Nikon

Type: Camera and lens manufacturer
Founded: 1917
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
Key products: D-series DSLRs, Z-series mirrorless cameras, Nikkor lenses

Overview

Nikon has been one of the two dominant camera systems in underwater photography alongside Canon, with a particularly strong following among serious underwater still photographers. Nikon’s combination of rugged professional bodies, exceptional high-ISO performance, and the legendary Nikkor lens lineup made it the system of choice for many of the most accomplished underwater photographers in the Wetpixel community. The Nikon D-series DSLRs — particularly the D70, D200, D300, D700, D800, and D850 — defined successive eras of underwater photography from 2004 through the late 2010s.

Nikon cameras receive comprehensive housing support from all major manufacturers including Nauticam, Ikelite, Aquatica, Sea & Sea, Subal, Seacam, Hugyfot, and Nexus.

Product Timeline

Film-to-Digital Transition (2001-2004)

• 2002-04: The Nikon Coolpix 5000 received an Underwater Phantaseas housing, among the early digital Nikon underwater setups (^[1]).
• 2003-01: Subal released the D10 housing for the Nikon D100, one of the first affordable digital SLRs widely used underwater with its 6-megapixel sensor (^[2]).
• 2003-05: Sea & Sea announced the DX-100 housing for the Nikon D100 (^[3]).
• 2003-11: The Nikon 10.5mm DX Fisheye was featured on Wetpixel, becoming the definitive wide-angle lens for Nikon DX underwater shooters (^[4]).
• 2004-02: Nexus announced a housing for the Nikon D70, which became the first truly affordable DSLR for underwater photography at around $1,000 (^[5]).
• 2004-06: Nikon announced its exit from compact film cameras, signaling full commitment to digital (^[6]).
• 2004-09: Nikon announced the D2X, a 12.4-megapixel professional body that became the top choice for serious Nikon underwater photographers (^[7]).
• 2004-11: Hugyfot released a housing for the Nikon D70 (^[8]).

The D2X/D200 Era (2005-2007)

• 2005-01: Nexus D2X housing photos published (^[9]).
• 2005-03: The D2X was described as a “hot topic on the forums,” generating intense community interest (^[10]).
• 2005-03: Nikon D2X reviewed underwater in a Subal ND2 housing — described as a landmark camera for image quality (^[11]).
• 2005-04: Nikon announced the D70s and D50. The D70s was confirmed compatible with existing D70 housings (^[12]).
• 2005-05: Nikon’s NEF RAW format drew criticism from the community in a “stupid NEF format” discussion (^[13]).
• 2005-07: Seacam D2X housing field report published (^[14]).
• 2005-10: Nikon D2X and Nexus housing reviewed on Wetpixel (^[15]).
• 2005-11: Nikon announced the D200, which became enormously popular underwater due to its semi-pro build quality and competitive pricing (^[16]).
• 2005-11: Nikon D2X hotshoe syndrome documented and fixed on Wetpixel (^[17]).
• 2006-01: Nikon announced it would discontinue most film cameras, retaining only the F6 and FM10. The company stated it would “focus management resources on digital cameras in place of film cameras” (^[18]).
• 2006-02: Nikon announced the new 105mm VR macro lens, a key underwater optic (^[19]).
• 2006-03: Ikelite published their Nikon D200 housing review (^[20]).
• 2006: Multiple housing manufacturers rushed to support the D200: Seacam, Sealux, Light & Motion, and Sea & Sea all released housings, reflecting the camera’s enormous popularity (^[21]).
• 2006-06: Nikon announced the D2Xs, an updated professional body (^[22]).
• 2006-08: Nikon announced the 10.2-megapixel D80 (^[23]).
• 2006-10: Nikon 105mm VR macro lens reviewed on Wetpixel (^[24]).
• 2006-10: Hugyfot D200 housing reviewed on Wetpixel (^[25]).

The D300/D3 Era (2007-2009)

• 2007-08: Nikon announced both the D300 and the full-frame D3 simultaneously, a landmark dual-announcement. Eric Cheng wrote that the D3 featured “a 12.1 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor” with “14-bit A/D conversion, super-fast frame rate, live view with auto-focus,” while the D300 offered “nearly all of the same features” as a worthy successor to the D200. Nikon also announced the professional 14-24mm f/2.8G and 24-70mm f/2.8G zoom lenses and an entire line of VR-stabilized supertele primes. Community reaction was enthusiastic, with the Wetpixel comments thread turning into a good-natured argument about whether Eric’s original word “slurry” was better than “plethora” or “cornucopia” (^[26]).
• 2007-09: The Nikon D300 was confirmed to fit in Nexus D200 housings, easing the upgrade path significantly (^[27]).
• 2007-09: Norbert Wu reviewed Nikon D200 housings (^[28]).
• 2007-10: Alex Mustard tested the D3 and D300 (^[29]).
• 2007-12: A Nikon G lens to Canon EF adapter was introduced, enabling Nikkor lenses on Canon bodies (^[30]).
• 2008-01: Berkley White tested the Nikon D300 with Sea & Sea housing photographing sailfish (^[31]).
• 2008-02: Aquatica released details and photos of the Nikon D3 housing (^[32]).
• 2008-03: A Nikon D3 underwater housing compatibility list was published, addressing community concerns about which housings fit the large body (^[33]).
• 2008-04: Subal ND30 housing for Nikon D300 reviewed (^[34]).
• 2008-05: Sealux CD300 housing for Nikon D300 reviewed (^[35]).
• 2008-07: Nikon announced the D700, a more affordable full-frame body at 12 megapixels and $2,995, giving Nikon its first competitor to the Canon EOS 5D in the affordable full-frame space (^[36]).
• 2008-08: The D700 was tested underwater in a Nexus D200 housing, demonstrating backward compatibility (^[37]).
• 2008-08: Nikon announced the D90, the first DSLR with video capability (720p) (^[38]).
• 2008-09: Three-part field review of the Nikon D3 published on Wetpixel (^[39]).
• 2008-11: Nikon D700 reviewed in Subal ND700 housing (^[40]).
• 2008-12: Nikon announced the D3X at 24.5 megapixels (^[41]).

High-Resolution Full-Frame Era (2010-2017)

• 2010-01: Nikon D3S housing compatibility became a major community concern, with underwater photographers discussing which housings could accommodate the body (^[42]).
• 2010-09: Nikon announced the D7000 (^[43]).
• 2012-02: Nikon announced the D800 and D800E with a stunning 36.3-megapixel full-frame sensor — more than twice the resolution of the competing D4. The D800 was explicitly compared to medium-format digital cameras in resolution. It offered full-frame 1080p video with manual exposure controls, uncompressed HDMI output, and a headphone jack for audio monitoring. The D800E variant eliminated the optical low-pass filter for even greater sharpness, at the risk of moire. Key specs included a 51-point AF system with 15 cross-type sensors, ISO 100-6400, dual CF/SD card slots, and USB 3.0 support. Priced at $2,995 (D800) and $3,300 (D800E) (^[44]).
• 2012: Housing manufacturers raced to support the D800, with Ikelite, Sea & Sea, Aquatica, and Nauticam all releasing housings within months (^[45]).
• 2012-08: Wetpixel published their D800 camera review (^[46]).
• 2013-03: Wetpixel published a field review comparing the Nikon D600 versus D800 (^[47]).
• 2014-06: Nikon announced the D810 (^[48]).
• 2014-09: Wetpixel published their Nikon D810 review (^[49]).
• 2014-09: Nikon announced the D750, offering full-frame performance in a smaller body (^[50]).
• 2014-11: Nauticam housing for the D750 field reviewed (^[51]).
• 2016-01: Nikon announced the D500, a high-performance DX body that earned enthusiastic praise from underwater photographers for its autofocus system inherited from the D5 (^[52]).
• 2016-10: Don Silcock published a field review of the Nikon D500 underwater (^[53]).
• 2017-08: Nikon announced the D850 with 45.7 megapixels, EXPEED 5 processor, and 4K UHD video. The D850 was Nikon’s first DSLR with a backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, enabling ISO 64-25,600 despite the high pixel count. It inherited the 153-point AF system from the D5/D500 and shot at 7 fps (9 fps with the MB-D18 battery grip). Silent photography mode eliminated mechanical shutter sound entirely. It was also Nikon’s first DSLR with full-frame 4K UHD recording and supported 8K time-lapse creation from still images. Priced at $3,299.95. A Wetpixel forum discussion thread was created immediately (^[54]).
• 2017-10: Nauticam, Ikelite, Subal, and Sea & Sea all announced or shipped D850 housings within weeks of the camera’s availability (^[55]).
• 2018-05: Backscatter published a detailed video comparison of the Nikon D850 versus Sony a7R III, tested underwater by Backscatter CEO Jim Decker in Roatan and Little Cayman (^[56]).
• 2018-06: Jack Connick reviewed the Nikon D850 in a Nauticam NA-D850 housing for Wetpixel (^[57]).
• 2019-02: Don Silcock published a Nikon D500 “mid-term report” after extensive underwater use (^[58]).

Mirrorless Transition (2018-2023)

• 2018-10: Ikelite announced housing for the Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera (^[59]).
• 2018-11: Nauticam shipped housings for both the Nikon Z6 and Z7, with Sea & Sea and Nimar also announcing support (^[60]).
• 2019-07: Seacam shipped housings for the Z6 and Z7 (^[61]).
• 2019-12: Nikon added ProRes RAW support to the Z6 and Z7 via a paid firmware upgrade ($199.95), enabling 12-bit 4K UHD or Full HD RAW video recording to Atomos recorders via HDMI 2.0. The update also added CFexpress memory card support, which was additionally made available for the D5, D850, and D500 (^[62]).
• 2021-03: Sea & Sea shipped housing for the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II (^[63]).
• 2022-02: Nauticam shipped housing for the Nikon Z9 flagship mirrorless (^[64]).
• 2022-04: Adam Hanlon went hands-on with the Nikon Z9 at a Nikon Pro event. In a Wetpixel Live episode, he evaluated whether the Z9 was appropriate for underwater use. When a community member asked if he would switch from D850 to Z9, Hanlon replied: “The short answer is not yet… it is a great camera, but the combination of limited lens choices, along with AF that is not as good as D850, means that it has little appeal for me underwater” (^[65]).

Key Lenses for Underwater Photography

• Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G DX Fisheye: The definitive wide-angle lens for Nikon DX underwater shooters, used behind dome ports for dramatic wide-angle images. One of the key lenses that attracted photographers to the Nikon system. Featured on Wetpixel from 2003 (^[66]).
• Nikkor 16mm f/2.8 AF-D Fisheye: Full-frame fisheye for FX bodies.
• Nikkor AF-S 105mm f/2.8G VR Micro: Standard macro lens for underwater use. Announced in 2006 and reviewed on Wetpixel, the VR stabilization was useful for video and low-light macro (^[67]).
• Nikkor AF-S 60mm f/2.8G Micro: Popular macro lens for DX and FX bodies.
• Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G: Professional wide-angle zoom, announced alongside the D3 in 2007. Became a key rectilinear option for Nikon FX underwater shooters.
• Nikkor 18mm f/2.8 AF-D: This Nikon lens was notably tested on a Canon 1Ds Mark II body (via adapter), demonstrating the cross-brand experimentation happening in the community (^[68]).

Nikon’s Lens Advantage

In the early digital era, Nikon held a significant advantage over Canon in dedicated underwater wide-angle lenses. The 10.5mm DX Fisheye had no Canon equivalent, and Tim Rock specifically cited it as a reason to stay with (or return to) Nikon. He called the Canon 10-22mm zoom “not a bad replacement” but found Nikon’s fisheye distortion “easier to deal with.” The later availability of the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom in both mounts helped level the playing field, and Tim Rock switched to it as his “main UW lens” (^[69]).

Nikon-Nauticam Partnership

Nauticam became the dominant housing manufacturer for Nikon systems, particularly from the D800 era onward. Nauticam’s rapid housing development for each new Nikon body — often shipping within weeks of camera availability — and their integrated optical solutions (WACP, SMC series) made the Nauticam-Nikon combination one of the most popular underwater systems. Alex Mustard’s D850 was primarily used in a Subal housing, while Jack Connick’s Wetpixel D850 review used the Nauticam NA-D850, and the pairing was described as one of the finest underwater camera systems available (^[70]).

Nikon vs. Canon: The Community Perspective

The Nikon-Canon choice generated extensive community discussion on Wetpixel:

• Ergonomics: Nikon’s controls were consistently praised for one-handed operation. Tim Rock noted “Aperture and shutter speed are a one hand, couple of fingers operation on an Aquatica housing” with Nikon, while Canon sometimes required two buttons pressed simultaneously (^[71]).
• RAW speed disadvantage: In the early 2000s, Nikon’s D100 wrote RAW files significantly slower than Canon cameras, driving some photographers like Tim Rock and James Wiseman to switch to Canon. The D70 improved this substantially, though prosumer Nikons still lagged (^[72]).
• Sensor leadership: Nikon took the resolution lead with the D800’s 36MP (2012) and maintained it through the D850’s 45.7MP (2017), while maintaining competitive high-ISO performance.
• Full-frame late start: Canon’s EOS 5D (2005) brought affordable full-frame to underwater three years before Nikon’s D700 (2008).
• Video late start: Canon’s 5D Mark II (2008) launched the ViDSLR era with 1080p video; Nikon’s D90 offered only 720p. Nikon didn’t achieve full-frame 4K until the D850 in 2017.
• Loyalty and switching: The community produced several memorable switching narratives. Tim Rock switched from Nikon to Canon in 2005, then back to Nikon in 2007, writing colorful articles about each transition. James Wiseman documented his Nikon-to-Canon switch in 2005. These articles generated extensive community discussion about brand loyalty in underwater photography (^[73]).

Notable Nikon Underwater Photographers

• Alex Mustard: Associate editor and prolific Nikon shooter, whose primary system remained Nikon SLRs through the D850. He tested many cameras but his D850 remained his benchmark for underwater performance. In 2023, he noted that the Sony a7R V was the first mirrorless camera he “enjoyed shooting underwater more than my SLR” (^[74]).
• Adam Hanlon: Wetpixel editor and Nikon D850 user who evaluated the Z9 for underwater use and concluded it wasn’t ready to replace the D850.
• Berkley White: Backscatter CEO who tested the D300 with Sea & Sea housing on sailfish.
• Norbert Wu: Professional underwater photographer who reviewed multiple D200 housings.
• Don Silcock: Published field reviews of both the D500 and D850, providing long-term assessment of Nikon systems underwater.
• Tim Rock: Professional photographer whose Nikon loyalty (despite brief Canon interlude) was documented in two Wetpixel articles.
• Jack Connick: Reviewed the D850 in Nauticam housing for Wetpixel.

Significance in Underwater Photography

The DX standard-bearer: The Nikon D70 and D200 established the “crop-sensor DSLR” category as a viable and popular underwater platform, with the smaller sensor enabling more compact housings and effective use of fisheye lenses behind smaller dome ports. The D200 in particular generated housing support from nearly every manufacturer.

Resolution leadership: The D800’s 36 megapixels and the D850’s 45.7 megapixels set resolution benchmarks that many underwater photographers valued for large prints and detailed marine life documentation. The D800 announcement explicitly claimed resolution “equal to that achieved with medium-format digital cameras” (^[75]).

The D850 as DSLR zenith: The Nikon D850 is widely considered the finest DSLR ever made for underwater photography. Alex Mustard’s 2023 review of the Sony a7R V specifically referenced it as the benchmark: “There have already been plenty of full frame mirrorless cameras that outperform my Nikon D850 on paper and on land, but this was the first one I enjoyed shooting underwater more than my SLR.” He noted that “historically, underwater photographers have always favored cameras that have good AF, and high resolution but don’t have every unnecessary bell and whistle… That is why 5D was more popular than 1D, D800 more popular than D4, D850 more popular than D5” (^[76]).

Housing backward compatibility: A notable strength of Nikon underwater systems was housing backward compatibility. The D300 fit in Nexus D200 housings, and the D700 was tested in a Nexus D200 housing. This eased upgrade costs for underwater photographers, who face expensive housing purchases with each new camera body (^[77]).

Cautious mirrorless transition: Unlike Canon and Sony, Nikon’s mirrorless transition was slower to gain traction underwater. Adam Hanlon’s 2022 assessment that the Z9 was “not yet” ready for underwater use reflected a broader community sentiment that Nikon’s Z-series lacked the lens ecosystem and AF refinement needed for underwater supremacy. However, Nikon added valuable features like ProRes RAW support via firmware updates, demonstrating ongoing commitment to the video market (^[78]).

Wetpixel Live

Nikon’s mirrorless transition was covered in dedicated Wetpixel Live episodes. Episode 108, “Nikon Z Series Roadmap for Underwater Photographers,” analyzed the Z-mount system’s implications for underwater use and available lens options (^[79]). Episode 242, “Is the Nikon Z9 the Answer for Underwater Photographers?” provided Hanlon’s assessment that the Z9 was “not yet” a compelling upgrade over the D850 due to limited native lenses and macro AF limitations (^[80]).