Need advice on deciding on a setup

[Seanluge]

I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice.. I'm just getting into Underwater photography and looking into buying a setup, I'm really into above ground photography but It's just too expensive to get a housing for my 50D.

So I was looking at getting the S95 with a YS-01 strobe but I'm stuck on what housing to pick.. it's between the canon witch is around 200$ the Ikelite 350$ or the RecSea or Fisheye FIX that are 800$

I want to have the option to upgrade in the future to a fisheye or wide lens and macro capabilities. Iv'e heard that the RecSea has a lot of options in the way of lenses.. does anyone know if the Ikelite or canon housings have any decent lens options?

I would rather not pay 800$ for a housing.. but I also don't want my options to be limited..

Thanks! any advice would be greatly appreciated

Sean

 

[Seanluge]

Another question sorry. Does the G12 combined with the canon WP DC-34 housing have the same issues as the Canon S95 housing? where it blocks access to the scroll wheel?

 

[ozziworld]

I had the canon housing for the S90 then sold it and got the FIX S90 housing.

Main reason for the upgrade was the lack of the rear wheel control on the canon housing but also the limited lens options available.

I was able to buy Inon Lenses UFL165AD and 2 x UCL165AD am using them with my FIX S90 housing. I think the range of adapters to fit a range of lenses is another big point in favor of the FIX housings. This opened up better possibilites when looking for lenses in the used market.

 

[flareside]

If you are considering the Inon lenses, for less than the price of the fix housing you can have the Canon housing plus both the LD lens mount and a UWL-100LD lens.

That being said, I must admit I am a little disapointed with my Canon S90/DC35 housing in the way the control slips while trying to change the mode selector wheel. On my last outing I never went over to movie mode for fear of not being able to get back to photo. The selector wheel on the S90 was notoriously stiff however and I have no idea if this has been remedied on the S95 but it is something you might look into if you are considering the Canon housing.

 

[ozziworld]

I forgot to note that the AD lenses I was able to get were used and I got a good deal. The UFL165AD was and is also the most compact and widest FOV bayonet mount wet lens available.

 

[Seanluge]

What about the Ikelite housing for the S95, does it also have the same problem with access to the real wheel? Iv'e heard rumors it does have some issues.. does anyone have any experience using the S95 along with the Ikelite housing?

Ive never even used the S95.. could someone explain what functions are not available when using the Ike housing? or do you still have access to everything but have to use shortcuts?

If I cant access ISO settings shutter speeds, aperture and switching to movie mode and still mode then I can understand how that would be a huge problem and it would be worth spending 800$ to get the FIX or RECSEA housing... but if it's just personal preference then the IKE might be worthwhile.

Sorry for all the noob questions..

Basically I dont want to end up spending a lot of money on something that doesn't work properly or has a bunch of flaws.. with all the research Ive done so far it's hard to find much good feedback on the Canon and Ike housings for the S95. It seems like everyone is picking them apart.. Ive pretty much ruled out the Canon housing because of the leaking issues.. I don't even want to bother with that. Now I'm just trying to decide weather the ease of use of the FIX/RecSea is worth an extra 500$ over the IKE. Will the inability to use all the camera functions with the IKE piss me off that much? or is it something I will eventually get used to?

please help, and thanks in advance!

 

[ozziworld]

There are work-arounds and the access to the rear wheel control is just a convenience. For some it would be a deal breaker but for others it is not a big deal - just a few more buttons to press or a little slower to go through a menu to get to a certain adjustment.

I think the "leaking" Canon housings are over-blown. There are more reports of leaks simply because there are more canon housings for the s95 than either the recsea, fisheye and ikelite housings combined.

There was a report of a leaking recsea housing that was eventually determined to be caused by improper tray installation - not housing design.

Most leaks are caused by ''operator error'' anyway and with more units in the real world being used as intended, my feeling is the canon housing is actually a sound housing.

The stiff selector mode is an S95 issue and not a housing issue.

I think all things considered - the cost of another s95 as a back up is more than covered by the cost difference in between the $200 canon vs the $800 Recsea housings.

Ultimately, the $600 difference can be put towards the purchase of lenses, strobe, arms and tray to complete.

I don't know enough about the ikelite housings except that it is more ''robust''. I think rear wheel access and limited lens options are similar to the canon housing.

Personally, if the used AD lenses did not become available to me, I would have stayed with the canon housing and purchased Inon lenses anyway.

If it came down to choosing between :

S95 + Canon Housing + strobe + lenses

vs.

S95 + Recsea Housing

I would take the Canon Housing + Strobe + lens. It will get me in the water with a ''complete'' rig faster. I would miss not having a strobe/lenses more than I would miss access to the rear wheel.

 

[Seanluge]

Hey thanks so much for the sound advice ozzi!

 

[Nemrod]

The lack of the rear ring control would be and was a deal breaker for me. If you own a S series camera, OK, just for next time you use it for surface shots, don't use the rear ring control, instead hold the short cut button while pressing some other button and then imagine doing that constantly underwater. So, you don't shoot in Manual mode or Av mode, then why do you need a S or G series camera? If you shoot in Manual you need the rear ring.

The Ikelite housing can use a few different lenses, those with 67mm mounts, the Canon water park housing can use the Inon 100LD, the FIX can use the Fisheye brand UWL-04 but the Recsea95 (former FIX90) can use virtually every macro, wide angle and fisheye wet lens ever made via various adpaters and use them to great advantage.

The Canon housing is not confidence inspiring, it's plated gland shafts, weak gland springs and overall lack of robustness for lack of a better description, the lack of after market support and repairability leave it as my last choice among the four S series housings that are commonly available.

Also, as a fan of Inon lenses, I suspect the LD series lens with the dome to be a great lens, I have no doubt that the Fisheye UWL-04 is essentially for all practical purposes every bit as wide (or wider) and as sharp. The Inon UFL165AD remains my favorite due to it's smaller size, weight and bayonet lens mount. The Inon LD series lens will be substantially heavier, the heaviest and largest of all wet lenses save possibly for the Oly lens.

If you compare the TOTAL system cost of lenses, strobes, trays you will find the two aluminum 800 dollars housings, FIX and Recsea, compare favorably. For example, the Inon LD lens with dome is going to run around 900 dollars (yes that is 900 dollars) whereas the comparable Fisheye UWL-04 and Inon UFL165Ad run around 450ish dollars, there went your savings purchasing the cheapo Canon housing right there. Not to mention, you will get more use, versatility, pleasure from either of the FIX or Recsea pro-grade housings vs the comparatively toy like Canon. My only beef with the Ikelite is the lack of the rear ring control and somewhat disappointed with the over large port (excessive length hinders some wet lens adaptations).

N

 

[ozziworld]

I agree with Nemrod's logic and numbers. In fact I have the FIX housing because of his inputs.

I recommended the canon housing because I was not sure how far the OP wanted to go with his new venture into U/W Photography. I find that it is the fastest way to get a complete set housing/strobe for the least amount and can still add the LD adapters should he want to add wet lenses later on.

I knew I wanted the lenses and they became available at such a good bargain which is why I got the FIX housing because the numbers in effect worked out as Nemrod had outlined. Even better in fact because I got them used. The worst part was just the cost of the Fix AD adapter which cost almost as much as the canon housing.

Also, I find I seldom manipulate the rear wheel as I find I adjust exposure more often at the strobe power knob than at the camera (especially so in macro). I do adjust aperture some when doing Wide Angle which then lends more merit to the functionality of the rear wheel.

In the end, I guess it really depends on what style/mode type of photography the OP will pursue.

It is fortunate however that we all have the S series of cameras to build a system of our choice around.