Housings for the D2x

Alex, re "I was impressed by the camera the moment I started taking pictures - and then about 10x more impressed when I viewed them on my computer."

Compared to the D70, what is that you see that makes you so impressed? Is it the composition or the color or the dynamic range or ... ?

The reason I ask is that I have a D70 which I like for underwater. And with typical so South Florida vis, I don't think a better camera would likely give me better pictures, at least not wide angle pictures which is what I usually shoot. But in the last few days I have started shooting topside with my new Nikkor 70-200 Lens with the Nikkor TC-17EII 1.7x Teleconverter. I am very pleased with the results of shooting in air and can imagine that a better camera might produce even better results.

Thus the question, what is that you see that makes you so impressed?

Not undecided - I'm definitely loving my seacam stuff.  For someone just getting started, though, it is hard to deny the bang for buck of Nexus.  I'm intrigued by the new nexus small domes dedicated to the 10.5 and 12-24.

 

I guess I'm a little like James - always looking to the other side.  I finally get my Superdome and I find myself looking at little domes.  The Superdome is amazing for over-unders - water runs smoothly off the glass, and I get pretty good results even in light chop.

 

By the way, you would love the R/G/B histogram in the D2x!  Do the canons do that?

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Yeah, the Mk2 Canon's do RGB histograms. It's awesome and I wish all cameras would do it.

I love the Seacam stuff and the Nexus stuff as well. Wish I could mix the two.

I wonder since the LCD monitor is right below the viewfinder, for Subal and Seacam, would the optional big viewfinder block parts of the LCD monitor. One reason I was thinking more of Subal or Seacam would be the benefit of bigger viewfinder but if it is in the way of the LCD monitor then I might not care much for it. In that case then Nexus with the smaller domeports for 12-24mm and 10.5mm lenses would defnitely be a major plus. My divebuddy is using the Nexus housing for D70 and I do like the small dome very much.

I have been thinking about this myself given the field report on the Seacam D100 housing on Steve Frink's site. Hopefully the attachment came through, which came from the German boat show. It shows the Subal D2 housing with the extended VF but from too a high an angle or too short a focal length - however, it looks like it will be OK. A straight-on or lower shot would have been more conclusive. Too bad they did not show one of the premium finders on the Seacam D2 housing at the same show as these are the only pix (see Alex's post at the start of this thread) that have been posted of the housing thus far.

Tom

Just got off the phone with Blake at Aquatica, the D2x housing will be machined from solid stock aluminium (plan was for investment casting originaly), and price forecast is 2999.95 $, of course all dome, ports and accessories remain the same. the housing will sport some nice innovation, to be continued...

Hey Tom, Can't help but notice your from Alaska, long winter hey! cant wait for liquid water to be back.

Are there any dates for the Aquatica version? Nothing on the site the last time I looked, but this would be my upgrade path from Fuji S2

Hi Robert, definite date I don't have, but soon or better is the buzz word at Aquatica, I have my two D100 and accessories up on the auction block soon, gotta make room forn the D2x, I am keeping my Fuji S2pro setup as my back up for the time being, man I noticed you have the A3 with a pair of Ike's biggest blinker,you have some serious body builder material right there.

Regard's

Jean

Hi Jean,

We have plenty of liquid water now, but it is falling from the sky propelled by a pineapple express - massive low pressure systems moving north up the Pacific. A colleague noted a gust to 90 mph today as the weather station readout is in his office. We are having a 'warm' winter. The short days are presently at at an end.

Cheers!

Tom

Hey Tom, up here is still very much winter, we just gor out of a very cold spell -35c. with wind chill, even the dog complained, right now is warming up but snowing, but still it is nice to see daylight at 4pm, God how depressing I must sound to the southern folks , but alas nothing beat a summer up north and I don't care how short it is.

Cheers

Jean

Hi Jean,

Much colder where you are than here! Even in Fairbanks it was forecasted to be above freezing today. I think we are getting much of the precip that should have gone to Washington State, which is in a drought situation.

Cheers!

Tom

Hopefully the attachment came through, which came from the German boat show. It shows the Subal D2 housing with the extended VF but from too a high an angle or too short a focal length - however, it looks like it will be OK. A straight-on or lower shot would have been more conclusive. Too bad they did not show one of the premium finders on the Seacam D2 housing at the same show as these are the only pix (see Alex's post at the start of this thread) that have been posted of the housing thus far.

Tom

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The Subal GS viewfinder does not block the LCD screen at all. I think that the Seacam S45 does - which is why it was not on the housing for BOOT. I heard a couple of years ago that Seacam were going to make a different S45 for the Nikon D100 (and now othere nikons, which have the LCD directly below the viewfinder - dunno what happened about that).

I have been shooting the Subal D2 in the Red Sea this last week (review soon coming on Wetpixel) and although I was planning on getting a GS finder I'm not sure I will now. My room mate, Peter Rowlands had a GS viewfinder D70 and I have to say I prefered the standard D2X viewfinder (which of course is miles better than the standard D70).

Alex

For completeness I thought I'd add these here:

Just received word today that Aquatica has a Nikon D2X in their hands and

they are currently working on a housing for same.

 

Price to be in the $3,000 U.S. range.  No time frame for completion yet.

 

Tom Stack

 

http://www.tomstackphoto.com

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And:

Spoke with Norma & Blake from Aquatica this past weekend, they hope for a July/August delivery for the new Nikon D2X Housing. As mentioned in another thread this will be a Machined Aluminum Housing.

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Anyone know any more on the Sealux D2X?

Good to know that the Aquatica will cost 2,000 less than the Subal and Seacam. Any information on pricing of the Nexus?

And $2000 less than the camera! That is a rare event.

Alex

My guess is that the Nexus will be between the Aquatica and the Subal+Seacam on price.

From what I heard, Nexus housing will be around $us 3300+/-100 (if I did my conversion right) in Japan. I was qouted about $us3750 here in Thailand.

Nexus should be available by the middle of next month. My dive buddy ordered one and I am waiting for my Subal housing which should get here around the end of April or early May so hopefully we will get some hand on comparison between the two.

Now I am too poor to go diving

I heard in another thread that Aquatica will use investment aluminum casting for the D2x housing, the same that they use for the A5 (Aquatica for F5). If it is anywhere near their F5 housing:

It will be great!

The Aquatica D2X Housing will be a CNC Machined Aluminum Housing, it will not be cast.

Here is where my information came from:

Hi Kasey, the D100 / S2pro / 14n housing's serie is what is called a Sand Casting process, same as the Nexus, the D2x is an investment casting which is more specific to a camera design, the same used for the F5 , N90, D70, 20D & Digital Rebel series, the sand casting is a more versatile type alowing for change in final product, among the different technique we use, you will find the sand casting and the investment casting, we do not use machining from stock billet because it is costly (in the end , to you) for no practical gain, Only gears, knob hardware etc are machined. Injection plastic is cost effective, once you get over the initial mold cost, but the limit in pressure resistance preclude it from finding it's way in our line up, with today's breed of technical divers even our depth rating of 300 feet is put to good use often.

 

Hope this help.

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