Domes

Staff · Issue 36, May/Jun 2007 · pp. 45–47

Products mentioned: Seacam Superdome, Nikon 12-24mm zoom, B&W dioptre, Nikon 10.5 fisheye, Aquatica dome

DOMES by Pete Atkinson The advent of digital has raised the spectre of fuzzy corners again, after being largely banished with film. I spent years trying to get the best results with my home-made housings until I finally thought I knew what I was doing. And then I bought a commercial housing... It seems a lot of people are having trouble correcting the Nikon 12-24mm zoom, partly because the manufacturers recommendations are wrong. Seacam recommended a 35mm port extension with the Superdome so this is what I bought. The corners were the worst I had ever seen, on anything, anywhere. In general you want the centre of curvature of the dome in the same place as the apparent front entrance pupil of the lens. And then maybe a + dioptre. DOME CENTRE OF CURVATURE If the housing manufacturer doesn’t provide this data, you can measure it. I draw part of a half- circle on light card about the right i…