Sony HDR XR 550 - housing choice. Need help!

[Misa]

So, in few days i`ll have my camera and i want to place the order for a new housing. It must has electronic buttons, leak sensor, buget around 3000 usd. I have for XR 550, Wide angles lens VCL HGA07 and a larger battery. So far, looking around i`ve found this:

Mangrove:

1 - Housing XL (i can use it with my lens, so no external lens)
Shop - Mangrove MVHS-XL (SONY) - Aditech | Underwater video and photo online store

or

1 - Housing L (+ lens)
Shop - Mangrove MVHS-L (SONY) - Aditech | Underwater video and photo online store

+

Mangrove WP-80 (lens)
Shop - Mangrove WP-80 - Aditech | Underwater video and photo online store

or

2 - Amphibico Dive Buddy EVO HD Elite II (with external lens)
Housings :: Dive Buddy Housing (with lens) :: Dive Buddy EVO HD Elite II for SONY ® HDR XR550 / HXR MC50 (with Electronic-One-Touch White Balance) - Amphibico Underwater video Housing Store

NOTE The .55X Standard Bayonet lens has a field of view of 80°. You must zoom in 15% to eliminate vignetting. WHY? Because Sony's camcorders for the 550 series have a new wider 28 mm lens, it is physically larger, therefore zooming full wide causes this vignetting.

or

3 - Light and Motion Stingray G2+ ( no lens inside or outside )
Light & Motion-STINGRAY+ Series Underwater Housing for Sony HDR-CX550 HDR-XR550 HD Handycam Camcorder Video

lens is over the budget.
Light & Motion 80 degree Wide Angle Lens [lmi.802.0201] - $600.00 : Reef Photo & Video!, The Underwater Photo Pros



My needs are simple. I love to have the widest image possible but sharp at sides, no vignetting, etc. I will use also 2 lights + canisters, so somehow i have to attache those two lights and canisters to the housing.
So far, im attracted by the Amphibico Dive Buddy Evo HD ELite II.

What do you guys think about this choices and mainly what do you guys think/know about the lenses listed above ?

Thank you for reading this!

 

[Vidiotic]

I have a gates housing. Its very very good. All controls are manual and easy to use plus the customer cervice one recieves from Gates is simply superb. In conclusion, gates housings are probably the best ones about.

 

[BDSC]

All I can tell you is I have the L&M Stingray and it has performed flawlessly. It is the model just before the one you have listed and it holds the Sony CX520 which is what I shoot. I couldn't be more pleased with this set-up. The one touch WB is so simple.

I have a friend who shoots uw as a profession and he has the Amphibico housings and he has nothing but good things to say about his as well.

I don't think you could go wrong with either.

 

[BDSC]

I have a gates housing. Its very very good. All controls are manual and easy to use plus the customer cervice one recieves from Gates is simply superb. In conclusion, gates housings are probably the best ones about.

Yep. Gates is hard to beat. Just doesn't have the electronic controls they are looking for but if that didn't matter, Gates is at the top of any list.

 

[BeckyTV]

I have the same camera and I am looking at:
Amazon.com: Amphibico Underwater Video Housing - Dive Buddy EVO HD Elite II Series for SONY HDR-XR550V w/Fixed Flat Port: Sports & Outdoors: Reviews, Prices & more

My budget is not enough to purchase a Gates at this time but for a housing that is around $1500 US is has the features I need for snorkeling. It has a flat port that is suppose to accomodate the wide angle of the lens of that model.

 

[diversteve]

With the Amphibico Edit: Confirmed in post#12: it's possible they're doubling up a function on the handle to do White Balance, they do that now, to turn off the camera you hit Mode and another button simultaneously. Housings :: Dive Buddy Housing (with lens) :: Dive Buddy EVO HD Elite II for SONY ® HDR XR550 / HXR MC50 (with Electronic-One-Touch White Balance) - Amphibico Underwater video Housing Store

If you can live with the limitations of a flat port, their new "Turtle" housing is only $1495. It's seems to be a flat-port only version of the EVO Elite II with all of the other same features. Dive Buddy Turtle HD | Amphibico Recreational It's confusing also - the text on the new Turtle web page still refers to it as an EVO II Elite.

I wonder if both L&M and Amphibico rushed their website re-design to be ready for DEMA - which starts today.

 

[Misa]

there is no way you can attach 2 x 150w lights + canisters to gates housing, right ? The lights are big and canisters are heavy.
Gates Underwater Housing for the Sony XR550 Video Camera

what lens is worth the money from Gates ?


I really like Amphibico because it has electronic buttons and wide angle in the same cash range i have. I like Gates because is smaller but not sure if this can help underwater handling slowly a small housing. I like big housings because are easier to handle, imo.

So, far, 2 many options... Damn. Steve, what you would do if you had this camera and 3k ? Save a little more for something better? Buy one of this ?

Thanks to each and everyone of you for taking time to answer.

The drama continues...which one...will be the one

 

[Big fish63]

apparently you will get vignetting from the amphibico with the camera you want to use. theres info on there website i think.

the mangrove housing with the fathom lens looks promising. any opinions on this housing?

i am also getting the same camera.

 

[Misa]

Big, if you`ll buy the same camera think about wide angle options. inside the housing or the outside. With Amphibico housing and the wide angle lens you have to zoom 15% because the sony hdr xr 550 its already wider then 500/520 cameras. You wont lose much with it since its easy with electronic button to do it..a bit harder with manual button.

With XL Mangrove you have to put the wide angle inside the housing on the camera and it will work. L version of the housing is for the camera without the wide angle lens.

Im so happy, got the xr 550 for exactly 900E while in our stores the camera is 1400E

 

[Misa]

i`m so close to make a choice...this setup convinced me. amphibico + 95 degree lens.

Amphibico 95 Degree EVO Port