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Hi All,

Being a surfer and fisherman I see a lot of photographic opportunities that go begging

Anyone had any experience with underwater housings for either the D70 or Coolpix 5700?

Probably rather risk my 5700 than my precious D70

John

After reading a few threads on the FM forums, you'd be looking at upwards of a few thousand dollars for a housing for a DSLR Not sure if Nikon make a housing like Canon do for my A80, but if they do it'd be alot cheaper.

If you go here mate you should find somthing.

You better get your credit card out but!!!!!!!!

http://www.wetpixel.com/

Cheers
Ray

Photodude wrote:Hi All,

Being a surfer and fisherman I see a lot of photographic opportunities that go begging

Anyone had any experience with underwater housings for either the D70 or Coolpix 5700?

Probably rather risk my 5700 than my precious D70

John

John,
You better looking for a waterproof disposal camera to serve your demand. BTW, PM pluckaduck, our member, he has the housing for the camera, I don't know exactly for the D70 or not but I knew he's a diver and often uses he camera with his hobby.

I mentioned this in the other topic. I've got this one - Ewa-Marine U-AX but didn't have a chance to test it yet - I just put D70 in, tried to use controls etc. Seems to be good. There are few more options at web site.

Prices aren't low but acceptable. Check BHPhoto web site

Have you checked out the http://www.seaoptics.com website?

Thanks all for the inputs

Probably the best option (after the disposable waterproof camera one) is to (when the wife recovers from the D70 purchase) buy a cheap point and shoot with an equally cheap housing

These are the housing ive been looking at - for diving mainly http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/camnikchart.html

The DSLR ones are up around the $2k mark. For about $800 you can get a canon S70 and housing that does 40 meters, which are quite good (built in removeable diffuser etc.) I havent use the S70 myself, but my s40 (much older model) lacks flash penetration underwater, and is quite slow, but is great for surface/near surface water shots.

When I get myself a replacement underwater camera perhaps this S40 would suit you

try B&H in the states they have some cracker housings for the D70 but they are worth about $1500 US. but if youre into it like i am buy one. as long as you maintain the seals after every outing and wash with fresh water you will be ok

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... Q=&ci=5237

Jethro, how do you fid using a DSLR as opposed to something with an LCD viewfinder? Do much reef diving? I would prefer to use a DSLR for the picture quality, but the LCD viewfinder is a utility im not sure I can go without.

Wow! You're talking about big money guys! Ewa-marine U-AX I've got recently is just 390 aussibucks with delivery from Melbourne.

It's for up to 20 meters dive

I would be reluctant to take the "plastic bag" type housing deeper than about 10m, as floodings are disasterous and a very real risk. Accordingly need to go the next step up, which costs a fortune.

Finno wrote:I would be reluctant to take the "plastic bag" type housing deeper than about 10m, as floodings are disasterous and a very real risk. Accordingly need to go the next step up, which costs a fortune.

Those guys claim that they have found models of such housings made in 1971 still in use present time. Anyway, I'm just snorkeling, not diving

Perfect for free diving (especially the cost). However, for scuba, with constant pressure etc much more of a risk. There is also no quick surfacing (generally) if a leak does start..

Finno,

What do you mean by "quick surfacing"?

Photodude
I have a brand new waterproof case for a canon Ixus 300 (powershot 300?) digital camera. The case is good down to 30 mtrs, is a quality product, and costs about 300$ retail. I'd be happy to let it go for half price if you are interested.

quick surfacing i mean as in you cna return to the surface whenever you want, not so with scubadiving...

Finno wrote:quick surfacing i mean as in you cna return to the surface whenever you want, not so with scubadiving...

OK. Yeah, now I see your point. You should look for something more serious than thing I've got here but it will be more expensive then ....

John,

I have an Ikelite housing and strobes. I would not suggest you use this set-up for surfing. The housing is designed for scuba diving and therefore is very cumbersome on land. The strobe has long extensions to prevent backscatter when taking underwater pictures with wide angle lenses.

If you wanted to use this when surfing you would not be able to detect any leaking easily. I look for signs of bubbles from the housing when underwater.

If you were using this for diving I can recomend the Ikelite, as mine has done more than 60 dives without any problems.

If you want to have a look at my set-up I am more than happy to show you or even lend it to you for a dive, so as you may get an idea of how it all works.

Cheers,

Darryl.

Cheers,

Darryl.

Darryl,

Do you recommend this setup over say a prosumer camera setup (say a S70 with 40m case) strobes etc all being equal?

My underwater photography skills are lacking greatly, however its something i really enjoy doing. And I have an undersea explorer trip slated for september

Cheers

S.

Finno,

The DSLR is the only way to go, so many options.

I used to have a prosumer set-up and the difference in incredable. You will never go back after using the D70 underwater.

Cheers,

Darryl.

The answer I was fearing, and hoping for, strangely enough.

I would expect it to be a lot better, but was unsure about the viewfinder aspect (as opposed ot LCD).

Now to find the money I could pick it up in the US when i'm there....hrmm

Matt,

thanks for the offer - but Im gonna let my better half recover from my last few camera purchases for a little while - before I delve into some undewater equipment

Cheers

John

Darryl,

How easy is the viewfinder to use on the D70 inside a housing when you are wearing a mask?

I used a Nikonos III for many years and had to have a separate viewfinder mounted on the "hotshoe". I now have a CoolPix 4500 in an Ikelite housing and the LCD display is perfect for framing and shooting.

I have an Ikelite DSLR housing for my D70. It is great but the housing price of US$1200 is just the start. A strobe/flash will cost you at least that much again and you probably will end up wanting 2. At present there are no i-TTL housings available for D70 so you will be full manual.

I suggest for first underwater activites try a coolpix 5800 or better in a nikon housing. You can get TTL flash, LCD screen and much less cumbersome underwater.

Steve

Steve,

As I asked Darryl, how easy is the viewfinder to use inside the housing when you are wearing a mask?

I already have a CoolPix 4500 in an Ikelite Housing with a Ikelite strobe. I always use the strobe on manual, so the lack of an iTTL strobe does not worry me.

ATJ wrote:...how easy is the viewfinder to use inside the housing when you are wearing a mask?

I now have a Ikelite housing for my D70 and I can say that the viewfinder is not as bad as I thought it was going to be. You do have to push your mask right onto the housing, but you can see the whole frame including the exposure data.

I like this combination so much more than my Coolpix4500 and the D70 housings now support iTTL. See some of my pictures here: http://www.dslrusers.net./viewtopic.php ... 6&start=15

would not recommend using a underwater diving housing or an ewa marine bags for use in the surf. dive housings are extremely heavy and are not designed to withstand the impact incurred when getting dumped in the surf. i would only recommend ewa baggies for above water, water splash protection stuff. my friend had one and the seam split and flooded his 10d. there are heaps of surf housing manufacturers around. dave kelly makes custom housings in australia and another australian manufacturer aquatech make the ferrari of surf housings (although cost about the same too). i myself have a Delmar surf housing with 2 ports for my 1d and absolutely love it. but im selling mine cos the waters too cold and i need the money.

out of curiosity.. because ive used a EWA Bag.. and pushed it underwater to 3 meters..

Did your friend inflate the bag? because as far as I know.. the valve was only designed to release air and in some circumstances give the camera just a slight cussion of air... not be inflated

Tim

do they have valves? the one on my vid cam bag doesn't. and why would you inflate it? i try to push out as much air as i can so the camera has minimal movement inside the bag.

my friend didn't even take it under water when the seams split. he was just sitting in the water taking shots of wakeboarders going past at the bli bli cable park.

ewa marine bags are glorified zip lock bags. i'd only use it in the surf or go diving if i had insurance on my gear.

I have a Ewa bag it is good for fishing boating surf and shallow water I would not dive with it unless I had too. If the shot was worth it I would do it

Tim used it on curtis island and got some interesting shots.

Well worth looking at.

If the shot was worth it, Id do it too.. if i had the EWA bag.. i wouldnt mind jumping in the water at one of the local islands on the coast here, its shallow water and the surfers go a fair bit, ive seen them surfing down black waves that rain with silver (bait fish)... and at times, it looks absolutely awesome.. a true silver surfer.. as the suns morning light hits the fish..

that would be worth it.. and id take my mind off the few hundred sharks that lurk around it..

the reason for inflating was to give the bag some body, but not so much it creates excess pressure, the water pressure will eventually crush it and it'll form to the camera body.. the bags are rated to 150ft... so your mate might of gotten a dodgy one, because its a vinyl like material, its possible that the seam wasnt heat welded properly and it was a weak point..

and a smart person tests the bag before dropping there camera in the bag every time!

Tim