I'm looking for dive camera...?

Question

I own a D200 and soon a D700 but can't cough up the money for a dive housing at the moment. I'm on a budget, and would like to hear about your experiences. Any info you have will benefit me endlessly. Thanks!

Answer 1

I'm using an Ike Lite housing for my Canon. I could have gone with a cheaper (1/2 the price) Canon housing but felt that since all it takes is one drop of water in the wrong place, the extra money would be worth it. It has been. Ike Lite makes some of the most robust housings out there. The only function that I can't access on my camera via the external controls is the print function, which doesn't matter submerged. The Ike Lite housings also allow you to build "inventory". Buy what you need for your shooting. Strobes, trays, lens accessories you name it. They can all be added to the housing later on. The seals on the controls are maintenance free and actually use a type of packing gland ( which is also user replaceable if need be) instead of a sometimes hard to depress plastic pad. Dive glove friendly!!! The main body O ring is also a treat, since Ike Lite's design allows you to visually inspect the entire O ring after the front and rear are mated. No more guess work or hoping an O ring isn't pinched, like other manufacturers that you can't see that O ring after mating. I've got a junked Canon to prove this point after using one of Canon's own housings.

Ike Lite makes the housing for your D200 and will shortly have one out for your future D700. You may want to wait for the D700. Save your dough and spend it on the best you can afford or justify.

Here's a link to the current production housing for the D200

http://www.ikelite.com/web_two/2d200niko...

and a link to their Nikon product page

http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/camnikc...