Cannon Mark 5D Underwater Housing

[CDO]

I am looking to purchase a Ikelite Canon Mark 5D IV Underwater housing. Up to this point have been using GoPro or Insta 360 but figured I had the camera so I would like to use it. I got a quote for ~$5200 for the housing, 2 lease ports, 2 strobes, ball arms, and some other cables and such. Being a beginner, I am trying to figure out what is necessary vs what can I buy later. I don't plan on diving deeper than ~100 ft initially. Specifically the strobes (for two of them) run ~$1000, not including all the arms and ball joints.
Just looking to get an opinion on it outside of the sales person.

 

[bvanant]

The housing is $1700, the macro port (for the 100 macro) is $600, and a dome port for the 8-15 is $600 so $2900 for the housing and the 2 most used ports. Strobes can be pricey. What I would more likely do is get a used Nauticam system (much more robust) for the same price ($2k at Backscatter) and then you have a much more broad choice of strobes.
Bill

 

[JohnN]

The housing is $1700, the macro port (for the 100 macro) is $600, and a dome port for the 8-15 is $600 so $2900 for the housing and the 2 most used ports. Strobes can be pricey. What I would more likely do is get a used Nauticam system (much more robust) for the same price ($2k at Backscatter) and then you have a much more broad choice of strobes.
Bill

A contrarian opinion
FWIW, Im very happy with my Ikelite housing

 

[CDO]

Thanks for the above information. I guess my bigger question is are 2 strobes necessary for starting or is one good and is there anything that is not necessary for a beginner too get going.

 

[bvanant]

Two strobes are nice, but you certainly can use just one. Take a look at some of the work by Richard Salas, he is the king of single strobe use.
BVA

 

[JohnN]

Two strobes are nice, but you certainly can use just one. Take a look at some of the work by Richard Salas, he is the king of single strobe use.
BVA

Richard is an extremely skilled photographer, and is a HUGE proponent of backlighting. Hard to do underwater with only one source of light

 

[bvanant]

We dive with Richard a lot and he is indeed extremely skilled, but often does a lot of diving with a single strobe. We just finished a trip with him to South Australia, great guy
Bill