Nikon 18-70 & Subal D10

I recently bought a Nikon 18-70 DX zoom to use with my D100 & Subal D10 housing, figuring that it would be a great general purpose lens. After buying the 20mm extension ring to add to the FE2 dome and the +2 dioptre recommended by Subal, I have done a few dives with the lens and am quite dissapointed.

The focus seems quite soft compared to the 12-24DX zoom and I wanted to get some input from anybody else out there using a similar set-up to see how they have faired....

While I was in Cayman Marc Pilgrem (marc on Wetpixel) was using the 18-70 with his D70 and he was also disappointed with the sharpness of this lens.

Alex

Hi

I'm using D70, I also found that it is hard to get a sharp picture.

I would like to know what lenses I should get to replace 18-70 DX.

Thanks!

hello -

I just started with D70 and 18-70 but thought my pictures were sharp with this lens...maybe not.. I'd like you guys opinions on some of my 18-70 photos that I recently took in Cozumel and Galapagos..

The 60mm and the 12-24 are certainly sharper but to me the 18-70 is also producing good images.

The pictures taken wth 18-70 are listed on the webpages..

Thanks!

http://homepage.mac.com/mikepalasz/PhotoAlbum10.html

M.

ps. this is an Ike setup with +4 diopter and dome. maybe im ready for those bifocals my optometrist recommended.....

Lens sharpness is to some extent subjective. All lenses produce images that are in focus - you often only realise that a lens could be sharper when you compare the results you are getting with other lenses.

Alex

Michael,

I think the 60mm pics are sharper and seem to be less grainy. In fact, I like them so much that I think I'll get a 60mm for low vis days like we have now after hurricane Frances.

I assume you are using the 60mm Macro D behind an Ikelite port. But which port, the dome port or the flat port? And which port would you recommend?

Hey Peter -

Im using Ike's recommended Dome port for the 18-70 (+4 diopter) for both this lens and the 60mm and the 12-24Dx.. I have the flat port for the 60 but have not used since the dome seems to be working ok for all 3 lenses

I dont have the exact model number..not at home today..

Thanks for feedback!

M.

Hi Starbuck

Just want to know if all your 60mm pictures in your collections are behind a Dome port? Your pictures are really sharp :shock:

Cheers,

Stone

hi stone -

yes, all the pictures with the 60mm are behind the dome.. the flat port is pretty big and just have not wanted to travel with it yet.. Ike says the only thing the flat port will give me over the dome is a little more magnification...

M.

Flat ports also introduce chromatic aberration (that can be corrected in ACR). On the plus sde, they're less prone to damage than domes and aren't hard to match to the lens.

My 5050 / PT-015 has so much chromatic aberration that ACR can't remove it all!

The 105 also performs beautifully behind a dome but you need to use a diopter to make it work.

Starbuck,

Looking at your shots it is easy to see that the 60mm one are sharper than the 18-70 one and I wonder if the fact that you are using a diopter is reducing the sharpness.

I have used my 18-70 in a Sea&Sea housing (D70) with a flat port, and the images appear sharp to me. http://www.angelfire.com/trek/redang/2004/page2.html

However I have always preferred using the 60mm lens even on my film cameras as it is the most versatile

Michael,

I read some place that some diopters are optically better than others.

Care to share what make model you are using?

Anybody have any experience that shows that diopter quality matters?

The optical quality of the glass certainly varies between manufacturers and achromats (dual element) have less chromatic aberration than the single element types. Wide angle lenses tend not to show the CA difference, though.

It would be a big disappointment to me to find that a diopter caused noticable softening but it's worth checking out. I know that diopters effect the performance of the 12-24 noticably. I choose to shoot a wide angle lens without a diopter if the focus is close enough, though I really have no good technical argument to back that up!

Peter and Craig-

The diopter that was used for the pictures in my gallery is a +4 HOYA. I just bought a SUNPAK pictures plus diopter that has not be used. When the 18-70 is behind the dome in the housing with diopter the lens fill not focus well topside..need to be U/W.. I wont be able to test both diopters until January when we are on Solmar trip.

I dont use any diopter on the 12-24..

M.

Hoya is a manufacturer that uses both excellent and mediocre glass, so it's possible that switching brands could make a difference. What I would do, however, is shoot the lens with and without the diopter on land and study the sharpness differences. It's possible that the dome is contributing.

A +4 is a very strong diopter that limits far focus to about 10". What you describe regarding focusing problems above water isn't unusual for that.

You could pick up a lower power diopter to try as well. Won't allow as close a focus underwater but it may have a positive optical benefit. I can't offer an explanation for why it may be so but 67mm diopters aren't too expensive and it might be worth a try.

Im using Ike's recommended Dome port for the 18-70 (+4  diopter) for both this lens and the 60mm and the 12-24Dx..  I have the flat port for the 60 but have not used since the dome seems to be working ok for all 3 lenses

 

I dont have the exact model number..not at home today..

Interesting. Are you saying that you are using the same port for all three lenses? If they fit and you are getting good results, that's great. I've been considering the 12-24, and if I could carry around one less port that would be ideal.

The Ikelite site recommends the following Dome Ports:

18-70mm(1) ED-IF AF-S DX #5503.55

12-24mm (2) 1:4 DX ED #5503.50

60mm Macro D #5503.50

It looks like the 60 & 12-24 are spec'ed the same, but you are using the 5503.55 for all three. If you can confirm, I'll give my 60mm is spin in the dome port.

Dave

I'll second that!

Your pictures on your site look fantastic, which is pretty telling.

I have the same three lenses and the appropriate ports but I'd love to bring only one.

I've been asking a similur question as I went through the purchase process. To the experienced photographers out there, or Ike, is there a problem with this?

The pictures look pretty good...no?

Also, regarding the 18-70mm lens. I think the pictures are pretty sharp but the 60mm pictures are sharp"ER". This can't be because of the dome because its the only one you are using with the "correct" port. Have you sent your camera in for a backfocus adjustment?

My camera had the "slight" backfocus issue as well. It wasn't really that far off. Everything was only slightly out of focus and normal apertures and distances the DOF would soak it up pretty well. I could notice it however by focusing on a group of offset boxes--the one slightly (about a cm at max aperture) behind the focus area was in better focus than the one I focused on. All my lenses had it but the 18-70mm was the "worst". It wasn't that bad and I lived with it for 6 months. I finally sent mine back and am waiting to have it returned to see if it helped. Perhaps the problem with the 18-70mm is with backfocus? I hear the new cameras in stores now are properly calibrated.

hello Dave and Uwphotonewbie -

Yes, I only use the 5503.55 for all 3 lenses. Tom at Ikelite said it would work so that's what I've been using. All the Cozy shots and Galapagos were shot with this port and these 3 lenses. Only port change was for 10.5 FE.

Uwphotonewbie- no, i have not sent camera in for back focus issue. I have another d70 body on order and can try your experiment as well as changing out diopter manufacturers... Im currently using Hoya +4 on the 18-70.

M.

It could be just that I think they're better because they cost more, but I feel strongly that the Nikon multi-element filter-mount diopters are much better than any single-element diopter I've used, though the thicker assembly can cause vignetting.

Among single-element options, the (very expensive) B&W filters and diopters also seem superior to the Hoya filters I have.

Frogfish

I bought an 18-70 to use with my S2/Aquatica setup. I've used it once so far, and was impressed with the results. I used it with Tiffen Diopters, both the +2 and the +4 (not at the same time ) and the Aquatica 8 inch dome port.

I have now ordered a 6 inch port in the hope of making a more compact setup for general purpose UW use. I'll be giving it a shakedown next month in Roatan. I'l post results here.