From: hack@arabia.uucp (Edmund Hack)
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: UW housings for cameras (NIKON?)
Date: 30 Jul 1992 17:44:59 GMT
Organization: Lockheed ESC, Houston

In article <1992Jul28.033856.340@emr1.emr.ca> gardell@ccrs.emr.ca (Felix Gardell) writes:
[munch]
>My question relates to camera housings.
>I understand that the optics are slightly better on 
>a regular SLR in a housing than in a specialized         
>underwater camera.  Is this correct?

It depends on the lens.  The Nikonos 15mm is one of the great lenses of
all time, IMHO.  Of course it costs ca. $1500.  What has to be done is
to have a housing with good optics, or your housed SLR is no better than
junk.  The Nikonos with the underwater lenses (15mm, 20mm and 28mm) is
nearly equal to SLRs, and the difference is slight, IMHO.  However, the
ability to put in some specialized lenses (like the Nikon 105mm macro)
is invaluable in taking photos of shy, small critters and so they are
used a lot by pros.

>Certainly it must be better to buy a housing for
>a good SLR than to spend thousands of dollars on
>underwater camera equipment!  The disadvantage of
>a housed camera is probably its limitation to hook a
>high-power flash to it (or is this possible?)

Some very high powered strobes are available for reasonable $$ (i.e.
$500 or so.) and they can be configured to work with housed cameras.
>
>I own a NIKON FG with a variety of lenses (50mm, wide angle,
>and telephoto), and would like to use this equipment
>in a housing. 
>
>Had anyone got any suggestions of the type of equipment 
>that is available on the market?  Is there a flash
>that could be bought to use on my Nikon?  

A basic setup for a Nikonos can be had for $800 or so - body, one lens
(35mm ro 28mm), extension tubes for Macro work and a strobe with arm.
From my experience, you only need 2 lenses with a Nikonos - a 35mm or 28
for macro and medium work and a 15mm for wide angle.  You will need 2
strobes - a small one for macro and a big one for wide angle, although
the big ones can be used for macro on low power settings.

There are two major housing types available: Metal and Plastic.  The
metal housings are expensive (over $1000) and are available for only a
few cameras (mostly Nikon and Canon).  They are heavy, but durable.  The
plastic housings are from Ikelite and are made of Lexan, a very strong
plastic that is also durable.  Lexan is used for space suit helmets by
NASA.  They are lighter than metal (and require soem weighting to make
them neutrally buoyant) and the fact you can see through them makes them
easy to check for leaks.  They are cheaper ($500 or less). In addition,
they don't corrode.

In any case, you will need to have periodic ovehauls of the camera or
housing.  A Nikonos overhaul costs about $75 and my Ikelite housing cost
$50 to overhaul.  This includes new o-rings, cleaning and adjustment.
The Ikelite overhaul coudl be done at home with the right spare parts.
A Nikonos should (IMHO) be done by a pro, although I know how to break
down a Nikonos V and reassemble it.

>If possible, please give me some price indications and
>supplier addresses.

Get a copy of Skin Diver and check out the ads from Helix, Adorama,
PhotoCell, etc. in the back.  Helix will send you a catalog if you ask,
which has a lot if info in it.  Ikelite will also send you a catalog if
you ask.  I have had very good dealings with them.
>
>Finally, how safe are camera housings?  Do I run a great
>risk in destroying my camera equipment?

Some risk - but if you are careful it is minimized.  When I take my
cameras down, I carefully watch for leaks during descent.  I have caught
a flood of my housing and one strobe before damage to the camera.  I had
to have some minor work done on the strobe.

I have both a Nikonos V and an Ikelite housing for a Minolta SLR.  I find
that I like the Nikonos for Macro work (since it is smaller) and the
housing for wide angle since it is an SLR.

Of course, if you have big $$ to spend, the new Nikonos RS is soon to be
available.  It is an SLR autofocus, auto everything camera.  One pro
that a friend talked to said that he expects the RS to replace housed
cameras for all but a few applications for pros.  A body, lens and
strobe will run about $10,000 US.


-- 
| Edmund Hack - Lockheed Engineering & Sciences Co. - Houston, TX
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