16 replies to this topic

[shchae]

Hi,
One of problem with Nikons V is 15mm lens get loose from body
easily even in underwater.

Any suggestion/trick to hold it ? I 've seen some people use rubber
band.

Sam

[fdog]

I have not had this problem. I'll admit I'm careful on the entry, and the first 10' or so, to not apply pressure to the rim of the lens, so it won't tilt.

At depth, I doubt I could move it if I tried, which I haven't had the courage to do.

Mount the camera on a tray and hold the camera by that.

All the best, James

[shchae]

James,
Thanks for comment.
Sam

[Alex_Mustard]

I have always thought that the Nikonos is much more prone to flooding than any other underwater system. Anyone else think this too?

Alex

[fdog]

Alex, if we're talking about the Nikonos IV...I'd agree with you, the most flood-happy kludge ever made for underwater imaging.

Nikonos III...for me, as reliable as a hockey puck.

Nikonos V...okay, perhaps a bit more maintenence-intensive, but no more floodable for me than the modern housing.

All the best, James

[shchae]

Hi,
It is good to see someone still like to discuss film shooting here & thanks.

I am finding that it has been already 7 years since last Nikonos RS came out of factory & Nikon used almost all spares in stock.hence, they are trying to wash hands. I suggest if anybody here trying to keep RS few more years, better send now for overhaul.

SB-104 & Nikonos V discontinued 2(3?)years ago & SB-105 last year and still has a lot of spares I was told. But, many people throwing Nikonos V away instead of overhaul as brand new bodies are sold at around U$250 in e-bay & MINT bodies with 35mm lens are sold even less.

Sam

[carib-blu]

I agree Alex....Both of my floods came in through the shutter button, not really an end-user servicable o-ring. Luckily I sorted it out in time.....dried them out in a shoebox with hair dryer overnight, then pressure tested to 160 and they checked out ok. Both my 5's sit in a cool dark place now....as the D100 is so much easier!

john

[Kelpfish]

When you are knocking the Nik around the 15 can turn. I always did a pre-shoot check that my 15 was seated. You can turn it under pressure and it will "slam" shut if the little notch is not engaged. You should create a standard work check sheet to do some pre-checks on lens alignment and ISO setting. It's just the nature of the lens and camera.

Joe

[Kelpfish]

The flooding issue is all dependent on how the user learns the system. The flooding is usually user issue like any system. Any system is prone to flooding for the same reasons: user interface and knowledge of their system.

Joe

[shchae]

Hi,
Thanks for your comment.

Sam

[Chris Bangs]

The 15 mm can be knocked loose and off on land or worse yet in the rinse bucket. but as soon as you get a couple of meters underwater there is no way this can happen. As kelpfish stated it can be turned underwater but with some effort. I have had to do this so many times over the years the index screw on the lens is worn away.

believe it or not, when I have to do agressive entries like when working with whales I use Duct Tape to secure the 15 to my Nikonos body.

[pygmy_pipehorse]

I have always thought that the Nikonos is much more prone to flooding than any other underwater system. Anyone else think this too?
Alex

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

IMO Nik III great, though tends to flood at the synch cable port

Nik IVa and Nik V = waste of money flooded about six of those all up in six years, fives mostly through the TTL pins in the synch socket (same problem as the III) and the IVa mostly through the stupid back door seal.

I can' understand why people these days waste time with a Nikonos. About 99% of the world's gone digital haven't they? (Except me, although no more underwater photograhy for a while, not with a NIk anyway)

Cheers

[shchae]

To me, like few others, Nik V is my backup for WA pics. I like size & weight of NIK V + quality of 15mm lens.

Sam

[DesertEagle]

I can' understand why people these days waste time with a Nikonos. About 99% of the world's gone digital haven't they? (Except me, although no more underwater photograhy for a while, not with a NIk anyway)

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good question. I'm a big proponent of going digital. But the cost of a DSLR, housing ports... Not to mention size. What I like about the Nikonos are the optics, size and simplicity. You don't have to worry about ports, and if you need a diopter, etc.

For me the decision to keep the Nikonos was due to the price of a used 15mm lens. The other consideration was that the lab nearby is well-stocked with chemicals to make Ilfochrome prints. Direct prints made by a master printer look superb.

[onokai]

I love to talk film thats what I have shot underwater for 25 + years. The cameras I started with still work fine and up until very recently the quality was far superior with film. That said others will come in with the latest dig talk but thats all so very new, My Nik III as well as my Nik V have there place in the kit along with my housed nikon systems. The III has beed bullet proff for 3 decades. it works well when you need to move fast and be small. Put a 15mm on it and its a good one to snorkel with whales or sharks. Drifting a swft river or tital rip its also tops there as well. As the 15mm is so large it is easy to twist off so one must take care. My V also has its place for the same reasons. Both of these work best with a good tray/with handle.I alsousr these both in commercial dive jobs that are hazardous to expensive camera systems like shooting inside tanks and wells. I'd like to see a diver take his d2x/ subal into a crappy oil on surface rusting water well and rave about dig results. Here where the nik junk shines. That said i love my subal f/5 systems for most other work as well as the f/3's. Film is not dead it's just used by fewer people now. I have noticed many complain of film costs now. Thank god diving is so cheap to do. Mark

[Bakeapple]

Resurrecting a very old thread, but have a highly related question. Would I be asking for trouble trying to do a split over/under photo with this lens (the S&S version)?

[tonhil]

Hi Bakeapple,

 

From years ago the opinion was that the bigger the port the better your chances of success.  Lots of reasons for this and even some of them I understood.  Firstly the "waterline" is MUCH easier to manage and get in the right spot with a larger dome.  The consensus was that it was impossible with a 15mm type dome. I think this reason is convincing.  

 

Second reason I understand less - something to do with focus ability of wides.  The upshot was that you should use a 16mm and this is all I have tried it with.

 

However the other side of the coin is "How many decent shots do you want?"  I assume you are not planning to make a living out of it so try a couple of rolls and see if you get lucky.  The water will need to be glass flat to maximise chances.

 

Good luck