Patima Housings?

I'm looking to house a Canon 350D and have set my eyes on the Sea & Sea housing. However, my local shop is now promoting the Korean made Patima housing that is available for this camera and will have one in the shop next week for me to take a look. Overall it looks nice (all alu, unlike the Sea & Sea) and the added depth rating would be an added bonus (not that I go 100m, but do get in the 60+m range once in awhile). Another issue is the quality of their WA dome port. With the Sea & Sea, I could opt for the Athena dome. Anyways, as this is a pretty new product, I'd like to know if others had any experience with Patima housings.

I am interested too.

Can anyone help us?

... or no reply is also an answer?

Umbro

Well as I said, I will be able to see the actual Patima housing next week at a local shop and I will bring my camera to try it (but only topside). My main concern is the quality of their Dome and also possibly the limited port options. Otherwise it looks like a nice design...

OK, I will wait next week.

please, can you write your experience as soon as possible?

I am very interested in.

Umbro

umbro, but remember I will only get a chance to see it in the shop and will not be able to test it in the water... Also, as this will be my 1st DSLR housing, I really don't have much to compare it against other than other housing reviews and comments I have read.

Hi Pakman,

I join to Umbro.

I pray you can describe the not tried product to us even if in water?

A lot interested to the choice. <_<

Thanks

One concern I have is the Patima 350DX seems only to have ports and gears for Canon lenses only (10-22, 18-55, and 60mm). Doesn't appear to be a focus gear for the macro lens. At least the Sea & Sea has focus gears for the both Canon and Sigma lenses...

EDIT: On their Korean page, they have an extension for using the Canon 100mm macro lens, but again no mention of a focus gear.

Here's their English website.

http://www.uwcam.com/e_main.htm

The 350D housing page

http://www.manpo.co.kr/bbs/view.php?id=eng...&desc=asc&no=16

Dome port page

http://www.manpo.co.kr/bbs/view.php?id=eng...&desc=asc&no=18

Just for interest (I already have housing), what are the reasons you want this housing? Its not that its looks bad or something but there is almost no data about it and to me its looks like a big problem. What is the price range of this product?

Arnon, primarily the additional depth rating. While I'm currently only doing technical wreck diving to around 50-60m like the HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales last month, in the future, I may find myself slighly beyond that range. But in reality, the housing would get most of its use on reef and wreck dives within 40m.

Again, so far I'm in favor of the Sea & Sea setup given its

1) S&S's long track record + plenty of existing users

2) Compact size of their 350D housing

3) Plenty of port options and FOCUS GEARS for a variety of lenses

4) They are as cheap as the Ikelites out here

The only thing I don't like about the S&S is the plastic rear casing and the 60m limit.

But as you implied, I'd be rolling the rolling dice with a lot expensive camera equipment in an practically unknown housing...

EDIT: pricewise, my LDS said the Patima distributor here is having a promotion so it should be a couple hundred US$ less than the S&S.

OK, got to see the Patima EHC-350DX housing for the Canon 350DX in person today at my local LDS. It's a solid all-alu housing. Build quality look very good. According to the shop, the Patima is slight smaller than the S&S. The tray that screws into the camera ensures a tight and proper fit of the camera. Buttons and dials all functioned well with the exception of 2 things: 1) the plunger on the right direction button on the back seemed to be slighty off resulting having to really push it hard for it to register, 2) I found the shutter trigger a bit mushy; it was hard to confirm when I had the shutter button down halfway. It took me awhile to get used to it. Av lock button was convenient but you have to take your right hand off the grip (unless you've got really long fingers) to rotate the av/shutter speed dial. But I understand this isn't that different from the S&S arrangement.

Unfortunately, they didn't bring the extension needed to fit a Canon 10-22mm which I had just bought ( ) or the macro port for the Canon 60mm. They did show the WA dome which was a nice piece of glass. Without the extension, I couldn't try my Canon 10-22mm behind the dome to check for vignetting, etc... Supposedly the dome is made by Hoya. The price I was quoted for the dome alone was just under US$1,000 equiv... Again they confirmed that there are NO FOCUS GEARS for the macro port... Unfortunately, the housing can't fit other ports (if they were smart they would make adapters for other existing brand ports...) Ultimately, I think the lack of focus gears for macro lenses will make this housing an unlikely choice for me.

Edit: the LDS quoted around US$1,500 for the housing alone but then my LDS has a bad habit of highballing and I'll have to spend hours haggling with them to get a price down regardless of all the stuff I've bought from them in the past... I did find one Taiwanese shop that was selling this housing for $1,390 (www.divervision.com). In comparison, Yuzo at www.uwdigitalcamera.com offers the S&S 350D housing for under US$1,300 at current ¥/USD exchange rates...

Here are some pics... Sorry I didn't take more time taking more detailed photos but I only had my WA lens at the moment .

Hi Pakman thanks for the detailed explanation of the housing of Patima.

A lot interesting and interesting to know sides “denied†this housing.

To this point, for me, it remains UK-Germany and Sea & Sea.

Still thanks.

If you purchases before we housing attend your judgment.

OK, got to see the Patima EHC-350DX housing for the Canon 350DX in person today at my local LDS.

Hi Pakman, thank you for your report.

I think that I will buy another housing, and probably a Hugyfot.

I was wondering on Patima for its 100m deep range, but I will prefer to change as its deep range, compared with hugy, mainly does not compensate:

1) an european product, so it is easier for mnaitance/problems to contact, ship, ....... with respect to korea.

2) A wide range of ports, and probably made of similar quality

I am not confident with sea&sea for his rear port... I do not like rear material .... I experienced an implosion with it and I prefer a totally alluminium housing (as Patima and Hugy).

Hugy is declared to operate up to 80m..... probably as deep I will use as hard will be to set options,....... deeper that 80m.... I hope!

Thank you to everybody

Umbro