Ikelite/Nauticam options

[Nudilover86]

Hello,

Looking to gather some opinions to help me decide which set-up to go for. I have a budget and this is how the options I have looked at stack up against it (I have Canon glass so the options below are for Canon bodies):

Canon 600D + Ikelite housing = Money to spare which would cover and extra lens and diopter, or good 2nd strobe
Canon 600D + Nauticam housing (and port adapter) = ~£140 over budget
Canon 7D + Ikelite housing = Money to spare which would cover an additional lens, and possibly diopter
Canon 7D + Nauticam housing (and port adapter) = ~£882 over budget(!)

I have a single Ikelite strobe, and am not sure how this would partner with a Nauticam housing (and the additional cost?), and Ikelite ports, so an adapter would be needed (included in the costings above).

I'm tied between trying to work out which is better - a better camera body, or a better (more ergonomic, from what I understand) housing. Also not quite sure how much extra getting the strobe set up to use with the Nauticam would cost. The camera is used above water too, so it is a consideration to me. I could maybe stretch to the 600D/Nauticam option, but not the 7D/Nauticam.
Not looking to start a big Nauticam/Ikelite debate (I've read some of those!), just to see what others would do with a similar budget/options

Thanks!

 

[EastEndDiver]

I have never used a Nauticam housing.....I have on the other hand been using Ikelite housings for 30+ years .I have never had a problem ,except some small user error problems, with them and Ikelite probably has one of the best customer service departments I have ever dealt with.In the water Ike housings are nuetral ,or close to it, so handling underwater has always been easy.I use a DSLR setup with two ds-125 strobes ,a focus light,a Go Pro video camera attached and a sola 1200 video light.It is very managable in the water.

Probably doesn't answer your questions but hope it helps.

 

[Nudilover86]

Hi EastEndDiver, thanks for your reply
I have used Ikelite housings before and liked them just fine. Only thing I've found annoying with Ikelite is that the buttons can be a bit stiff, even from the get-go. I, like you, am not sure what the excitement is about with Nauticam as I've never used (or even handled!) one. Perhaps I should wait until the London Dive Show at the end of the month and check them both out to see just how they compare in my hands . I'm a bit of a tight-wad, so the idea of having some extra money left over for another lens/diopter appeals, but I need to weigh up the difference in user experience between the two more - if I like using something more then I'll use it more. Extra strobe is unnecessary at this stage, but not without appeal!

 

[EastEndDiver]

What I do with all the controls on my Ike housings are to use Ikelite grease and lightly (as in a miniscule amount on the head of a toothpick) grease each button from the inside and work it a few times.Seems to work for me.

Hope this helps.

 

[Wookie]

Just so you know:

I will not allow my crewmembers to handle a Ikelite housing with Dome Port to place it in the rinse bin. I have now bought 3 expensive SLR's because of failures of the port attachment. Ike has tried to fix the situation by taking a bad system and doubling it, so Ikelites now have 4 clips that will break instead of 2. Where the ports come dislodged is from the swim step to the deck, and they invariably flood when placed in the rinse tank. If you come on this liveaboard with an Ikelite with removable port, we will place it on the deck for you to rinse yourself.

We don't handle them roughly. We do know how to deal with cameras and systems.

 

[Doubler]

Wookie,
I own a Ikelite and dome as you describe and I wish more liveaboards just placed them on the deck for the owner to place in the rinse tank. I always tell boat crews to just place mine on the deck I'll handle it. It is not the crew I worry about it's other divers. Many are new to cameras so they just dump their camera in the tank or do a fly by drop not realizing that the majority of housing leaks happen in the rinse tank usually caused by other cameras being dropped in the tank. The 4 lock system also depends on water pressure to seat and hold the dome in place this assistance is lost in the rinse tank. A well designed and functional dome lock like the one made by Underwater Camera Stuff helps

 

[jdandvalerie]

Have 2 Ikelite rigs (7D and T2i). 4 years with no problems. My decision was based on getting a housing that functions extremely well and still saving some dough for better glass. I prefer dive operators not to handle my rigs, take it from my hand and place it on the deck, thank you very much....is my attitude.

One set up has dual Ike 161s. If I am shooting with them, I use them in manual mode, not TTL. My wife however loves the TTL option with the bracketing options on the back of the housing for strobe exposure. The other rig has dual Sea & Sea ys 100a.

I shoot weekly, diving with a few other photogs that have both Ike and Nauti. The nauticam is definitely more streamlined and the interface is easier to deal with if you just pick up each housing for the first time. However, the difference is not worth the extra price in my opinion. And I know both my rigs through and through. I can switch from stills to video, WB, and recompose in seconds if need be. If money didn't matter, I'd probably go with Nauti, though my next housing will be Ike unless I hit the lottery.