Re quality of Canon underwater housing G10

[drcolyn]

I am planning to upgrade my 4megapixel Sony P73 to a Canon G10 soon.
I have long ago made peace with the external strobe requirement. Since adding the Inon Z240 it enables me to take backscatter less photos in 3 feet of viz and the built in aiming light dramatically improved focussing speed. I will therefore not wine about the shortcomings of using the internal flash – external strobes in the underwater photography game is a fact of life.

My biggest concern with the Canon housing is its primary purpose – to keep my camera dry. My Sony housing has an o-ring and a drip seal while I understand the Canon housing only has 1 seal.
I am, as one photographer called it, anal about cleaning and greasing the seals and I pressure test to 40 foot equivalent in fresh water before every dive.

Now my question is – apart from blatant user error – has any of you ever experienced a leak that you feel would have been avoided with an Ikelite housing.
I read a Dec 2008 thread that mentioned an Ikelite failure due to a twisted o-ring.
With all respect to Ikelite – if it happens that easily with their housing does it make financial sense for me to pay double the price of a Canon housing?
Current prices in South Africa are as follow ( read R10 = $1 )
Canon G10 camera = R6 699
Canon DC28 housing = R2 999
Ikelite housing for G10 = R7 499

 

[Divingguy]

I have put about 10 dives on my Canon Housing since receiving it in late June. It is actually pretty well made. I have taken it to 107 feet, and on multiple dives to deeper than 60 feet, with NO problems. I do keep a small moisture absorbent packet in the housing, and was very careful about lightly greasing the O-ring, but did not have any problems with leaks, fogging, or anything else. I would have liked to have the TTL capabilities of the Ike, but since I do not have my strobe yet, and needed the housing for a specific trip, I figured that that the money saved could go toward the strobe. There are a number of regular posters on this Board who post some very impressive pictures using the Canon housing. Obviously, diving with a camera is always a risk, but I am happy with the housing so far.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

I had my Canon housing for 30+ dives on Bonaire, no problems. It is a very decent housing but I can't believe it costs more than an Ike! In the US it's almost 4x less expensive! (Around $170 vs $600+ for an Ike) I doubt you'll hear any Ike owners saying you should pay more for the Canon housing! Are you sure about those prices? Seems weird the G10 costs more than the Ike housing and the WP-DC28 Canon housing is double the Ike. I mean I like my Canon housing but no way would I have paid double what an Ike costs. (Would love to have an Ike for half of what I paid for the Canon houisng though...) Sounds like you are uh, "attentive" to housing maintenence, shouldn't be a problem with either housing. // ww

 

[scottfiji]

Wank, she lists the canon housing at $299 and the ike housing at $750

 

[Peter Guy]

Question re the Canon housing -- can it take either:

a. Inon wet mount (external) macro lens?

b. Inon wet mount (external) wide angle lens? (And yes, I would assume there would be some vignetting with the WA lens -- but will it work to some extent, and if known, to what extent?)

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Hey, so I am not an expert in international currencies (or basic math for that matter). Peter, there are a few adapters being more or less custom made for macro work (EdDman recently listed one he has available) but the WA biz may not be effectively (key word!) in the cards due to the large flat port on the WP-DC28 and serious vignetting.

ReefNet has a slick system for macro w/ their SubSee lens and they are due out w/ a new 52mm diopter lens series for their adapters. I have their SubSee on the Canon housing and it works swell. // ww

ReefNet Inc. | SubSee Adapter

 

[henno777]

Done 50 with mine - no problems. Canon in general have good housings. On of my friends is working full time as divemaster and take his canon housing + camera with on every dive. He only lube his orings onde a week (instead of every day after dive) and done well over 1000 dives with that housing without problems. The best check is to just make sure after you close the housing is to inspect the seal and make sure its flat with no sand or hair. Also when you descend with housing keep the camera above you witn the housing pointed down. If there is a flood problem you see the water at the bottom of the lense and can return to the surface without smaller risk of camera damange.

 

[drcolyn]

Hi All

Thanks a lot for your response on the quality of the Canon housing. I also got confirmation from Matt Gieselman (remember the link on how to fix sticky UW housing buttons?) Here is what he had to say:
I’ve not had any Canon or Ikelite housings leak, I’ve had several of each.
The Canon housings are more compact and lighter weight and if you are using a fiber
optic trigger then the Canon to me is the better way to go and I would not pay double
for an Ikelite housing.
Also the Canon housings are better engineered, they use glass ports and will last a long
time if you take moderate care of them. (ie. Rinse in fresh water after each day of diving.)
The durability of a glass port is enough reason for me to decide.
I am now eagerly awaiting delivery of my own – alas the Southern tip of Africa is a long way from wherever they manufacture all things Canon but hopefully the current US$ vs. Rand exchange rate will ensure I get it at a good price.

Speaking of which – Mr Warmwater W… – no need to be a currency expert – the prices I quoted were all in Rand for comparison purposes and yes an Ikelite housing is more than double the price of a Canon housing in South Africa. The Soviet like “apartheids” era left us a legacy of import taxes so even if the Rand trades at R7.50 to 1 US$ we still have to add import tax on “luxury items”
In the process of correcting the currency issue somebody also mentioned “she” where as I am a “he” – pleased to me meet you all.

 

[mattmexico]

yo

I am planning to get a housing soon myself and will get the Ikelite housing

Matt

 

[Puffer Fish]

I have several hundred dives on the canon housing.. keep expecting an issue...but it has worked really well (ok, the sticky button issue did cause a concern).

Next year, plan on upgrading to a more expensive case...but by then it will be a G11.