Quality ikelite housing

[doctormike]

I don't know the most recent models, but I will share the old UW photo saying - "the camera is an accessory for the housing".

There are SO many excellent cameras out there, it's hard to imagine that you would be restricted to one model. Since you seem to be able to consider a system in a Nauticam housing financially, I would recommend that you go with that.

I used to shoot with an Ikelite housing many years ago and I also had some issues with it. Have been shooting Nauticam for about 10 years, and it's an awesome product. Built like a tank, great ergonomics, etc... Maybe the new Ikelites are better, but if you have had a chance to handle both and prefer the Nauticam, I say go for it.

 

[Chris Ross]

3 options i'm looking into atm(all in a nauticam housing):

- Olympus omd e1 m2
- Olympus omd e5 m3
- Canon m50

All 3 this camera's come with an "affordable" nauticam housing, they cost around 2000 bucks for the housing. What do you guys think about this options? Any advice/suggestion is welcome!

I'd suggest the EM-1 II, performance is very close to the Canon sensor, Olympus has a great range of lenses all reasonably priced from fisheye through to macro. I'd suggest the EM-1 MkII over the EM-5 III for a number of reasons including better battery life and the housing while more expensive for EM-1 II includes the tray/handles and has very good lever controls for the shutter and back button focus on the housing, while the EM-5 III has a compact style button on the housing itself which is more difficult to reach from the tray handles.

I have had great service from my Nauticam EM-1 II housing. I use it with Oly 60mm macro, Pany 30mm macro, Oly 12-40 and Pany 8mm fisheye.

 

[bvanant]

I agree with Chris, the EM2-II has been great. I don't shoot enough wide angle to talk about, but I do like the Panasonic/Leica 45 mm macro lens. I am thinking of getting the Laowa circular fisheye but I have no idea what port it might take.
Bill

 

[Nemrod]

You should consider the housing and the camera together as a system, as if it were unit. Can the system do what you want? Are all controls easy to use and available without digging into menus or presetting? The acrylic breadbox housings are fine and cost effective, the blow molded OEM supplied housings (where relevant) work okay--for a while. But aluminum housings from Nauticam, FIX, Recsea etc. are serviceable, precision pieces of equipment wherein the camera is often nearly easier to function than when in your hands alone. An aluminum housing will cost more than the camera in most cases, often significantly more. It is a SYSTEM! The housings are made maybe by dozens or hundreds, the cameras by thousands. Yes, a CNC milled precision, aluminum housing will cost more than the camera. It is easier to think of the two as pieces of a system.

No matter what you get, there is going to be a significant depreciation. There is also a high cost for those who must have the "best" and must have 10/10 performance (whatever they perceive that to be) vs. accepting some compromise for that 9/10 performance. Often to get that last 10% the price will nearly double. And there is portability to consider and the housing will need service down the road. Just things to think about.

James

 

[bvanant]

At this stage, I have two EM-1 Mark II systems, and both systems are better than I am. I am sure that there are photos that I can not get with my system that I might be able to get with something more better (5DIV in a Seacam for example) but I can't envision them easily. So for me my system might be 8.8/10 but I am more like 6/10 so no worries
Bill

 

[Preach]

The omd-e1mii costs almost 700 euro (756 dollar) extra over the omd-e5miii, camera + housing. The only thing missing on the e5miii is the tray. Does the extra costs justify the tray/battery? The layout of buttons do seem a little beter on the omd 1mii.

At the moment i'm using a Canon g9xmii in a fantasea housing. My girlfriend wants a camera aswell, thats why i'm looking for a new system. While the g9mxii is a nice camera with propper wet lenses for underwater, the fact that the lens isnt interchangeable is a big downside for shooting on land. I'm looking for a system that works underwater and on land.

At this stage, I have two EM-1 Mark II systems, and both systems are better than I am. I am sure that there are photos that I can not get with my system that I might be able to get with something more better (5DIV in a Seacam for example) but I can't envision them easily. So for me my system might be 8.8/10 but I am more like 6/10 so no worries
Bill

I'm still fairly new to photography, but i don't want to spend money on something i will replace in the near future. I would like something that grows with me.
What kind of lenses would you recommend? I would like to start off with a proper kit lens, maybe with a port so i can attach a macro lens (cmc1 or something?).

 

[bvanant]

I think that in the long run, you will be happier with the EM1-II. If you think about $750 over the course of 5 years and 100 dives/year you are at $1.50/dive. Dive more and the cost per dive goes down. On a per photo basis using 50 photos/dive the cost is like 3 cents/photo. The big battery makes life way more better
Bill
Forget the kit lens, get the 60 macro lens if you shoot macro and the port for it. If your thing is wide angle get one of the 8 mm fisheyes and the small dome. Yes it sounds expensive but the results will be worth it.
Bill

 

[chris kippax]

Nothing wrong with Ikelite.
Mine is like my Toyota. I can strip it in every piece and service what ever I need. No need ever for an expensive trip to the service bench.
I have heavily customized mine to improve ergonomics. I added a Nauticam 45 viewfinder and an ULCS tray and handles. Removed all the function controls I don't use and installed plugs (less service/failure points) added an aquatica surveyor vacuum system and an Ikelite vacuum valve. Added some XIT 404 knobs.
I am very happy with it and the reduced cost allowed my to upgrade my body from Canon 5dmk3 to IV and then upgrade the housing with a couple of dollar upgrade kit.
Check out the SL1 kit on their homepage could be something suitable?

 

[barth]

Nothing wrong with Ikelite.
Mine is like my Toyota. I can strip it in every piece and service what ever I need. No need ever for an expensive trip to the service bench.
I have heavily customized mine to improve ergonomics. I added a Nauticam 45 viewfinder and an ULCS tray and handles. Removed all the function controls I don't use and installed plugs (less service/failure points) added an aquatica surveyor vacuum system and an Ikelite vacuum valve. Added some XIT 404 knobs.
I am very happy with it and the reduced cost allowed my to upgrade my body from Canon 5dmk3 to IV and then upgrade the housing with a couple of dollar upgrade kit.
Check out the SL1 kit on their homepage could be something suitable?

Did you compare ikelite and nauticam at 51 meter or 170 feet?

It was hard to turn on my camera in a ikelite housing. It’s hard to change shutter speed and diaphragm at depth.

Did you really compare an ikelite housing at max depth with a good aluminum housing?

I will never buy ikelite again. A good reliable housing and which lens you are using are more important important then which camera body you are using.

I did spent a lot of time and money at diving. I was joining a project week on a ww2 wreck at 50 meter depth. But my 1 year old ikelite housing had a lot of issues. I couldn’t use it after 2 dives.


At the end I sold my ikelite housing for 350 euro. (Ikelite for Nikon d7100) I will never buy ikelite again. Even if it’s working as it should, there are better housings available. The only reason for me to choose ikelite for my d7100 was the low price. But it was expensive for the quality of the housing...

 

[chris kippax]

Did you compare ikelite and nauticam at 51 meter or 170 feet?

It was hard to turn on my camera in a ikelite housing. It’s hard to change shutter speed and diaphragm at depth.

Did you really compare an ikelite housing at max depth with a good aluminum housing?

I will never buy ikelite again. A good reliable housing and which lens you are using are more important important then which camera body you are using.

I did spent a lot of time and money at diving. I was joining a project week on a ww2 wreck at 50 meter depth. But my 1 year old ikelite housing had a lot of issues. I couldn’t use it after 2 dives.


At the end I sold my ikelite housing for 350 euro. (Ikelite for Nikon d7100) I will never buy ikelite again. Even if it’s working as it should, there are better housings available. The only reason for me to choose ikelite for my d7100 was the low price. But it was expensive for the quality of the housing...

Never dived to 51M and don't plan too. My main dive site is 6M deep. I use a vaccum kit so at 10 in/hg approaching the max depth of 60M would be a bad idea. If the OP wants dive deep he may need a 100M rated housing.

Never have I used an Aluminium housing and never did I compare my ikelite to a $3890 housing. My second hand 5dmkiv and 4 L series lenses are not even worth that much.
The controls are easily adjusted, did you try loosening the hex and extending the control shaft throw?
Sorry you had a bad experience but I can only comment on my own which is great.
I have owned 6 different Ikelite housing's and 6 different individual strobes. Not a single failure that wasn't user error
Great buy whoever got your housing for $350 they would have been happy with that.

I am yet to take an image where the housing has held me back more than conditions and skill level. I happy that you have gear that you are happy with. A couple of screen grabs from my phone, no award winners but for a cheap plastic box not so bad.