housing for A95

[cra2]

What's the best housing options for my A95?
pros/cons?

thanks,
cra2

 

[alcina]

I'd go with the Canon housing. Used them for years with no problems. Small, light, inexpensive, accept add on lenses and strobes.

 

[edwinh]

Canon housing. Cheap and good. It's a consumer camera, don't spend more than the camera on the housing.

 

[ChrisA]

What's the best housing options for my A95?
pros/cons?

thanks,
cra2

The canon housing is good and will work if you are carful with it. Keep the o-ring clean don't ever drop or abuse the housing. But for three times the price you can buy a Ikelite housing that is _much_ better made and _much_ sturdier. The difference is not small. But then you will have invested $1000 and still have a Cannon A95. In my opinion if you have the extra money invest it in either a strobe or a backup system.

The Ikelite housing makes sense if you have a more expensive camera like on of the Olys In the Olympus system Ikelite lets you use an electronic sync cord whereas the oly housing does not but in the Canon world Ikelite only provide thicker plastic (by about three times) but not extra features. The Ikelite housing will likey last 20 years or more. I doubt the Cannon housing will lastthat long but I also doubt I'll be using my A80 for 20 years.

if you are using the internal flash I'd say the Canon housing works better, the housing's flash defuser works well for macro subjects. But if you can afford the Ikelite housing you likely also can afford a pair of external strobes

I have an A80 in the Canon housing and use it with a Sea and Sea YS90 strobe.

 

[aquakiwi]

Gotta go with what the guys just said, have a look at the old A/80 housing it fits and
(in NZ anyway) you can pick them up cheaper than the current A/95 housing

 

[reubenray]

Question concerning the o-ring. Do I grease it each time before I close the housing and do I just grease just the part that is visable? Any other words do I take out the o-ring, grease it and then put it back in?

Where can I get a spare o-ring and insurance?

 

[ChrisA]

Question concerning the o-ring. Do I grease it each time before I close the housing and do I just grease just the part that is visable? Any other words do I take out the o-ring, grease it and then put it back in?

Where can I get a spare o-ring and insurance?

Best practise is to remove the 0-ring and clean it and the mating surfaces with a paper towel. Wipe it clean and inspect ieverything for dirst, sand, hair and bits of paper towel. Do al the work on a clean white paper. Next greese the o-ring, all sides of it using greease sparingly. Put it back in the grove, drop the camers in and close the door, with a 512MB card and fresh batts you are good for two days of shooting

The way an o-ring wor ks is that it is a "live seal". Pressure from the water forces the o-ring to move and then deform and fill the smalll crack. The grees is a lubrcant that alows the o-ring to move inside it's grove The greese is not a sealent

 

[alcina]

Reubenray -

I do not remove my oring each and every time, but I do inspect it extremely carefully before each use - both when I put the system together and again right before I hit the water (love those clear housings).

When I do feel the need to remove the oring, I do so very carefully and gently and try not to stretch it. I then use my fingers to remove any visible debris (our paper towels here leave a ton of fibres) - sometimes I will use a lint free cloth, but I find my fingers work best. If the oring needs lubrication I put the tiniest amount on and gently roll it between my fingers to distribute it. I do not use the grease (and make sure it's the right stuff!) for every use.

I use and love those sponge tipped applicators used for eye shadow for cleaning grooves. They are lint free, cheap, fit the grooves perfectly, reach those hard to get at areas and pack easily.

I open my camera and download images after every dive or every dive trip day - I never leave images on a card for multiple days. For me, that's just begging to have a flood and lose the lot. I'm willing to lose a day's diving, but not two! When in Cozumel, I did not remove my orings for the two weeks I was there.

you can get a spare oring (and I highly recommend at least one) from the manufacturer of your housing or the camera store you purchase the housing from.

Insurance may be your home owners, from DEPP or DAN. Read each policy carefully and choose the one that suits your needs the best. I use DEPP.

HTH

 

[TLangston]

I just purchased the A95 and housing. I can't wait to try it out. I have only used it in the pool, testing it out. This is the first camera I have ever purchased. I am a afraid I will be so concerned with taking pictures, I will miss a lot of the dive.

 

[ChrisA]

I just purchased the A95 and housing. I can't wait to try it out. I have only used it in the pool, testing it out. This is the first camera I have ever purchased. I am a afraid I will be so concerned with taking pictures, I will miss a lot of the dive.

That can happen at first, while you are learnnig to use the camera and happy to just get pictures where you can see the subject. But later a camera will help you to _see_. You will be looking for little details to photograph. Once you make the transition from snapshots to "makeing images" that's where you firt have an image in your mind and then try can capture it. Then you will see more of the dive with then without the camera. It all sounds backwards but given time it won't