Cheap Stinky Housing

[grouchyturtle]

I know this thing is basically a piece of s**t, but...has anyone ever used one of these housings. I was thinking of getting one to use just temporarily, until the Ikelite housing for my camera comes out.

Besides as flimsy as this thing is, even if I buy a $4000 housing, I'll still have to get flood insurance.

http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=details&sid=1067947980518721&sku=EWUA

 

[marpacifica]

I've never used one of these Ziploc bags, but doesn't look like you can use a strobe with it. Might be OK for natural light photos in 15 feet or less.

 

[divemed06]

I've actually heared that these housings work fairly well. What kind of SLR do you have? If the housing isn't available for your camera, Ikelite can build a custom housing for you. I have a Canon Rebel Ti...they quoted me a price of 900$ for the custom housing including 90mm port. I decided to get an Olympus C4000 + pt 010 housing for 600$ (more bang for my buck) instead. Once I get enough experience and money, I'll probably end up going to a Digital SLR housed system. Best of luck.

 

[grouchyturtle]

A Canon EOS 10D.

That's actually not a bad price, specially for a custom one, but how soon can they get it for you?

I leave for Aruba in a week, and as I said Ikelite is making a housing for my camera. It just won't be out until January.

If they are already coming out with one, but not for a few months, a seriously doubt they can build a custom one for he same model sooner than that!

 

[Cecil]

I used one of these with my Pentax 35mm for years It worked fine and never flooded. Only snorkling thou, I probably got it down to 20'. The lack of a flash was a big problem. Natural light underwater is pretty bogus.

 

[Padipro]

I'd be worried about the pressure on the camera body. Seeing as the bag is flexable the pressure will be transfered directly to the body of the camera. Most of these bags are only for snorkeling or very shallow diving. It says in the description that this bag is water tight to 60 feet but that's nearly 27 pounds per square inch of pressure on the body. I'm no expert on cameras but that sounds like a bit much for a thin aluminum camera body and lens.

Just my 2 psi.

Scott

 

[chippy]

Padipro is right.

I had an Ewa Marine "bag" that took my E20 and flashgun, before I went down the "proper" housing route.

It was great for snorkelling and very shallow water, but at more than 5 metres or so, the bag squashes against the camera so much that the controls are virtually impossible to use. This is made even worse by having to manipulate the controls through the bag, making it impossible to actually turn things like dials.

The bag does feature a valve (like those on blowup beachballs) which you are meant to introduce air into the housing (when topside), but this results in the obvious - a bouyancy nightmare!! Also, if you stick too much air in you can't actually reach the camera controls - too little and you get the squeeze problem.

My advice would be to save the cash for a proper housing!!

It did stay waterproof though!!

 

[grouchyturtle]

That's kind of what I was thinking too. I was more woried about pressure than flooding.

I am getting a REAL housing. As I said the ONLY reason I was considering this is, I leave for Aruba Friday and the housing for my camera doesn't come out until January.

I could always get it and just use it on s the shallow dives.

 

[chippy]

As you say, it's better than no housing.

Zooming was the other problem I had with it, as the rubber "port" on it doesn't turn.

Have you considered saving your $$ and getting some waterproof throwaways instead?

 

[grouchyturtle]

Well I actually already have an MX 10.

Of course I sold the strobe, since I didn't think I'd be diving anymore before the housing for the Canon came out.