G7 + Ikelite + UWL-100 pics

Ok I've finally got my pics up, been playing with the G7 + Ikelite + UWL-100 in Sipadan for a week. No strobe though, and unfortunately it was very overcast for the first 3 days of my trip so the light wasn't great. Things did brighten up towards the end though. Was still an amazing trip though, if you haven't been to Sipadan you must go immediately!

Here's my gallery:

http://picasaweb.google.com/timnugent/SipadanDiving

The vast majority are with the UWL-100, the nudibranchs and grouper and night dive shots aren't though. There's quite a few panoramics too which are stitched together from about 5 shots each, WA portrait. A few pics have been cropped slightly and I played with the red balance & contrast a bit too.

I started off on manual but after missing some good shots switching between aperture and shutter speed I decided to stick with TV mode. I set C1 to 1/50, underwater white balance (I tried setting it manually using a white slate but I thought the underwater setting was fine) and tried to shoot in ISO 100 or 200, but when it was really gloomy I crept a bit higher.

All in all, I really like the set up and kept the WA lense on for most of the trip. There are a few issues with it though. Even with no zoom, the edges are sometimes a bit blurry. This can be solved by cropping your pics but that's not ideal. If you start to zoom the blurring gets worse quickly so basically forget about zooming with the WA attached. This means you have to get really close up.. ok if there's millions of turtles about but more tricky with fish. Also forget about using the built in flash with the WA, even with the Ikelite diffuser. I'm really interested in getting a strobe to use with this lens, preferably one with a really wide angle of coverage and hopefully just the one. Anyone got any suggestions?

I'm happy with the housing although one one dive things got a bit foggy for no particular reason. On another dive the mode select dial stopped gripping (some moisture in the I presume) so I was stuck in whatever mode I was in. This was despite having loads of silica gel on board. Sometimes the buttons are pretty stiff and I came out with dented fingers after a few times. Also, after taking a shot, you can half press the shutter to get of review and take another shot quickly (e.g. if a shark is swimming right towards you). I found this hard in the housing and ended up triggering another shot by accident on the half press then being stuck in review again and missing the shot i actually wanted. Minimum review time is 2 seconds, I wish you could change it to 1.

Anyway, a great first trip with the G7, I certainly learnt a lot (this is my 1st U/W camera too). Can't wait for the next outing. Got some video I took with the G7 which I'll try and edit and stick on youtube.

p.s. yes i was using the short port

Hi Blimbo,

Good to hear from you again. Awesome pics. Some of them have a bit of noise but overall super results for the first time. I am sure its only going to get better here on. I guess a strobe would have really helped. How about looking at the Ds 125 or the DS51 which is the one that i use. Both have TTL compatibility with the Ikelite housing. While DS 125 is more powerful and i would assume the better choice, it is much more expensive than the DS51.

Guess what ? I have just ordered the Ikelite w/a lens with the shallow port. Just could not wait. Will definately try some shots in the swimming pool before i leave and will try and post some here for all those wanting to buy BUT waiting for visual results I am off to the maldives early november and will give my set up a try and revert to you again.

Thanks again for your pics and report..its been a great help

Diggy

Ok I've finally got my pics up, been playing with the G7 + Ikelite + UWL-100 in Sipadan for a week. No strobe though, and unfortunately it was very overcast for the first 3 days of my trip so the light wasn't great. Things did brighten up towards the end though. Was still an amazing trip though, if you haven't been to Sipadan you must go immediately!

 

Here's my gallery:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/timnugent/SipadanDiving

 

The vast majority are with the UWL-100, the nudibranchs and grouper and night dive shots aren't though. There's quite a few panoramics too which are stitched together from about 5 shots each, WA portrait. A few pics have been cropped slightly and I played with the red balance & contrast a bit too.

 

I started off on manual but after missing some good shots switching between aperture and shutter speed I decided to stick with TV mode. I set C1 to 1/50, underwater white balance (I tried setting it manually using a white slate but I thought the underwater setting was fine) and tried to shoot in ISO 100 or 200, but when it was really gloomy I crept a bit higher.

 

All in all, I really like the set up and kept the WA lense on for most of the trip. There are a few issues with it though. Even with no zoom, the edges are sometimes a bit blurry. This can be solved by cropping your pics but that's not ideal. If you start to zoom the blurring gets worse quickly so basically forget about zooming with the WA attached. This means you have to get really close up.. ok if there's millions of turtles about but more tricky with fish. Also forget about using the built in flash with the WA, even with the Ikelite diffuser. I'm really interested in getting a strobe to use with this lens, preferably one with a really wide angle of coverage and hopefully just the one. Anyone got any suggestions?

 

I'm happy with the housing although one one dive things got a bit foggy for no particular reason. On another dive the mode select dial stopped gripping (some moisture in the I presume) so I was stuck in whatever mode I was in. This was despite having loads of silica gel on board. Sometimes the buttons are pretty stiff and I came out with dented fingers after a few times. Also, after taking a shot, you can half press the shutter to get of review and take another shot quickly (e.g. if a shark is swimming right towards you). I found this hard in the housing and ended up triggering another shot by accident on the half press then being stuck in review again and missing the shot i actually wanted. Minimum review time is 2 seconds, I wish you could change it to 1.

 

Anyway, a great first trip with the G7, I certainly learnt a lot (this is my 1st U/W camera too). Can't wait for the next outing. Got some video I took with the G7 which I'll try and edit and stick on youtube.

 

 

 

 

I have been using the YS110 from Sea and Sea fired through the Ikelite sync cable and like it alot more than the DS51 I have. The amount of light it puts out is significantly more than the DS51 and allows me to shoot in manual with a high shutter speed and at f8 almost all the time.

Your photos are very nice and do capture the subjects nicely!

I have been using the YS110 from Sea and Sea fired through the Ikelite sync cable and like it alot more than the DS51 I have. The amount of light it puts out is significantly more than the DS51 and allows me to shoot in manual with a high shutter speed and at f8 almost all the time.

 

Your photos are very nice and do capture the subjects nicely!

Thanks guys. Yeah there's a bit of noise hanging around some shots.. hopefully a strobe will help me out in poor light next time.

Islandbound I like the sound of the YS110.. the DS51 doesn't sound like the angle of coverage is big enough for the UWL-100 (100 degrees) but the YS110 with diffuser should be able to cover it. The DS125 is really pricey. If the sync cable enables TTL that'd be great.

Look forward to pics from both of you with the YS110 and DS51 + UWL-100.

:-)

I'd recommend the DS-125, even if it is a bit pricey. It's powerful and gives excellent wide coverage. Best of all, though, is the TTL strobe control with the Ikelite housing. It's really great.

Good pics!

The DS-51 is wide enough with the diffuser (now that I think of it, I'm not sure I've ever shot without the diffuser on). Still, I'm kicking myself for not grabbing the DS-125 though - more powerful and quicker recycling times. I'll get sooner or later, and run both strobes. Ikelite's eTTL works really well though.

Does anyone know if you can easily put a twin strobe mount on the Ikelite housing?

And, does anyone know if the inon dome port will fit on the Ikelite housing over the inon WA lens?

Good pics!

 

The DS-51 is wide enough with the diffuser (now that I think of it, I'm not sure I've ever shot without the diffuser on). Still, I'm kicking myself for not grabbing the DS-125 though - more powerful and quicker recycling times. I'll get sooner or later, and run both strobes. Ikelite's eTTL works really well though.

 

Does anyone know if you can easily put a twin strobe mount on the Ikelite housing?

 

And, does anyone know if the inon dome port will fit on the Ikelite housing over the inon WA lens?

Looking at this pic aussie..

http://www.divervision.com/catalog/product...;products_id=33

I don't think you'll have any problems attaching the dome port with the Ikelite housing, it sits well forward of the lens/ikelite port connection.

So if I want to use TTL with the Ikelite housing are Ikelite strobes the only option? Can I not fire the YS-110 with TTL using an appropriate cable?

So if I want to use TTL with the Ikelite housing are Ikelite strobes the only option? Can I not fire the YS-110 with TTL using an appropriate cable?

With an Ikelite housing, you can only get TTL using Ikelite strobes.

My current setup is also a G7+IKELITE.. W/ DS-125

gota say the DS-125 is a great strobe.. pleanty of power and can due multipule dives on on a 1hr charge.

but I also dont think the images are as sharp as they could be, Like Yours.

Was thinking it was the Lens.. but you are having the same issues ??

Check out my pics.

http://www.myspace.com/peter_lapin

..................

Thanks guys. Yeah there's a bit of noise hanging around some shots.. hopefully a strobe will help me out in poor light next time.

 

Islandbound I like the sound of the YS110.. the DS51 doesn't sound like the angle of coverage is big enough for the UWL-100 (100 degrees) but the YS110 with diffuser should be able to cover it. The DS125 is really pricey. If the sync cable enables TTL that'd be great.

 

Look forward to pics from both of you with the YS110 and DS51 + UWL-100.

 

:-)

I think the UWL-100 definitely loses sharpness towards the edges. With just the short port and no WA lenses I didn't really have any problems I don't think.

My pics would have been a bit sharper with a faster shutter speed but as I didn't have a strobe I was generally hanging around 1/50.

HI blimbo...

I'm new here...

I write from ITALY...

so ... please excuse me for my "uncorrect english"(I learned at school 20 years ago ! )

I'm looking for a photographer who's bought the INON WIDE SET

for the canon G7 IKELITE housing...

so I find you !!!

I've just bought the housing and the close-up lens (INON UCL 165 m67).

Now I plan to buy a external WIDE SET

I like INON lens...

I've read around that I need a special flat port (IKELITE FLAT PORT 9305.92)

About the lens,I've read that I can buy a INON UWL 100 type 2 .

About the DOME I've read that it is NO POSSIBLE to mount it.

and ,about "vignetting"I 've raed that is a little vignetting...so zoomming a little to disappear.

Is this ALL TRUE ?????

Can you give me the really feedback for all my questions???

bye from ITALY...romeo

hi, nice shot from your sipadan trips!!

good to see the result from UWL lens!!

is time to invest money in this baby!! hehe

Peter, I tried to look at your photos but the guy with the pumpkin face on his butt made me gag, had to X out the page...

Hey Blimbo,

Nice shots! I hope you don't mind, but since I am looking at a similar setup, I downloaded one of your pics and ran it through my Helicon filter program for noise and sharpness, then I ran my Photoshop "underwater" action on it. Just seeing what can be accomplished in post-processing for images from the G7.

I notice just a very slight vignetting at the edges of this photo; is this un-altered RAW straight out of the camera? Is this with the lens "zoomed" slightly? It's certainly not bad, a minor crop would remove it.

Unaltered Pic click HERE for Full Size

Helicon noise removal and sharpening, Photoshop underwater "action" click HERE for Full Size

John

@Romeo

Yes you want the short port and the Inon UWL 100 type 2. I don't have the dome port but looking at the pictures of it I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be possible to mount it on this set up.

There is a tiny amount of vignetting but zooming one stop will get rid of this. Or 4 clicks of the photoshop clone tool will fix this too.

@johnspierce

Nice, I like what you've done! I'll check out that Helicon filter when I get home. It has been altered already slightly, just some moderate contrast and red colour balance adjustment from the original jpeg (no RAW with the G7). And no zoom; yes there's a bit of vignetting but as I said above you can clone this out in a few seconds.

thanks...blimbo

then I'm going to buy the set!

byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee from Italy.

thanks for the info Blimbo, you have some *excellent* photos!

JP