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From Nikonos to Nikon - Let's Go Digital!
 

  

FROM THIS...

Nikonos V system with Ikelite pivot tray and ULCS arms, UW-Nikkor 15mm Lens
and optical finder, Nikonos SB-102 strobe and Sea & Sea YS-30TTL Duo strobe. 

Relatively compact system with exceptional lens.  Estimated weight around 15 lbs total.


TO THIS!

Nikon DX200 DSLR
Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 DX Zoom Lens
Athena OPD-170 Optical Glass Dome
Sea & Sea Port Extension Ring 40
Sea & Sea TTL Controller
Sea & Sea Dual Nikonos Sync Cable
2 x Inon Z740 Strobes
Fisheye FIX Light LED48DX
2 x 8" ULCS Buoyancy Arms (foam sleeved for added buoyancy)
2 x ULCS T-Groove Base Adapters
2 x ULCS New Style Clamps
2 x ULCS Standard Clamps
2 x ULCS Inon Z Strobe Adapters
16 AA NiMH Batteries (8 in focus light, 4 each per strobe)

TOTAL SYSTEM WEIGHT:  19.8 lbs
 

TTL Controller for dual strobes provides dual synch ports, but a single port with a dual-synch
cable is used instead for simplified connections.  Unused connection provides backup.


Comparative size of Nikonos V against housed Nikon D200

Athena Optical Glass Dome for Nikkor 10.5mm DX Fisheye will accommodate
12-24mm DX Zoom when used with Sea & Sea Port Extension Ring 40.

Fisheye FIX LED48DX Focus Light...to aid autofocus when shooting under dark reef ledges.
Strobe focus lights are strong and could be used, but would require angling strobes toward
subject rather than using feather lighting, where strobe face is angled slightly outwards.

Bulkhead connection provides standard Nikonos 5-pin connector, plus dedicated TTL
Controller connector.  Pushbutton controls for some functions provide a push and twist-lock
feature, to facilitate camera setting operations requiring use of two buttons simultaneously.

LCD panel of D200 is clearly visible through window of housing.  Note no control
access is provided for FUNC switch or drive speed/self-timer control of D200.

 
Zoom gear on DX Nikkor is controlled by manual focus/zoom knob on housing.  In this
case with the 12-24mm Zoom, manual focus is not available in favor of zoom control.

Most rear panel functionality of D200 is accommodated for on the housing back.  Back LCD
is easily viewed.  0.66x Magnification Finder provides full view of viewfinder with only/
minor vignetting of the corners.

The DX200 closely follows the contours of the D200 for a compact housing design.  The camera is easily mounted via a slide-in, locking saddle, with the only caution being to ensure the on/off switches of housing & camera are in the same position and the lens gear meshes cleanly with the focus/zoom control gear.  A slide on the base of the camera saddle extends
forward to engage with a hole in the port to provide a port lock if the user doesn't need to
access the front port while the housing back is left closed.  If port removal is desired while
the housing back is mounted, the port lock slider should be left disengaged.  The housing
features an electronic moisture sensor inside the back shell of the housing.

Now....what about packing all this for a dive trip?  How much will fit into a carry-on?  Oh, and this isn't all either...there is still a flat port, additional lenses, a flash for topside use, and various other things, not the least of which is a large Dell notebook computer with a 17-inch screen!  Well, to find out, just check out Will it Carry On?