No focusing gear will it work?

[whacky]

I am trying as you all know to get a D70 housed and ready to get wet. Well I spoke to cameras underwater today who can get me a port but no focusing gear as sea & sea haven't any in the UK at present.

Sea & Sea were a little hesitant to commit as to if it will work without them anyone have any ideas?

[DDT uk]

What is that, you want to buy focus gears? For a 60mm lens as I recall. It just so happens that I have such a thing. I bought them without realising that you actually need the manual focus port. D'oh. Never been used.
I'll check the parts numbers tonight but if you want to make me an offer.....

Daniel

[KenByrne]

I've never used a focus gear. On my F60, D70 and now D80 all the lenses I used where autofocus lenses and they work fine underwater. Only occasional problem is lack of contrast for focusing in poor vis but a spotting torch helps with that. The autofocus usually works more accurately and faster than I can. Unless the Sea & Sea housing lets you disengage the manual focus control you can't use autofocus with the gear in place. If you do the camera has to drive the manual focus controls on the housing and the motors aren't built for it.

[DDT uk]

The Sea and Sea has two gears; one for the AF/MF and another to control the focus.

[KenByrne]

Originally Posted by DDT uk

The Sea and Sea has two gears; one for the AF/MF and another to control the focus.

The Ikelite has an AF/MF control and a gear that can be used for focus or zoom control. However the focus gear is always engaged so you can't use autofocus without risking damage to the camera. On the Sea & Sea manual focus port I'd hope there's a way of disconnecting the focus control on the housing from the gear attached to the lens.

[whacky]

So there is technically no need for it if using AF? Would it be unfair of me to assume that sea & sea's hesitancy was finacially orientated

[ATJ]

I'm with Ken, I always use autofocus as my eyes just aren't good enough for manual. I have a 60mm f/2.8D lens and it has always worked well in AF mode on both a D70 and now on a D300.

I'd be surprised if the Sea & Sea ports don't let you go AF.

[Cussy]

I use autofocus too. However, as Ken says at times it just wont focus, especially on macro with the 105. What I do then is get the camera to focus on my finger, lock the camera to manual focus and then point the camera at the subject and move the lens in and out until I hit the focus point. This is how I've managed to get photos of the polyps on Deadmans Fingers - auto focus, even with a torch, wouldn't work (it also means I end up with loads of crappy photos of my finger as I accidentally take a shot!!).

Don't know if it's the same with S&S, but the only time I ever use the Ikelite focus is when it's attached to the zoom of the Tokina.
HTH,
Rob

[jackdiver]

Originally Posted by whacky

So there is technically no need for it if using AF?

Correct. No need if using AF

[DDT uk]

I only use AF on macro. Sea and Sea do standard ports without MF controls and ports with the focus dials. There is little point in paying for the port with the dials if you are not going to use it . So unless you are going to have the gears you may as well go for the cheaper port.

The S&S port with dials takes 2 gears. One moves the AF/MF ring on the lens to disengage the motor. The other engages the focus ring. So to go from AF to MF you need to turn the first dial to remove the motor drive and then the second to focus. To move back you turn the first dial to reengage the motor.

I tend to pick the focus distance on AF, hold the AF lock lever, then take the shot. So no need for the MF control.

Daniel