Wide Angle Lens. Inon or Sea & sea?

What do you think about those lens?

I have the CP5000 in the Ikelite 6190 and i´m waiting for one DS125 (since two months a go...)

Thanks for your help...

I recommend the Nikon WC-E68 ($150) and the Ikelite Wideangle Dome port ($80ish). This will give you a 19 mm lens.

You will get a better lens for less money than the Inon or Sea and Sea.

Just my opinion,

James Wiseman

James;

I think the Nikon WC-E68 and the Ikelite Wideangle Dome port can´t be switched underwater, whereas with the other two yes.

Is really important this detail?

Thanks for your opinion!

Mariano

Well, it depends on what you want. You might get more versatility with the Inon but you sacrifice quality.

Why would you want to take the WC-E68 lens off underwater? You still get a good zoom range w/ the WC-E68 (19mm to 58mm) and it doesn't vignette and any zoom. You can still switch to macro mode with the wideangle lens installed and get great closeup shots.

The choice seems pretty clear to me... Especially since you already have the Ike housing which is the only one on the market that accepts the excellent Nikon lens.

Cheers

James Wiseman

OK James,

You have convinced to me.

My housing has flat frontal, Can I change it by the Dome port? How I can do it?

Excuses my ignorance, and thank you very much by your aid!

Mariano

The flat port on the Ike housing just screws off. Ike makes a metal tool that fits in the 2 holes on the flat port. Can't remmeber if the tool comes with the housing or with the dome port. The 19 mm lens is the way to go. As James mentioned you can go all the way from super wide angle to 1 to 1 macro with just the camera's zoom control. I doubt the optical quality of the removable lenses comes close to that of the nik 19mm lens. For Macro settings try this: A or M mode, F8, Speedlite control in the camera -2, shutter speed 1/500th when in manual for macro shots, and for close macro back the strobe off from the subject 1 to 2 ft. There are a number of older threads on settings for the 5000. Under galleries I have posted my homepage with 5000 photos so you can see what you can do with the camera. Good luck.

Mariano,

Do not go to James recomendations please ... (joke of course).. not much things you'll sacrifice for sure.. you do not have D100 and probably you are not going to put your pics in National Geographic magazine.. right? Also perhaps you'll not see any difference between shot done with watermate lens and dome port.. especially with CP5000 class camera..try to check.. you will not find difference if you are not really professional.. hopefully James will be agreed with me..

But real advantages what watermate lens has is great flexibility between Macro (without lens) and wide angle (with lense just attached under water). Is'nt the target in your dream if you are fprmer Nikonos photographer? Especially when you have your wide angle 16mm lens attached to 35mm and just found super nice nudies behind you.

Get watermate lens and forget about reduced quality.. I've got 100 deg Aquatica lens.. work perfect with A5000 and CP5000 together. S&S or Inon is matter of taste and housing.. take what you like.

good luck..

p.s. if you still has intention to put your wide angle pics to NG.. erase from memory what I mentioned on above.. but if its only for home collection or frame 20x30cm on your wall.. go by my way..

James just to let you know thw Aquatica housing also accepts the nikon 19mm and you can also use their removable underwater lens.

POPO

The 19mm lens (WC-68) will allow the camera to shoot macro that is the equivlent on 1 to 1 with a 35 mm camera WITHOUT having to remove the lens. As it is inside the housing you can't accidently lose it. It has simply the widest range of use that you can take underwater. And the optical quality is very high above and below the water. This lens does every thing that I need to use a 60 mmm micro, 17-35s zoom and 24-85 macro with my F100 in a Subal housing to get the same equivlent range of subjects. This lens is the reason that the 5000 is the best camera in the point and shoot digital class to take UW.

I forgot, look under member galleries to get the link to my homepage to see the photos I took with the 5000. All of them were taken with the 19 mm lens. Even the macro. What ever lens you use get wet and have fun. I'm going to Monterey this weekend.

well if 19mm is good for macro, I gave up.

need to check but its against optical rules i presume.. of course you can do "macro" with wide angle, but in opposite side we are looking for something what can "zoom" your subject and be a bit far away.. but not 2cm from your subj.

may be I'm wrong.. just let me know.

right now, I see only one argument is "possibility to loose expoensive stuff accidentally" which is not reallly excuse.

Not sure what you are asking but if it is about the working dx of the 19mm lens in Macro you have a point. If there is a weakness of the 19 mm lens it is that the working dx is very close. You can just about focus on the front of the dome of the port. If you are not using the 19 mm lens for your macro you get a bit more macro (maybe close to 2 to 1) and you get it at a farther working dx (i.e. the camera is further from the subject at its's closest focus. For me the ability to take close macro with one shot and a whale shark with the next one is the biggest selling point of this lens.