Newbie Question regarding A610

[rdunlap]

So, I just got my brand spankin new A610. Now I want to put it in a housing. I know that canon makes a housing, and I've looked around and also know that ikelite is going to be making one come January.

I am a newbie, and I don't know different flash types from the other (inon mounts or something like that). What I want to know is going on past products from Canon and Ikelite, should I wait and buy the ikelite when it comes out, or go for the Canon housing now.

Is it going to be expensive/hard to mount a good strobe to the Canon housing? Also, I currently own a Reefmaster 3.0 MP camera, housing and stobe. Is it possible to mount the strobe from there onto either housing.

Thanks, Rob

 

[Chad_Ordelheide]

Howdy Rob,
Well, I've been taking pics with my Canon A80 without a strobe. Mainly because here in Guam the vis is so good we don't get much backscatter. But...recently, I was considering a stobe to light up objects further away. Just for fun I took my dad's old reefmaster strobe (Film) and actually got it to work with my camera...above ground that is. I would have been out today, but I got sick over the weekend. Anyway, unless you can sell your whole rig, I would at least try!! By the way, Canon housings are fine IMO. I've been on 100+ Dives. I got a minor leek once, but after soaking the salt off in fresh water for a day it's fine. The only thinkg I don't like about the A620/A610 case is that the diffuser doesn't work at the close focus range. You have to back off a bit or you'll get a housing shadow! Have fun.
Chad

 

[midwestdvr]

Rob, congrats on your cam purchase. You'll love it. I have the a620 and I love it, even more underwater.

As for your question regarding using your current strobe with the housing, I'd leave that up to someone else as I have no experience with that strobe. I do use an Inon d-2000 and I love that one too. I've had to fashion my own way of connecting the strobe to the housing as inon doesn't currently make an adapter for the housing (let's hope they do in the near future).

I have the canon housing and I must say i like it. Not love it, but only like it for several reasons. Although I've fashioned my own adapter for the strobe, I need an adapter for my WAL lens or any add-on lens I might buy in the future. It's because of this that I've had to carry 2 cameras on my last dive trip as I can only use the lens with my a70 set-up. If inon decides not make a lens adapter for this housing, then I will definitely switch to the ikelite housing. Regarding the shadow when taking close shots using only the internal strobe, that's true. But since I use a strobe, I don't have that problem.

Sorry this was a bit long. Hope you get to use yours underwater soon. You'll love it .