Camera Housing

[Cruiser24]

Hi,

I am a complete camera noob and currently have a Canon S90. Thinking of bringing my camera u/w and so started doing some research on the housing for it. Finally narrowed my choice down to either the Canon housing or the Ikelite one. The price difference is about $100 with the Ikelite one being more expensive.

Have read that the Ikelite one is threaded so that I can fix lenses on it whereas the Canon one is not and in future if I wish to do so, I will have to buy an adaptor that will costs me about $100. Is this understanding correct?

More importantly, am not planning to go into u/w photography in any big way. Am just planning to be a happy snapper, take some shots to remember the dive by etc. Basically I plan to dive and shoot and not dive to shoot.

As such, is the Canon housing good enough for me? Is it likely that I will ever need to buy additional lenses to put on or is that a "must have" add-on even for basic u/w photography?

Can the more experienced photographers pls advise?

Many thanks.

 

[Gilligan]

The Ikelite housing will allow for wet mount lenses as well as their strobe and tray setup. You can also use other brand trays and strobes with it.

The Canon housing will also do fine with several brand trays and strobes but needs an adapter for the wet mount macro lens.

Do you plan on adding a strobe or are you going to be satisfied with just taking pics with the camera's built in strobe?

If satisfied with just the camera the Canon housing will do the trick. The Canon housing may allow better use of the camera's built in strobe versus the Ikelite housing which has a larger lens port which may block some of the strobe. You will have to ask someone here that uses the Ike housing if that's the case.

The key to getting great pics with that camera is the use of its features such as M, Tv or Av settings as well as shooting RAW instead of JPG.

 

[slowhands]

The Canon housing is just fine for what you want.

If you feel you need a close up lens, you can make an adapter for it from a 62-67mm step up ring and use a 67mm closeup lens like the Inon 165-67. This adapter is a little flimsy for mounting a wide angle adapter, they are just too heavy. Here is a post on how to make the adapter, it's easy:
Canon G9 & G7 housing - DIY 67mm lens adapter - Wetpixel :: Underwater Photography Forums

 

[Cruiser24]

Do you plan on adding a strobe or are you going to be satisfied with just taking pics with the camera's built in strobe?

Hi Gilligan,

Many thanks for your response.

As I am a complete noob in this area, I really don't know if I will need to add a strobe or mount any wet lenses.

Hence I posted here to seek the advice of more experienced u/w photographers.

 

[Uncle Pug]

More importantly, am not planning to go into u/w photography in any big way. Am just planning to be a happy snapper, take some shots to remember the dive by etc. Basically I plan to dive and shoot and not dive to shoot.

From one Happy Snapper to another... get the Canon housing and just have fun.

It will change your diving: help your bouyancy control and cause you to slow down and look at things.

A larger housing with strobes will take over your diving. For some that is OK. For your stated purpose it isn't. If after a year or so you've learned enough and want to get into U/W photography with a more elaborate setup, you will probably want a different camera anyway.

Baby steps.

FWIW, I'm still happy with just pointing and shooting. Check out my galleries and see if this is what you want to do. All photos were shot with a small PointandShoot without strobes... except for this one where I poached another diver's strobes.

 

[Gilligan]

Hi Gilligan,

Many thanks for your response.

As I am a complete noob in this area, I really don't know if I will need to add a strobe or mount any wet lenses.

Hence I posted here to seek the advice of more experienced u/w photographers.

The Inon UWL-165 wet mount macro lens is a "love it" or "hate it" lens.
It has a very shallow depth of field which allows very little room for focusing error.
Nothing more frustrating than putting up your photos on the computer and seeing them out of focus.
Personally, I hated that lens.

I'll second Uncle Pug's advice to you.

Leave the strobe and add-on lenses for a later time in your underwater photography.

You will have enough to do to learn all the functions and capabilities of that camera, and there are many.