newbie! needs help/recs

[sfdellas]

Excited to try my hand at shooting underwater, but need help getting set up. I've read over the ikelite website a few times now, but still not clear on all that I need. To start, I have a canon rebel xsi. I can find the housing for the camera no problem, but the ports are were I'm getting confused. Can you help?
I plan on getting the Tokina 12-24mm lens. Good choice? poor choice? If so, I'd love recommendations. (clearly, I'm on a budget). If that is an okay lens to go with, what would the port recommendation be?

I've read that there are some ports that are made specifically for the lens, and that there is also a modular system. If I plan on getting a macro lens in the future, would the modular port system work for that too?

I'm just so lost on the port thing, and need help. Thanks for your patience in advance!!

 

[Becca_007]

According to their site they have a specific port for that lens: #5503.51 Tokina 12-24mm $200.

We have 2 lenses (Canon 10-22 & Canon 100 macro) that we currently use underwater and went with the standard port system options for both. Hope to add another port soon for a 60mm macro.

 

[sfdellas]

Thanks for your reply. I was also looking at the canon 10-22 (instead of the Tokina). I tried to figure out the correct standard port for that lens but couldn't find it. I guess I don't know how to read their charts (less then 3.0, 4.0, 4.5 ??? what am I to measure?)
Sorry, so lost - but want to get this right before purchasing. thanks again!

 

[Becca_007]

I totally missed this page of the site earlier. It gives both the standard and modular ports for tons of the Canon mount lenses.

 

[Bent C]

Excited to try my hand at shooting underwater, but need help getting set up. I've read over the ikelite website a few times now, but still not clear on all that I need. To start, I have a canon rebel xsi. I can find the housing for the camera no problem, but the ports are were I'm getting confused. Can you help?
I plan on getting the Tokina 12-24mm lens. Good choice? poor choice? If so, I'd love recommendations. (clearly, I'm on a budget). If that is an okay lens to go with, what would the port recommendation be?

I've read that there are some ports that are made specifically for the lens, and that there is also a modular system. If I plan on getting a macro lens in the future, would the modular port system work for that too?

I'm just so lost on the port thing, and need help. Thanks for your patience in advance!!

I have used both port systems, and would strongly suggest that you consider the modular system. It can be adapted to fit more or less all lenses you need underwater. As long as you only have one lense it really doesn´t matter, but if you get caught in UW-photography, you will soon want to house more lenses, and then the modular system shines. With the standard system you will need a såpecific port for every combination you want to use, which easily, if you want to use diopters and extenders, can be 5-6 options on a single dive trip.

With regard to which wide angle lense to start of with, the standard choice currently seems to be the Tokina 10-17 for the type of camera you have. It is a fisheye lense, which gets rid of some of the problems you have when using rectilinear lenses under water, such as mushy corners. I would suggest that you do a search on the Tokina 10-17 on wetpixel.com for more info on that particular option.

Best regards and good luck.

Bent C

 

[BrettF]

Becca_007,

Bent C gave good and accurate advice. If you have any additional questions, feel free to post here or e-mail me directly at brett@ikelite.com.

Regards,

 

[sfdellas]

oh man, thanks guys for all your help thus far... care to help me now with strobes?! ha! yea, don't know why I was putting that one off. So, the question now is; recommended strobe (package?) for the rebel housing? I'm still trying to stay on budget, so I don't need the fastest recycle time, or anything super powerful. any recs? thanks!!

 

[Ikelite Staff]

The DS160 is the most popular choice. It is powerful and has a wide angle of coverage of 90 degrees. Available in complete package #3944.90 with sync cord, arm and charger.
IKELITE Substrobe DS160 digital

If you're looking to start out with something smaller you can try the DS51, which has a 70 degree angle of coverage. It is well suited to portrait and macro photography. Available in complete package #3944.51 with arm and sync cord.
IKELITE Substrobe 51 specifications

More information on recommended strobe systems can be found on the housing product page:
Underwater Housing for Canon 450D & 500D Rebel Cameras

Regards,
Jean / Ikelite
IKELITE Underwater Systems

 

[sfdellas]

Thanks!!! How did I not find that before? silly me. Anyway, thank you again - scubaboard forums to the rescue

 

[Bent C]

Given that your first question is about a wide angle set up, I would personally go for a more powerful strobe than the DS51. You would at time (often, always?) need more power for WA-work than the DS51 can deliver. You could, if budget is of major concern, consider the older DS125 of which quite a few are sold used now, as people buy the newer DS 160 och 161. But, then again, there is a reason for people selling their 125s and getting the 160-versions instead. There are cheaper and less bulky strobes on the market, but one major reason for going Ikelite is that you can use the ttl-electronics together with Ikelite strobes. So in your case, I would not consider other strobes, as ttl is a great help initially when starting of UW-shooting.

Regards Bent C