside the Zillion Housing.

MikeO wish that some US manufacturers would be a little more proactive brings official request to check our Did You Know page. Ikelite actually introduced almost every innovation known to underwater strobes, and introduced wireless TTL technology to the entire world including above water photography.

ike