Ikelite housing

[diversteve]

I have an Ikelite housing with an old Hi-8 camera...looking to upgrade. Does anybody know of any newer digital models that will fit the Ikelite housing?

It's possible, what camera model is it? And do you have the Ikelite housing #? What camera were you looking at to replace it with?

Some of the later TRV series located the lens in the upper center of the camera body which is consistent with the newer Sony cameras. Most didn't.

And the control rods on your housing probably won't line up so they'd need to be modified or the housing reworked. Last post I read, Ikelite does this for around $200-250 if it's possible.

 

[hawaiijill]

The video camera is an RICOH (R 87H). The Ikelite housing number looks to be 6035.20 if that means anything to you. I wasn't looking to replace it with anything in particular. The viewfinder has gone bad in the old one and the quality just seems to be poor. We are planning trip to the Galapagos over Christmas so I was hoping to find something at least a step up from what we have. I may need to settle for another Hi-8?

Jill

 

[diversteve]

I may need to settle for another Hi-8?

Jill

I think so. I believe your camera is a clone of one of the early Sony TR series - at least hopefully the camera controls are in the same location. Ikelite's website lists four Sony models that fit your housing. They are:

CCD-TR1
CCD-TR8
CCD-TR200
CCD-TR300

I don't know if it will still require you to have the controls reworked or not. Might be worth taking a chance on buying one and seeing if it fits, they're really inexpensive when found on eBay. In fact there's a nice TR-200 for $75 right now. Ends tomorrow:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-HI8-HANDYC...ryZ15075QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Since your camera lens is on the left side in about the middle vertically, the newer TRV series cameras won't work, the lens is higher on the camera body than yours. Also none of the current HC series MiniDV cameras will either as it's in the center now.

hth,

 

[hawaiijill]

Steve, thanks so much for your thorough and thoughtful replies! Sounds like ebay might be the way to go!

Jill

 

[mdmbike to scuba]

Well got my new Ocean Images housing in the mail :lol: So, question is it easy to flood the housing if you dont get the back just right. Do you have to clap the back of the housing on a particular pattern? Anybody

 

[diversteve]

On my poly housing(not O/I), the instructions were to do it like this:

1 3
4 2

I also hooked all 4 and made sure the alignment looked right before I latched any of them.

 

[mdmbike to scuba]

Thanks Steve I cant wait to use my new housing. I'm nervse about these clips. It looks like you can be up, or down left,right and not be in the right spot. I looked for a pattern that would help but, couldn't find one. With no grove in the back plate that could help with line up. I'll try that pattern you came up. The housing has a red filter in it when should I use that?

 

[diversteve]

Thanks Steve I cant wait to use my new housing. I'm nervse about these clips. It looks like you can be up, or down left,right and not be in the right spot. I looked for a pattern that would help but, couldn't find one. With no grove in the back plate that could help with line up. I'll try that pattern you came up.

Mark,

Not clear about what you mean. You should center the back cover on the housing and then secure the clips. Dive your first dive w/o the camera in the housing. Since it's new, you won't know if it leaks until you try it with some pressure on it.

Then load the camera in a clean, dry place - not on the beach or boat between dives! Make sure there's no hair, sand particles or other stuff on the o-ring or mating surfaces of both the cover and the housing skirt before you seal it. Especially the o-ring, once greased, it seems to attract things. Be anal about this!! - one small hard particle of sand can ruin your whole day.

Once the seal is compressed, look at it carefully through the coverplate, it should look uniformly "flat" visually. I also don't ever open my housing in the open if I can avoid it.

The housing has a red filter in it when should I use that?

Typically below 15' to past 60'. I can only speak for the Caribbean as that's the only place I film. Below 60' it seems to me like the blues overwhelm the filter anyway, so sometimes I flip it up for more light. If you leave it in place on/near the surface everything will be yellow, so remember to flip it up in shallow water.

 

[mdmbike to scuba]

Cool Thanks Steve only three more weeks til My trip to the BVI's. Thats where most of my filming will be.....Cant wait............Mark

 

[divezero]

I'll try that pattern you came up. The housing has a red filter in it when should I use that?

You should use the red filter after you are about 15 - 20 ft below the surface. From 0ft to about 15 ft, you still have ambient light for your white balance, and the reds are still there.

Reds are the first color to disappear and they disapper at about 15 ft, so you want to put the red filter on your baby,thats what its there for, then white balance and you are all set, remember you need to manually white balance every 15 ft or so, try to set up your cam so it is easy to do. Or you can set it on auto if you like, test it out, thats the best thing you can do, experiment and have fun.