Subal ND90 For Nikon D90

The Nikon D90 offers 12 megapixels combined with stunning low light capability and a built in movie mode. This DX format Nikon incorporates an autofocus motor and operates flawlessly with all of the Nikon lenses required by underwater photographers, including fisheyes.

Arnold Stepanek, the celebrated designer of Subal housings, has once again created an elegant, functional and hard wearing housing for Nikon D90 owners. Attention to detail is the hallmark of a Stepanek design and the new ND90 continues that tradition. The Subal ND90 is delivered fully specified with all controls already installed. Two strobe sockets are standard, but you'll be able to select which type of flash connectors you want to use and choose from three viewfinder options. Mark Koekemoer and Steve Warren from Ocean Optics will ensure you get the best pre sales advice and will support you in the coming years with full after sales service.

The Subal ND90 hull is carved from aluminium. This is hard coated and anodised to ensure your ND90 housing will last through long years of hard use. Many of the world's most successful professional underwater photographers, including our own clients, Alex Mustard and Tom Peschak, choose Subal for their longevity and, crucially, their reliability. Naturally, the ND90 fits your camera like a glove. The small size reduces drag when you are swimming. Weight is also kept to a minimum - around 2.5kg. So it's easy to take your ND90 in hand luggage. The hull is rated to 70 metres.

Your Nikon D90 fits onto a saddle which slides into your Subal housing and locks into place. The hull is opened and closed using two Subal QuickLock catches. The QuickLock design makes it virtually impossible to close the housing if the O ring isn't properly located in the groove. QuickLocks feature a safety mechanism that prevents accidental opening. A 4mm soft O ring makes the seal. Soft O rings are a little more tolerant of dirt on the O ring as they can mould around it to some extent. That said, extreme care must be taken with properly preparing any housing for diving and we'll get to that later!

The small size and custom design of the Subal ND90 means that Arnold has lots of discretion as to where he places your key shooting controls. It's the nature of underwater photography that we need to be able to shoot fast, not just to track moving subjects, but because of dive time limits as well. Subal housings are known for intuitive, responsive controls. The ND90 features a soft touch shutter release which minimises vibration as you shoot. This helps keep images sharp at slow shutter speeds or when shooting high magnification macro photographs. Your main and sub command dials, used principally to control exposure, fall easily to hand under your thumb and ring finger. The non slip finish ensures a positive grip. Some Nikon users prefer to reassign these controls by switching aperture and shutter speed control around using the cameras custom function. Zoom, used to quickly compose your image, is operated by your left hand. You can turn your D90 on and off to prolong battery life. Other controls provide access to your illuminater to light up display panels, ISO, exposure mode, exposure compensation, metering pattern, white balance, flash mode, flash compensation, AF on, focus area select, focus mode including manual, menu, delete, viewing options including zoom, thumbnail, zoom, delete, protect, info, OK, live view, quality and four way controller.

The hand grips are an integrated part of all Subal housings. They are designed to place your hands in the best position for accessing your key controls. The right handle is a comfort grip design. A normal pistol grip can become uncomfortable if your camera system is heavy or poorly balanced, or you are using thick gloves, especially if you have to wait out a shy subject for some time. Subal housings are finely balanced, but a comfort grip is still an asset. It uses an overhand adjustable strap that means you don't have to grip it with your fingers and thumb. You can relax and flex your hand.

Subal offer three viewfinder options for the ND90. The smallest is an image reduction finder. This type of optic is found on many of our competitor's housings. This type of viewfinder lets you see the entire viewfinder image at once, but does so at the expense of making the image much smaller. With this viewfinder you'll need to use a low volume facemask and keep your eye pressed against the eyepiece to see into the corners of the focusing screen. Because DX cameras often have quite small viewfinders, a magnifying viewfinder is usually a better choice.

The GS180 is a genuine magnifier. It increases the size of the Nikon D90 \s own viewfinder image by 50%. The larger image makes manual focusing easier, eases reading information displays and helps accurate composition. The GS180 is an eyelevel finder - you look through it from behind just like using your Nikon's own viewfinder. With the GS180 it isn't necessary to have your eye against the finder eyepiece. You can use larger face masks, including full face models, and bulky mouthpieces found on some rebreathers. You can also see around the viewfinder, giving early warning of subjects about to enter frame.

The WS45 is also a magnifier and increases image size by 50%. This finder has an eyepiece slanted at 45 degrees. This position allows you to look down into the viewfinder from above, making it an excellent choice for low level macro work, where you cannot lie prone on the seafloor and see through a conventional eye level finder. The WS45 lets you place the camera on the sand and view your subject from overhead. It's also good for split-level photography as the finder eyepiece can remain above the waterline. For your convenience, the WS45 swivels for horizontal and vertical shooting.

The main LCD panel is deeply hooded to both protect the screen and provide a shadow to make viewing easier in strong light.

The Subal ND90 is equipped with an extremely well thought through flash system. Two Nikonos type sockets are provided. This lets you choose from the widest selection of strobes. Either socket can be used to fire a strobe, so back up is built in to cover you for any damage to a connector. Or you can use two strobes for dual flash photography. Youcan switch either socket between manual and TTL designation in seconds and without needing tools. For manual flash, we recommend Inon Z-240 guns. For TTL we suggest a Nikon Speedlight in a Subal strobe housing. Two mounting plates for strobe arms are included - these accept most popular arm systems including Inon's.

Most of the optics used by underwater photographers are specialist macro and wide angle models from professional lens ranges. Subal ports are designed to yield maximum quality from these lenses. Subal only use glass to construct their ports. Subal ports mount quickly and securely using a two claw bayonet. Two mount sizes are available for the ND90. The Mk3 mount has been used by Subal for around 20 years. The Mk4 is new and is slightly wider. This mount is essential if you plan to use the Nikon 14 -24mm zoom. If you are upgrading within the Subal system and already have ports, then you are probably better to use the Mk3 mount. The 14 - 24mm is more suited to FX cameras and alternative wide angles like the 12 - 24mm may be a better choice for your D90. If you are new to Subal, then we'd suggest starting out with the Mk4. Subal have gone to great lengths to ensure maximum forward and backward compatibility between the MK3 and Mk4 mounts and new and existing ports. Call us if you want to discuss the choices in more detail. The ND90 allows you to install and remove lenses through the port opening - you don't have to take your camera out of the housing to make a lens change.

Your Subal ND90 is already fitted with an optical leak detector. A mounting point for a focusing light is standard equipment. Other finishing touches include anti skid pads on the base to protect your housings finish,.

If you'd like to look over the Subal ND90 in detail, please make an appointment with Steve or Mark. Expect to spend an hour or two discussing the Subal system in detail. Along with your camera, please bring your face mask (especially if you use corrected lenses) and gloves if you will be using these with your housing. This equipment will help you better assess handling and viewfinding - both critical to your choice of camera housing. It's helpful for us to know as much as possible about the kind of images you want this equipment to take. Many clients now bring in their laptops with examples of photographs they like or want to shoot to help us provide the best solutions.

If you decide to purchase your Subal ND90 system from us, then we would want to get you back for a full day. During this time Steve or Mark will work with you one on one. They'll make sure you are comfortable with loading and unloading your D90 into your housing. They'll also make any needed adjustments to controls. You'll be taken through how to check your flash circuits and, vitally, the hard won tips we've amassed over many years of underwater photography that will help you prepare your ND90 before you dive. Finally, you'll be able to make a test dive in Underwater Studios movie tank to make a few test photographs. Mark or Steve will accompany you and will be able to offer tips under the water using our trademark radiophones.

A Nikon N90 and Subal ND90 housing, supported by the Ocean Optics team, is a very attractive system for the serious underwater photographer.