Nikon D7000 Underwater

[bearaway 1]

Great article. Thanks for that detailed practical review, that's impressive work.

 

Minor nitpick though, as a non-nauticam user, when you're writing a lot about the controls x, y, z on the housing, without an illustrated picture it is really difficult to visualize clearly what you're talking about. Would have loved to have a picture of the housing with legends on controls.

 

 

Now, I was thinking that the D7000 would be the one that will allow me to finally ditch my D80 and this really looks like it. I'm most impressed with the sunburst.

I have the D700 as well, but no housing for it and considering the D7000 does video...

 

Despite some attractiveness, I doubt I will go Nauticam and think I will stay Ikelite.

3000$ for a housing to house a $1500 camera is a lot of $ if you're diving less than 2 months a year.

[PRC 2]

Good piece of work Alex - thanks.

 

Not quite so keen on you closing Gatwick though - am now on the midnight ferry to Portsmouth and the wind is making

 

Paul C

[Alex_Mustard 0]

Fantastic review Alex; hard to find fault with this camera as an underwater camera. Is there anything at all that you missed on this camera compared say to your D700?

 

I miss the ISO for free of the D700. As you know, the D700 allows you to turn up the ISO to 800 with no detectable loss in image quality. The D7000 is very impressive at higher ISOs, but it is a sliding scale from base ISO. The problem is really a frame of mind thing.

 

 

Minor nitpick though, as a non-nauticam user, when you're writing a lot about the controls x, y, z on the housing, without an illustrated picture it is really difficult to visualize clearly what you're talking about. Would have loved to have a picture of the housing with legends on controls.

 

Good point. I will add some annotations to a couple of the images when I have a decent internet connection.

 

Alex

[Deep6 7]

Alex,

 

Really want to thank you for an excellent review. With your location and time restrains, is truly amazing in scope and detail. I seems to be a great camera for the price with 1/320 sync, higher ISO acceptability, HD video, and my fav, 100% view finder. Analytical tests aside, an “in vita” underwater test is what I wanted. I can exhale now. I look forward to the Feb. housing shoot out. Cayman?

Bob

Edited December 3, 2010 by Deep6

[adamhanlon 0]

Hi Bob,

 

Probably Capernwray in the frozen Northern UK not Cayman! It will almost definitely be a cold water review!

 

We plan to get as many housings together as we can and get a bunch of people to try them out and give impressions.

 

Looking forward to it.

 

Adam

[acuevas 4]

Hi Bob,

 

Probably Capernwray in the frozen Northern UK not Cayman! It will almost definitely be a cold water review!

 

We plan to get as many housings together as we can and get a bunch of people to try them out and give impressions.

 

Looking forward to it.

 

Adam

 

Yes, a cold water review will put the housings in a more complicate situation. Big gloves and cold hands.

Please use at least 5mm gloves, a 3mm glove is not thick enough.

 

If you can use it in cold waters, you can use it everywhere.

[Deep6 7]

Hi Bob,

 

Probably Capernwray in the frozen Northern UK not Cayman! It will almost definitely be a cold water review!

 

We plan to get as many housings together as we can and get a bunch of people to try them out and give impressions.

 

Looking forward to it.

 

Adam

Brrr..., I look forward to your report, but I ain't volunteering for a very cold dive.

Cold water chicken in the frozen north of Illinois,

Bob

[StephenFrink 9]

Hi Bob,

 

Probably Capernwray in the frozen Northern UK not Cayman! It will almost definitely be a cold water review!

 

We plan to get as many housings together as we can and get a bunch of people to try them out and give impressions.

 

Looking forward to it.

 

Adam

[StephenFrink 9]

Hi Bob,

 

Probably Capernwray in the frozen Northern UK not Cayman! It will almost definitely be a cold water review!

 

We plan to get as many housings together as we can and get a bunch of people to try them out and give impressions.

 

Looking forward to it.

 

Adam

 

Hey Adam - Be sure to ask Harald for one. The SEACAM D7000 housing should be ready by the time you are.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

If you can use it in cold waters, you can use it everywhere.

 

 

While this is partly true - perfect ergonomics for cold water would probably be imperfect in the tropics. Oversized dials and knobs would be clumsy and the sharp edges on dials (needed to grip with numb fingers and 7mm gloves/mitts) are not comfortable when you soft fingers (without gloves) after 5-6 hours of underwater photography on a warm day in the tropics.

 

Alex

 

p.s. More controversially, the same is true of divers. I have lost count of the number of British divers who think that because they can dive in the UK - it means they don't need to learn anything to dive in the tropics.

[acuevas 4]

While this is partly true - perfect ergonomics for cold water would probably be imperfect in the tropics. Oversized dials and knobs would be clumsy and the sharp edges on dials (needed to grip with numb fingers and 7mm gloves/mitts) are not comfortable when you soft fingers (without gloves) after 5-6 hours of underwater photography on a warm day in the tropics.

 

At least you now know what to look at in the test.

 

p.s. More controversially, the same is true of divers. I have lost count of the number of British divers who think that because they can dive in the UK - it means they don't need to learn anything to dive in the tropics.

 

I absolutely agree, the currents can be very different in the tropic and in the tropics a cold water diver looses the sense of depth, we are used to see the surface at 8 mts, but in the tropics you can see the surface at 30 mts or more and there is more light, giving you a false sense of security and that can be dangerous.

[john70490 3]

Sorry if I'm dense but I can't find Alex' review. Where is it?

[Alex_Mustard 0]

We definitely need a separate listing for recent reviews on the front page - like the big buttons at the top of the DPReview home page, for example, otherwise they get buried very quickly by other news items.

 

You can see the review here:

http://wetpixel.com/i.php/full/field-revie...ticam-na-d7000/

 

Alternatively you can you to the ARTICLES menu at the top of every page and then to REVIEWS>STILL CAMERAS.

 

Alex

[johnspierce 25]

Hey Alex,

 

Does that Zen mini-dome preclude doing over-unders?

 

thanks,

John

 

Updated:

Just found this thread where Alex talks about the small dome in depth -- answered my questions thanks Alex!

 

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...mp;#entry239884

Edited December 14, 2010 by johnspierce

[Alex_Mustard 0]

The mini-domes don't preclude under-overs, but they'll always be inferior to a standard dome in the same conditions.

 

The mini-dome I used for all the WA pictures in this review was the Nauticam acrylic one - which really impressed.

 

Alex

[Aussiebyron 57]

Why does the Nauticam Acrylic min dome impress you Alex say over the other glass mini domes out there? What is the RRP of the Nauticam Acrylic mini dome to compare?

 

Regards Mark

[Alex_Mustard 0]

I have no idea of the RRP.

 

Just checked -

It is 480 USD (on Reef Photo Video), compared with Aquatica 4" at 700 USD (on Backscatter) and Zen 4" at 900 USD (on Backscatter and Reef Photo) .

 

I know you've posted quite a bit about the $600 price difference between Aquatica's D7000 and Nauticam's D7000. If you are also thinking of a mini-dome - this would bring the products closer together on price.

 

But that is an aside, it is a bit bigger, I'd guess 4.5", than the 4"/100mm domes - and this does seem to help the image quality in the corners compared to the 100mm domes I have used. And it can be used with a straight 10.5mm fisheye, which many of the mini-domes cannot without cut off.

 

But my comment was based purely around the images I made in the Red Sea. I was very pleased with the WA images I was able to produce - some of which are in the review.

 

Alex

[Ryan 57]

The Zen dome includes a built in extension ring for 10-17, which is necessary with the Nauticam and Aquatica domes.

 

Nauticam 4.33" Fisheye Dome + Extension Ring 20, $720

Zen DP-100-NT, $899.95

 

Factoring in the extension ring price narrows the price disparity. From there, the customer has to decide whether they want plastic or glass.

Edited December 14, 2010 by Ryan

[Aussiebyron 57]

Hi Alex,

 

I thought it would interesting to compare the price of the Acrylic Nauticam to the glass mini domes out there. $220 difference between the Acrylic and the cheapest glass mini dome.

 

Is there any noticable difference with your limited use with the Nauticam Acrylic mini dome compared with other Glass mini domes other than its slightly larger and I presume not as heavy? If the Acrylic minidome works will we see other makers produce Acrylic mini domes?

 

Is the Nauticam D7000 available to consumers now as you stated that the housing you reviewed didnt have some of the features which will be installed in the final production unit?

 

Will you be doing a review on other housings for the D7000 for comparison or is it first in best dress regarding product releases?

 

Regarding the $600 price difference between the Aquatica D7000 and the Nauticam we just have to wait and see when we have the full production models in our hot little hands.

 

Cheers Mark

[Alex_Mustard 0]

@ Ryan - thanks for the clarification. I didn't think about that!

 

Alex

 

Is there any noticable difference with your limited use with the Nauticam Acrylic mini dome compared with other Glass mini domes other than its slightly larger and I presume not as heavy? If the Acrylic minidome works will we see other makers produce Acrylic mini domes?

 

Is the Nauticam D7000 available to consumers now as you stated that the housing you reviewed didnt have some of the features which will be installed in the final production unit?

 

Will you be doing a review on other housings for the D7000 for comparison or is it first in best dress regarding product releases?

 

Regarding the $600 price difference between the Aquatica D7000 and the Nauticam we just have to wait and see when we have the full production models in our hot little hands.

 

Cheers Mark

 

Optically - in terms of sharpness I thought the acrylic dome was very good. And of course it is light.

 

Regarding the delivery of Nauticam D7000 - I don't know (As I am not privvy to any insider info from them - check with their dealers!), but I have not seen anyone on the forums showing off about having theirs yet. So I suspect not - but I have been off line for most of the last two weeks. Maybe someone can chime in?

 

I was hoping to try another housing - but it depends on Adam's plans for the group test. I might review the Subal housing - depending on when it is available and what I am doing at the time (some shoots are suitable for reviews, others are not). Unlikely any others as I don't have a D7000 of my own.

 

Alex

[adamhanlon 0]

Hi all,

 

We will be running a D7000 housing (as opposed to camera) review early next year. I plan for this to be around February, but this will of course depend on which housings are available when. I would like it to be as definitive as possible.

 

The line up currently looks like: Subal, Aquatica, Ikelite, Nauticam and Seacam. If any others are available, we will test them too. The format for the tests will be cold water and with multiple users/testers.

 

If any other manufacturers are reading this and would like to get their products included, please let me know. I'll also be emailing prospective manufacturers closer to the time.

 

I would welcome any specific points people would like to be compared in the review.

 

Adam

[Cp 29]

Regarding the delivery of Nauticam D7000 - I don't know (As I am not privvy to any insider info from them - check with their dealers!), but I have not seen anyone on the forums showing off about having theirs yet. So I suspect not - but I have been off line for most of the last two weeks. Maybe someone can chime in?

A few have shipped already, and more being built every day.

 

I haven't gotten to dive with one yet though!!!

 

Chris

[alanchungsf 0]

A few have shipped already, and more being built every day.

 

I haven't gotten to dive with one yet though!!!

 

Chris

 

I got mine over the weekend. Thanks to Sean from Backscatter! I've only tested it in the bathtub, but so far I'm very happy with how wonderful it feels in my hand. I'm off to Palau end of this week, can't wait. I'll post some photos when I get back.

[Aussiebyron 57]

Hi all,

 

We will be running a D7000 housing (as opposed to camera) review early next year. I plan for this to be around February, but this will of course depend on which housings are available when. I would like it to be as definitive as possible.

 

The line up currently looks like: Subal, Aquatica, Ikelite, Nauticam and Seacam. If any others are available, we will test them too. The format for the tests will be cold water and with multiple users/testers.

 

If any other manufacturers are reading this and would like to get their products included, please let me know. I'll also be emailing prospective manufacturers closer to the time.

 

I would welcome any specific points people would like to be compared in the review.

 

Adam

 

Hi Adam,

 

This would be an review worth looking at especially comparing features of different housing and also comparing bang for buck.

 

I have to question why is your testing format going to based solely on cold water diving? From the amount of images posted here I beleive that a high percentage of photos are taken in warm water. Is this because the testers are based in the UK?

 

The Cold water testing format would make sense for those diving with thick gloves and provide valuable information in the ergonomics of dials and buttons. But when you see most shots posted are warm water it doesnt provide an accurate account of the overall feel of the housing to those that shoot in warm water without gloves. Which I believe is the majority of the photographers are.

 

I believe if your want an accurate review you will need to review like Mr Mustard's review of the Nauticam D7000 and have it in both cold and warm water and to have it used for both macro and wide angle. This then would covers everyones shooting style and locations where they shoot.

 

Regards Mark

Edited December 15, 2010 by Aussiebyron

[pmooney 6]

I believe if your want an accurate review you will need to review like Mr Mustard's review of the Nauticam D7000 and have it in both cold and warm water and to have it used for both macro and wide angle. This then would covers everyones shooting style and locations where they shoot.

 

Regards Mark

 

 

Hi Mark,

 

You will have the chance to compare the Aquatica & Nauticam Housings in your home waters at the Byron Bay Shootout.