Diopter thingy's

[ScubaSpen 0]

Hi

 

I would like your suggestions as to a possible soloution and product. I would like to get closer focus with my lens', ie Nikon D80 with Nikon 60mm, 18-200mm and Tokina 12-24 on land and underwater.

 

Also if I add a diopter/extension tube/teleconverter, whatever you call it, will I need to do anything to my housing and ports. I have an Ikelite housing, flat port for the 60mm and a 6" dome for the 12-24.

 

suggestions welcome

 

thx as always in advance

Spen

 

PS like the new look of wetpixel, but is it me or has it slowed down again, or it could be me being in Phuket.

[JLambus 0]

I use a diopter called a woody... if i remember correctly the 70mm will fit your current flat port... they're nice they just slip right over the port and bam you've nearly doubled your ratio... however it does have a serious sweet spot and if your subject is outside of it you'll lose a lot of sharpness and contrast. hope this helps.

Edited August 8, 2008 by JLambus

[diverdoug1 56]

You could try a Canon close-up lens like the 500D (you would need a step-up ring to use a 72mm 500D). The 500D will give you better corner focus than a Woody's, but you can't change it during the dive. The 72 mm 500D goes for $124.95 @ B@H, not sure how much the step ring will cost

[depelos 0]

I use both 3x and 5x diopters to get closer focus and added magnification on my Nikon 105mm lens. I'm sure you can find diopters to fit your 60mm lens too. The diopters are quite thin so I've been able to use the normal Ikelite port for a 105mm lens without any problem. The diopters are quite cheap as well - from $20 to $30. Good luck.

[bvanant 191]

I use both 3x and 5x diopters to get closer focus and added magnification on my Nikon 105mm lens. I'm sure you can find diopters to fit your 60mm lens too. The diopters are quite thin so I've been able to use the normal Ikelite port for a 105mm lens without any problem. The diopters are quite cheap as well - from $20 to $30. Good luck.

There are diopters and then there are diopters that are a bit better. Why you would spend $5K on a camera, housing, lens, strobe and then use a $10 piece of glass in front of a $600 lens is a mystery. The previously mentioned Canon 500D, the Nikon 5T and 6T are all achromatic mulitple glass lenses that can give you reasonable quality. Same for some of the lenses that go on the end of your port in the water, like the Woody or the macromate can also get you really close. There are also extension rings and teleextenders all of which have their place. Check out the pinned discussion on going beyond 1:1

 

Bill

[AndyBarker 6]

HI,

I use a 4x diopter with my 12/24mm nikon & find it helps with the corners as they are sharper also it magnifies the image.

It screws to the front of the lens & the dome port does not need to be altered, so im very happy with it.

Andy

[GHP 0]

HI,

I use a 4x diopter with my 12/24mm nikon & find it helps with the corners as they are sharper also it magnifies the image.

 

 

I have the 12-24 nikon, and plan on using either a 2x or 4x diopter with it, also to sharpen the corners, but what does it do to distance focussing, ie, does it make it impossible to focus on infinity?

Thanks in advance.

[jcclink 8]

I also use a +4 with the 12-24 lens. Sharp corners & it will focus at infinity throughout the zoom range. Just make sure the diopter does not contact the inside of the port.

[craig 0]

Whether a lens will focus at infinity once a diopter is added depends on the dome you use. Out of the water, it will not.

[oceanaddict 0]

Whether a lens will focus at infinity once a diopter is added depends on the dome you use. Out of the water, it will not.

 

Hi,

I'm new here, so does anybody have suggestions for a nikon 12-24 in a sea & sea housing with a compact dome?

[james 0]

I would recommend a +2 B+W diopter.

 

Regards,

James

[Panda 3]

Just did a little bit of +4 dioptre testing with my D80, Ike. 6" dome, 18-55mm

Blogged about it here http://apnewton.blogspot.com/

and older test photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/pandasimages/...57604406703377/

[tdpriest 115]

... I would like to get closer focus with my lens', ie Nikon D80 with Nikon 60mm, 18-200mm and Tokina 12-24 on land and underwater...

 

A diopter is really doing different things with these lenses: the 60mm focusses close, and a diopter makes it very close, with a tiny depth of field; this can be really difficult to light, and pretty oppressive for any creature in the way, but you get macro better than 1:1. An 18-200mm might, and a 12-24mm often does, need a diopter just to focus on the virtual image created by a dome port. I'm not sure that you get any closer to the subject, but most of the lens's in-air performance is restored.

 

I use B+W diopters, and they seem fine even though they're not fancy compound achromatic lenses.

 

The best way to get really close with a wide lens is use a fisheye, like the popular Tokina 10-17mm, or the Nikon 10.5mm. Focus is practically on the dome. Most of these lenses won't take a diopter, and a teleconverter changes the perspective of the lens, sometimes with interesting results.

 

Tim

 

Edited July 3, 2009 by tdpriest

[seagrant 4]

I bought Peter Rowland's Nikon 12-24, he and Alex Mustard suggested I get a +3 diopter to use with it for shooting whales. Alex had been using the exact same lens I bought with the +3. This setup is behind Subal's 8" FE dome port with a 40mm ex ring. Other brand ports might be different.

 

+3, single element diopters were harder to find but, here is what I got from B & H:

 

B+W 77mm CLOSE-UP LENS +3 (NL3) - BWCU377

 

I'm told that I will still have infinity focus underwater with 12-24 & +3. I haven't had the opportunity to shoot anything big enough to test it right now.

 

I also use the double-element Nikon 5T and 6T (no longer manufactured - you have to buy used) on my Nikon 105vr, but I've had to remove the black rings and secure with blu tak to fit in the Subal 105vr port - your port will be different probably. Search forums for that data if you want to go that route. I've never used a diopter on my Nikon 60mm.

 

I've also used the Woody's wet diopter with the 105vr. I had one specially made to fit the Subal 105vr port. It is convenient, but the quality is not up to the double element, close-up diopters. There are other wet and dry diopter options too, research by searching WP forums for diopters, etc.

 

Best, Carol

Edited July 3, 2009 by seagrant