Nikonos RS 20-35mm Lens Converted for Nikon Digital

Thanks Tom.  I have a 60mm micro and a flat port.  It definitely has a travel friendly foot print plus macro capability.  A near elegant solution already at hand perhaps?  Cheers

Hey Mark

A 60mm micro and a flat port is my Go-To for all travel where macro or maybe fish portraits are likely. 

Although I can see the travel-lite attraction of the RS 20-35 (no super dome!), Tom's point about the 1.33 multiplication factor would, I would have thought, be a project killer. The 20-25 would then have no-where near the utility of the 16-35. 

Totally agree though that pulling the 16-35 with a 90mm EXR and a 230 domeport through the water is a labour of love. 

I switched to the Sigma 15mm as the FX solution - which I thought was great but not as helpful as the 16-35 for say, shark/dolphin type images.

Happy to say I solved all this by switching back to DX and the D500. Hello Tokina 10-17! (my old D300 friend)

Thanks Tim.  Ironically, the cropped sensor systems do offer advantages across the board with regard to volume, weight, etc, only yielding to image size.  Alas, appears industry is moving away from these great systems though.  Cheers, Mark

Totally agree!

Hello Mark,

I am using RS 13mm and 20-35mm SEACAM converted lens extensively with a D850 for the last three years. As you know the quality of the 13mm is outstanding. Well, it is the same for the 20-35mm, it is sharp corner to corner at f2.8. I am using this lens for fashion / modeling / portrait underwater and for sharks / whales. I do not travel with the Superdome anymore. With my housing (SEACAM) and D850, image quality and size beat everything I have owned or tried so far (Nikon 17-35mm, 16-35mm, 14-24mm, 28-70mm at same focal length). The only thing you lose is the possibility of a split shot (over / under) as the lens cannot focus in air farther than about 50cm.

Kerpower, Thank you for your comments. Others have responded that the auto focus is slow and the actual focal length is more like 27-42.  Can you provide your assessment of these concerns?  I’m still on the fence…in fact the airlines lost my superdome from my last trip 12 days ago because I had to check it. It may be gone for good and I’ll have to file a claim. So I’m rethinking the 20-35 because of the small foot print. Your thoughts?

thanks and cheers,

Mark