What's all the fuss about? Nikon D70 & the Ikelite housing

Staff · Issue 20, Aug/Sep 2004 · pp. 17–20

Products mentioned: Nikon D70, Ikelite housing, Ikelite DS125 strobe, Ikelite EV controller, Sea&Sea YS90, Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye, Nikkor 60mm micro, Nikon View 6

There has been a good deal of fuss about the new Nikon D70 in the photo media and all of it has been exceptionally positive. They have proved so popular worldwide that supply has been very short but I was lucky enough to get my hands on one, and an early edition of the Ikelite housing, so that I could take it through its paces underwater and find out if it is as good a performer down there as up here. I took the camera, housing, Ikelite DS125 strobe, EV controller, slaved Sea&Sea YS90, Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye and Nikkor 60mm micro to Raja Empat in eastern Indonesia. Here the subjects really test the ability of the camera and photographer from the smallest, cryptic, macro pygmy seahorses to wide reef scenes clouded in fish with sunbursts blazing through the surface. If the set up could handle this then it really would be the camera we have all been waiting for. The 2 hours it takes to fully…