Canon 400D does fit the S&S 350D housing...

I know some of the Ikelite 350D users have reported that the new Canon 10mp 400D/Rebel Xti/Kiss X doesn't fit the Ikelite 350D housing. I was a bit surprised considering that the dimensions of the new 400D are almost identical to the 350D barring 1mm around the grip... Anyways, I liked what I was reading about the 400D, especially about the new autofocusing which it borrows from its big brother the 30D, the bigger 2.5" LCD screen, and also the larger buffer. While the new dust cleaning sensor doohickie is nice, I'm not sure existing 350D users will really miss this feature... 10mp sounds nice but it isn't that much of a leap from 8mp and will just takes up more room on your flash cards... But for me it was worthwhile considering the 400D as I was looking to get a backup 2nd body.

Anyways, my camera shop was nice enough to allow me to try one of their demo 400D's in my S&S 350D housing. The housing tray adapter fits nicely on the 400D body and the body slides perfectly into the housing. All the critical buttons match up without any modifications - the shutter, aperture, mode dial, main dial, AE/FE lock button, AF point selector, all arrow buttons and selector buttons. Unfortunately the buttons on far left side of the 400D - display, menu, jump, playback, and delete buttons are just left of the existing buttons to accomodate the 400D's larger 2 1/2" LCD. So basically all the critical controls you would need u/w work straight off the bat.

The remaining buttons left of the LCD are just slighly offline from the 400D. I think with some plastic and a dremel tool, I could make some L shape feet for these button plungers so I can access the display, menu, playback, delete, AND the drive buttons. Worse comes to worse, it's still a very workable housing without access to those buttons. Maybe set the preview setting to a longer display time. You need to disable the display-off sensor on the menu so that the display shows up all the time except when you take a picture and it shows the preview. Otherwise the rear housing will force the sensor to keep the display off.

Now the nice thing about the 400D is that the entire LCD now acts as the setting screen that was separate on the 350D. So you get this nice bright 2 1/2" LCD showing you all your settings (av/tv/iso,metering!,AF mode,AF point selection, WB, drive mode, and many more other indicators). So you could do a lot of presetting without putting your eye on viewfinder or straining to see the old display (BIG bonus for nite dives).** on hindsight, the bright status display on the LCD might be distracting at night when using the viewfinder...

Anyways, here's how the 400D looks in my S&S 350D housing and also how the display looks from outside the housing. The ENTIRE 2 1/2" LCD is viewable from the rear of the screen.

fits like a glove... Canon 400D in a Sea & Sea 350D housing

this big status display is gonna be nice on nite dives!!!

I also tested my S&S TTL Converter w/ my Inon Z-240 and there doesn't appear to be any compatibility issues!! And no issues with the viewfinder or existing S&S focus rings (60mm and 10-22mm) as expected.

I wouldn't be surprised if Sea & Sea does come out with a modified rear housing mold with all the button in the right place for the 400D or even some button modification kit for existing 350D users.

edited for stupid grammar and typos...

That's great news Pakman! Thanks for the report. Most importantly, does the viewfinder line up, and is the center of the lens in the center of the port opening?

Cheers

James

That's great news Pakman! Thanks for the report. Most importantly, does the viewfinder line up, and is the center of the lens in the center of the port opening?

 

Cheers

James

James, yes the viewfinder lines up perfectly and the lens is centered in the port. I've tried it with my 60mm and 10-22 and the zoom gear matches up perfectly.

The 400D body is probably 99% identical to the 350D. The only difference I can tell is that grip is approx 1mm larger (towards the front) but there is plenty of space in the S&S housing in that area. And of course the LCD is larger but that has only resulted in the far left buttons being pushed out by approx 1 button's width. This is where I was VERY surprised to hear the Ikelite 350D housing wouldn't fit the 400D. I'm not familiar with how Ikelite mount there bodies...

If you look at the comparison on page 4 of dpreview.com's review of the 400D and look at the overlay pic of the 400D vs 350D (run your mouse over it), you can see where the grip is larger.

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/canoneos400d/page4.asp

WOOHEE!

Just as I suspected from the first reports...

Did you had time to try it underwater? If not and you do buy the 400 please write again and tell me how it worked underwater...

I aswell is considering a second body and the 400 does have some good new features.

The left side buttons as inportant if you are shooting with manual strobes but cannot se that it would be that difficult to manufacture some sort of small pinextenders so that the leftside buttons will be pressable.

WOOHEE!

 

Just as I suspected from the first reports...

 

Did you had time to try it underwater? If not and you do buy the 400 please write again and tell me how it worked underwater...

 

I aswell is considering a second body and the 400 does have some good new features.

 

The left side buttons as inportant if you are shooting with manual strobes but cannot se that it would be that difficult to manufacture some sort of small pinextenders so that the leftside buttons will be pressable.

Vannar,

Haven't tried it u/w yet but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Before the weekend, I was able to make up some extensions for some of the left buttons and they appear to work. I'll try to post a photo, but it looks very ghetto (but it works...). Just need to find time to go to a hardware store to find some more appropriate material. But basically I pulled off the rubber feet and placed a round hollow piece of plastic around the button pin. And then cut the plastic so that just the outside of one side stick out to reach the 400D left buttons.

Just an update... Finally got some time to go diving today to test out the 400D in my S&S 350D housing with the modified button tips. I ended up using some wall anchors that I had sitting around that fit just right over the button plungers.

Using a box cutter, i was able to whittle them into shape so they would reach the 400D buttons. Doesn't look very professional, but I did two dives with this modification and had full functionality of the 400D buttons (except the printer button on upper left corner...).

Here is a pic of how it looks. You can see which button rubber tips had to be changed.

Deepest I was able to go today was only 14m. I think someone asked before... everything lines up on the 400D (viewfinder, lens...). I tried my new 100mm macro port and Athena focus ring for the 100mm and didn't have any problems.

Superb work Pakman!

Could I trouble you for a close up of the viewfinder from that last shot? That is so I can see how the viewfinder fits into the back panel. Just a 100% crop from that shot will probably show me what I need to know.

Thanks

Martyn

Superb work Pakman!

 

Could I trouble you for a close up of the viewfinder from that last shot? That is so I can see how the viewfinder fits into the back panel. Just a 100% crop from that shot will probably show me what I need to know.

 

Thanks

 

Martyn

Here ya go Martyn... planning on putting a Hugyfot viewfinder in it?

Superb work, Pakman!!!

I wish I have seen last week . The wall anchors was just a great idea.

Certainly it's very easy to use a 400D ian a 350D S&S housing.

My approach was not so simple and smart. In fact mine wasn't harmless for the housing as yours is .

The only reason I didn't follow this kind of solution is because I was afraid that accidental rotation of the shaft might cause malfunction of the push button. I'm not sure but I imagine that you can fix this event UW, even with gloves. But in the Ikelite it looks a bit more difficult as all the buttons hasn't the same height and made from metal <_< .

Rai

Thanks Pakman, that'll do nicely

Here ya go Martyn... planning on putting a Hugyfot viewfinder in it?

To anypeople interested in using a 400D in a 350D Ikelite housing.

In this post

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16618

I put some photos and explanations of my mods.

I hope that this could be useful for someone.

Rai

Brilliant Pacman, simple and efective, well thought out!!!

Brilliant Pacman, simple and efective, well thought out!!!

Best part of it is that, if needed, I can easily switch back the original button tips so I can fit the 350D body in case I need to use it as a backup to the 400D (knocking on wood nothing happens to my 400D!).

Got myself a 400D as well. Tried the same as suggested by Pakman and it works pretty well. Thanks for the idea Pakman !!!

Being able to see the settings in the big screen of the 400D is pretty handy. The only thing I dont like about the 400D comparing with the 350D regards to the custom WB. In the 350D when I press the WB button and choose custom WB it automatically takes me to the screen where I can choose the shot to use for WB. In the 400D, after choosing custom WB, I have to press the Menu button and go select the custom WB shot. It was simpler and faster with the 350D.

Cheers

Nuno

Has anyone had the opportunity to take any photos with the 400D yet either in a new 400 housing or their older 350 housing?

Has anyone had the opportunity to take any photos with the 400D yet either in a new 400 housing or their older 350 housing?

You can check my Cabilao, Sogod Bay, and Palau albums over here. I'm still learning. I'm sure in more experience hands, this little camera would really shine.

Mike, thanks for the link! Your albums are great, its an inspiration to see your photos. I just got the XTi and am looking to decide on how to house it. I have one extra YS-110 flash thats not committed as well as a DS-51. Do you have any recommendations for me?

Thanks

Guys

I have been trying the same thing - the buttons though are not the problem.

On closing the housing and taking a picture I do not get an image review - when I open the housing the the review appears.

Any thoughts would be welcome. I have to say I only have just taken the camera out of the box today...

Cheers

Paul

Guys

 

I have been trying the same thing - the buttons though are not the problem.

 

On closing the housing and taking a picture I do not get an image review - when I open the housing the the review appears.

 

Any thoughts would be welcome. I have to say I only have just taken the camera out of the box today...

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Paul,

I think you have the option "LCD Auto Off" enabled. You have to disable it. This will mean that you press the disp button to switch on and off the LCD display. To change this option go to:

1. Menu

2. Settings 1 (4th menu counting from the left)

3. LCD Auto off (choose disable)

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Nuno

Nuno

Thanks - page 101 in the manual - I would have got there in a week!

This I think is different to the 350D but then again I did the setting so long ago on that I do not rememeber. As I flooded it I cannot check!!

Useful website by the way - good pictures of the kit set up.

Looking forward to using this - Palau in March... seems a long way off

Thanks again

Cheers

Paul