Upgrading from SubalCP5/CP5000

Although picture quality is fantastic, I have not had the best of reliability experiences with my Subal CP5/Coolpix 5000 system. I have found the cameras problematic underwater. I am considering switching/upgrading.

I own a Nikon D100 which, on land, is proving excellent. So I'm thinking of a Subal D10 housing (I share the view in these forums about Subal quality). I already have a Nikonos SB104 and would like to get a second strobe. I was thinking of the Subal housing for the SB800 which I already have. But I have been told that the TTL reliability is not the best. I would like to end up with one strobe set on slave and one as the master - to avoid extra sync cords and more things to go wrong. I have always been happy manually setting my strobe - but it does seem a shame not to use the DTTL ability of the D100.

I would welcome advice/ideas on good strobe combinations with the D10; and any thoughts on using the D100 underwater. I must admit I will miss the 45 degree viewing option with the CP5/CP5000.

I travelled the same path you currently are on and I'm very happy with my D100/D10 combo.

I use an SB80DX in a Subal housing and I find the TTL is absolutely spot on with macro. I'm using a second strobe (either a YS90DX or an Inon 220Z ) as a wired slave. I set it manually to an estimated 2 or 3 f stops or so less than the main strobe to provide a bit of fill for the shadowed areas and this seems to work well.

I do however find it VERY irritating that Nikon insist on using their own secret proprietary form of TTL and changing it with every camera .

I have the 12 to 24 and the 10.5 fisheye and like them both. I use the lovely 60mm macro with and without teleconverters for macro.

The major PITA in my opinion is the cost of all of this stuff; I'm probably up to the AU$14K (about US$10K) mark so far. The AU$2K for the FE2 dome was particularly painful...nevertheless as I said elsewhere on this forum I've had 5 Subals and couldn't really fault the housings much at all.

My only criticism would be the STUPID decision Subal have made in changing their port O ring sizes. The 2 sizes look similar at a casual glance and the repercussion of using a thin one instead of a fat one is probably a flood. I'm hoping to get my old ports machined so that all of them accept the new fatter o rings but have had no success with getting the information out of Subal at all. :evil: Colour coded O rings are available from the UK, but the only one I've actually held in my hands was of pretty poor manufactured quality and I didn't use it because I didn't think it looked reliable.

If you didn't have the D100 already I'd probably be suggesting a D70 but otherwise I can only applaud your choice.

Many thanks Andrew. This is very helpful.

As you say, expensive stuff and with the digital trend of changing models every few months (eg the TTLs sytems), not very long-term either! But, oh, such fun....

Tim what do you photograph underwater in AFGHANISTAN??!!

Easy answer to that one: not a lot! Sadly, its pretty much a dive-free environment. But trips to the Maldives and Red Sea keep the nitrogen levels topped-up. I have thought though about jamming the plug hole in my shower........