D2X Housing options ???

The Nikon D2X is due out in January 2005. Unusually the housings might be out first!

The D2X is very similar externally to the D2H, which has at least a couple of housings about to be released. I have read that the Subal D2H is due out during this month (same price as their 1DS housing). And from Stephen Frink's recent post here, that SeaCam also has a D2H housing "project in high gear" that will be out soon.

Before anyone parts with any cash for a housing that potentially will not fit the D2X (I find it hard to imagine why anyone would want to take a D2H underwater) I thought it would be useful to post some side by side images of the two cameras (D2H left, D2X right).

I am not that familiar with the D2H having only played with it indoors. Does anyone have any comments on the likely hood of the D2X fitting in D2H housings?

I apologise for stealing the images from DP Review to make these composites - and I hope that they forgive me, considering the large number of links to that site that are posted on Wetpixel!

They look identical too me. The perspective might be slightly different in one photo over the other and obviously they have different lenses but the button layout looks exactly the same. I hope they are interchangeable, I was thinking of getting a D2H.

Larry

My understanding also is that the D2X is identical to the D2H except for the imager/support electronics.

From Nikon itself:

Dimension (W x H x D): Approx. 157.5 x 149.5 x 85.5mm (6.2 x 5.9 x 3.4 in.). D2H dimensions

Dimension (W x H x D): Approx. 6.2 x 5.9 x 3.4 in (157.5 x 149.5 x 85.5mm). D2X dimensions

Other than the metric/imperial imperial/metric language, they seem identical to me. Based on this, and the very slight difference in the view angles of the two sets of shots above, I think it is likely that the controls are in identical positions. So yes, there may well be housings available before the camera itself, which would be nice.

The same applies for the 1Ds MkII and the 1D MkII, they are identical externally, so there are already housings for the 1Ds MkII.

Anyone want to buy my kidney, it's barely used :roll:

"Knock, knock, Can we have your liver?"

"But, I'm using it!"

One difference I see on closer examination... the AF-on button for vertical operation (bottom right corner, on the back) is slightly differently positioned and is recessed on the D2X, not recessed on the D2H. I don't think that's likely to be a deal killer...

There are some mutterings that there may actually be a sensor upgrade path for the D2H, possibly to a 8 MPixel CMOS instead of the current 4 MPx LBCAST. That may make an interesting middle point between the original D2H and the 2X.

More interesting to me than when the new housings will be out is the prospect of a unified body design. This was a pipedream of mine that I never expected to be realized. The idea is that as refined as the high end SLR body design is, manufacturers should leave the major buttons where they are and just change the inards. This would cut in half the cost of upgrading to a new body because the existing housing would fit.

I never expected the camera manufacturers to actually do this. It looks like they did it at least in this instance. Wouldn't it be great if this were to continue? :?

It's a great thing when there's consistency in the body of a line of cameras. Canon did it more or less with the entire 1D series (1D, 1Ds, 1D MkII, 1DsMkII) with minor button changes. Unfortunately, the generally accepted opinion is that the 1Ds MkII will be the last rev of this body.

Aquatica informed me today of their commitment to design and build housings for both the D2X and Canon 20D!

Aquatica housings for the D70 are shipping and we're excited as we

have pre-orders to fill.

Tom Stack

http://www.tomstackphoto.com

I heared from Subal that they are just finishing a housing for the D2H and are going to verify during upcoming Photokina if this same housing also fits the D2X...

Thanks Juerg,

Good information! I hope Nikon take some sample pictures along too. The 1DS MkII looks mightily good. I don't mind the slight loss in Megapixelage of the D2X, so long as the image quality is there at ISO 100.

Alex

Has anyone heard anything about Nexus doing a housing for the D2X?

Cp

I would expect most manufacturers to make housings for the D2X. But I think most will appear in the summer of 2005 because wise manufacturers might wait and see how popular this camera is before developing a large and potentially expensive housing. Alex

Just to add to the D2X housing thread, I've just heard Nexus will have their D2H/X housing available from March/April next year, and will be showing a prototype in Tokyo early 2005. Good news for the Nexus fans like myself...

Matt

While I was begging the guys at Light and Motion to build a housing for Canon cameras, they let me know that they are in the process of making one for the D2X.

Sucks for me (too much Canon gear) but, that would be my choice~!

Ohh...Nexus D2x. That's the one.

My info has it that L&M is not going to make a housing for the D2X and are waiting for a d200 ( if that camera is ever a reality ). Unless something has changed in the last 2 weeks you may want to reconfirm with L&M about their plans.

personally I would love to see a Ttian for the D2X...the ROC & the smart grips are fantastic and the d100 titan is the best product L&M has ever made.