New Canon S90 & Canon Housing

[ozziworld]

Nemrod,

Thanks for input on the vignetting. Hmmm, that is compromise that I am very disappointed to find out about. Is the vignetting essentially cancel the advantages posed by the dome ?

Does that apply to all the 28AD compatible cameras or just the DC 35 for the S90? Maybe I should consider the G11?

 

[jd950]

Well, I guess I feel the OEM housing is better quality and a more viable option for some people than you do, and that is fine, it is all just opinion.

I have not used either one, so I don't know, but I am of the impression that the S90 in the OEM housing and with the UWL 100 and dome will give a very similar FOV to that available with the Fix housing and either the UFL 165 or the UWL 04, at least if you factor in vignetting and cropping issues.

I could be wrong about that, and as I don't don't own the camera and housings, I have to rely on what I see and hear from others. Do you disagree that the UWL 100 and dome on the Canon housing can produce a very similar FOV to anything available with the Fix housing?

(Again, I am not putting the Fix housing down, I like it and may buy one. The question for any user is what it provides for the extra $600.00 and whether whatever those differences are justify the price)

Sorry I have never heard the phrase glands used for the housings. That's anew one for me. I did know what OEM means.

 

[ozziworld]

If I recall right, glands was the term used when I got started in this hobby 20 years ago. I guess that's why I did think to myself that I have not heard the word used in this manner in a long time.

 

[skynscuba]

Nemrod,

How thick is the FIX housing port? Is it double glass like the Canon?

dogdrjohn tells me that the Canon lens comes within a fraction of a mm of the inside of the Canon OEM housing (at telephoto, but that sets the required length), but that the port is maybe 4-5mm thick. If the FIX port is thinner, that may mean a fundamental limit to how close the wet lens can be on the Canon, thus how little vignetting and blur can be achieved with the Canon housing.

It would be interesting to know what Inon had in mind for the optimal spacing, from the front of camera lens to the back of the UFL-165 lens, 28AD lens, etc.

 

[Divernoob]

I just bought the S90 and OEM housing, too, and it seems fine. I'm no expert, and I wanted something relatively idiot proof. I coupled the S90 with an Ultramax strobe, tray and arms from Opticaloceansales.com. My first dives with this rig were last week in Cozumel. Some of the results:

 

[Divernoob]

I'm quite new to photography, so couple that with being underwater, and you can see there's some operator error. Still, I'm pleased with the pics, given that they're my first try at this stuff.

One problem I had was that the strobe got squirrelly and wouldn't fire on the second dive. I noticed that Optical Ocean stopped selling the Ultramax strobes shortly after I bought one from them due to "issues." Hmmmmm.

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod,

Thanks for input on the vignetting. Hmmm, that is compromise that I am very disappointed to find out about. Is the vignetting essentially cancel the advantages posed by the dome ?

Does that apply to all the 28AD compatible cameras or just the DC 35 for the S90? Maybe I should consider the G11?

Per Inon, all UWL100-28D fitted cameras will vignette with the dome installed--slightly. Per Inon it is about a 95 to 98% crop. This is a a physical result of the spacer used and the use of a dome originally designed for the UWL100-67mm lens which is not the same lens as the UWL100-28AD. This is straight from their catalog and no it does not "cancel" the advantages of the lens. The resulting FOV after the crop is over 150 degrees diagonal, which is huge, freaking huge only exceeded in some installations by the UFL165AD and a dSLR with the Tokina 10-17 type lens.

N

 

[Nemrod]

I have not used either one, so I don't know, but I am of the impression that the S90 in the OEM housing and with the UWL 100 and dome will give a very similar FOV to that available with the Fix housing and either the UFL 165 or the UWL 04, at least if you factor in vignetting and cropping issues.

The Inon UWL100-28AD is not the same lens as the UWL100-67mm. Yes, my best guess is that the UWL100-28AD lens when fitted with the dome will work very well, Inon says it does as they made the adapter kit for the DC-35 housing! I believe as you, it will produce a huge FOV and perform very well. I believe the bare lens, without the dome will do very well also. The slight crop required when equipped with the dome is minor.

The Inon catalogs can be downloaded here:

INON Products Catalog / Guide Download

Page 30 of catalog, notes at lower RH corner tell about native vignetting of the UWL100-28AD with the dome installed.

The UWL100-67mm does not have native vignetting with the dome installed and requires no crop with the S90 and FIX when the S90 is zoomed to the UWL100's required operating focal length of 35mm. I do not believe this lens can be fitted to the Canon DC-35 which Inon has provided a 28AD mount for, with the Ikelite, not sure the total result, since the Ikelite is a 67mm port, you would have to rig a 28AD mount adapter etc.

The Canon OEM housing is a good housing, I have enjoyed my Canon DC-12 housing, just use good care, careful cleaning, good practices with it and have fun and get some good shots to show off!!

N

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod,

How thick is the FIX housing port? Is it double glass like the Canon?

dogdrjohn tells me that the Canon lens comes within a fraction of a mm of the inside of the Canon OEM housing (at telephoto, but that sets the required length), but that the port is maybe 4-5mm thick. If the FIX port is thinner, that may mean a fundamental limit to how close the wet lens can be on the Canon, thus how little vignetting and blur can be achieved with the Canon housing.

It would be interesting to know what Inon had in mind for the optimal spacing, from the front of camera lens to the back of the UFL-165 lens, 28AD lens, etc.

I measured this and reported it a few weeks ago in the epic FIX thread, I don't recall off hand. Best I can tell it is a single lens port.

The S90 when zoomed nearly touches the port lens, it is a nano-hair off. The flush peripheral edge to the port also allows for the accessory lens to sit extremely close to the port lens. The FIX housing is well designed to take advantage of the adapter kits provided by FIX etc.

N

 

[Jorgy]

N....

What Macro lens would you recommend for the S90/Ike combo.......

Also any recommendations for a 67mm caddy to hold the W20 and Marco lenses....

My CC has cooled off and we travel to Bermuda in July.......

M