Got me a Canon 100mm USM macro lens awhile back. Haven't used it yet underwater. But I was wondering if any of the external wet diopters fit a Sea & Sea port (S&S 350D housing)?

This maybe what you look for:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14511

do you have a port for the 100mm USM yet? If you go with the NX custom flat port and the SX extension you could put on one of the Macromate Flip lenses.

At Backscatter

On S&S at DEMA over at DigiDeep

I doubt this is the only option, but it's a good one.

Martyn

David, thanks for the link. I like that Saga 60mm port for the S&S. One thing I don't like about the S&S compact port + 60mm combo - lots of space between the lens and port glass...

Rattus, no not yet. Been holding off as I heard maybe Athena might have a custom focus ring for the 100mm to be used with the compact port... but that macromate looks tempting...

Hi,
Nexus wet diopter ,known as woodi's diopter here, should fit on S&S compact port.
I just don't remember whether it was 90mm or 100mm one.

Sam

Sam, nice! I think the S&S custom flat port for the 100mm has a 98mm diameter. If it fits, that would be more in my price range than the macromate...

nope, the 98mm is the length, the port is 132mm wide at the wide end, probably tapers to about 120mm. You'd also have to do something about the rubber foot on the custom flat port to get a woody's/nexus to fit, even if it were big enough.

You might get it to fit the compact macro ports, but then the manual focusing is a real issue, because the 100mm USM puts the focus ring right near the front optic. That's why you need the custom flat or the zoom port if you stay S&S.

If Athena are doing a focus ring for the S&S compact macro port system that uses the main housing gears then I'd like to see it. The distance involved between housing gear and focus ring is huge, with the switch plate on the lens being in the way also. Have you seen any pictures of their potential solution.

I'd like to house this lens as a multipurpose macro solution, having the advantage of full time manual focus in AF mode, so any info you know of would be useful.


Added:
I just looked at the Athena site, and they have some super long reach focus gears, two of which mention the NX port system and Canon 100mm USM, one with Kenko teleconverter, one without (as far as I can work out). They look like pieces of metal drainpipe with large square holes cut in the sides. I guess that what the Athena possibles are. WOW! that's an extreme focus gear.


Cheers,

Martyn

Martyn, but they are pricey... $$$



I'll have to reconfirm with Yuzo over at www.uwdigitalcamera.com on whether the athena focus ring would work with the compact macro port. Would be nice to have the focus knob at your finger tips. But then, not sure if the woody diopter will fit. I think the diameter on the compact port is 102.5mm.

Ryan did get back to me that the Woody Diopter 110 would fit the custom macro port with slight mod.

On the english pages, that I subsequently found, it does say:

"Correspondonding port compact macro port made in S&S co."

So yes, its ounds like they are for the compact system. However it then goes on to say:

"This is the focus gear coupling drive by using a handling knob on port side."

Of course the compact ports don't have "Knob on port side", so maybe Yuzo could confirm that the gears are operated by the knob on the side of the housing. In which case I think I want one, or at least might try making a similar solution.

I reckon I might be able to adapt my 16-35 zoom ring to take an optional tube extension like that. Wacky but possible.

Did Ryan say that he'd mod the Woody or the port rubber? Or both?


Cheers

The Japanese description on the Athena page also says it uses the housing focus dial and that the 100MM USM one is for the NX port. I can't seem to find Yuzo's old email but I think he mention something about you have to take apart the zoom gear (see those screws near the gear) take the gear part off, slide the cylinder over the 100MM lens and then reattach the gear from the bottom of the lens. jeez, they even make a similiar one for the 100mm USM AND a kenko 2x teleconverter!!

As for the woody diopter, actually I got two responses. Ryan just said the CL-110 works. But Richard at Reefphoto also responded saying that you need to remove the rubber bezel of the port (the custom macro port).

If the one of the woody diopters fit the compact macro port, I'm all for that as that would slightly reduce the ports I need to carry for my 60mm and 100mm.

Hi Guys, for clarification-

My comment was in addition to Richard's. Pull off the rubber ring, and the CL110 fits perfectly. If you choose not to pull off the rubber bumper, you can still get it on and off, but it isn't what I'd call convenient.

I've ordered a couple of those long Athena gears for other applications, and I'll let you know how they work out when they arrive.

RC

Ryan, thanks for the clarification. BTW, have you heard anything from Sea & Sea about some new "DX" macro port system which will fit the Canon 100MM USM macro and the new Nikon VR105mm?

HI,
I confirm correct woodi's diopter for S&S COMPACT macro port is 90mm(I have both port & diopter in my hand. 90mm is little tight but, 100mm is too big).

Sam

Hi Pakman,

Actually, both lenses work well in the Custom Flat Port w/ SX Extension ring, so I'm not sure I see the need. I've built a focus gear for the 105VR, and the focus gear for the Canon 100 USM is already in the catalog.

That being said, there was talk of them announcing something at the DEMA show, but I never had an opportunity to talk to anyone about it.

Pakman>> why do you want a diopter on the 100mm lens? is it to be able to be flexible and go beyond 1:1 in one shoot and then shoot lets say a fish on the next shot?

Or is it only to be able to go beyond 1:1, to be able to shoot small objects such as pygmees as small nudibranches?

If it is the latter, then I can really recommend you to try the ef-s 60mm + EF12II (extension ring) + 1,4 kenko konverter. This works like a sharm for macro. you can fill the frame with an objects as small as 1,3cm... I used it extesively in lembeh last month and I got some really good shots with it.

And the best part is that it fits in the same port as the 60mm (compact macro port s) without modification.

And another good thing is that the close focus distance is more or less the same as the 60mm alone. This is not the case with a diopter.

The only drawback with this solution is that it is a bit limiting, since I shoot manual with the focus ranked to the bottom and moving the camera back and forth to obtain focus. This means that you have to descide that it is small objects that you want to shoot before you enter the water.

With a focus gear this rig would be really flexible but since the focus ring will have to be very long It is not that easy to manufacture by yourself... It would have to look something like those athena gears...

Ryan,

Sounds like the "DX" ports might be more for the Nikon 105VR to accommodate the girth...

Anyways, I've gone ahead and ordered a Compact Macro Port M to fit my Canon 100mm USM and an Athena focus gear. However, I'll need to order the Woody Diopter from you Ryan. Can you confirm which will fit the Sea & Sea Compact Macro Port (not the Custom Macro Port). Once I can confirm this, I'll put in an order with you shortly along with some other goodies I can't seem to get in Asia...

thanks,