Just got ikelite for 30d...lots of questions

I am brand new to UW photography and wanted to ask everyone a few questions. First off, I have the Ikelite for my 30D, with the 8" dome, and am shooting with my 10-22mm lens. I will be using it for the first time in Baja in 2 weeks. I bought this rig for fly fishing photography, not diving. So, most of my photographs will be taken no deeper than 5ft. Here are some questions:

1) For shooting in the surf, what would be the best focus mode to be in?

2) For under/over shots, what settings do you get the best results in?

3) Do I need to wash my equipment off with freshwater at the end of the day?

I can't think of any other questions, but if you can think of any tips you would give a newbie, I would appreciate it!!!

Thank you all in advance!!

Matt Jones

Hi there. As to question 3, I would rinse in freshwater after every dive if possible ! The idea is to avoid salt water evoprating leaving damaging salt crystals. This can also be achieved by leaving the camera housing wet. Of course all dive boats and trips are different, so you just need to do what you can !

Hi Matt and welcome to Wetpixel. About your first question, I would be VERY careful using your housing in the surf. The Ikelite dome port mount is not robust and there is a good chance it can be knocked off by a wave and you'll flood your camera. Once the housing gets deep, the pressure helps keep the port on.

Yes, you should rinse your housing w/ freshwater. As long as you keep it wet/moist all day, you can get by doing only one rinse at the end of the day. LIke C said, you want to avoid salt crystals forming as they can cut the o-rings.

Cheers

James

Well, the surf in Baja is not your typical surf. I'm talking waves less than 2ft high. Is this still a concern?

Well, the surf in Baja is not your typical surf. I'm talking waves less than 2ft high. Is this still a concern?

I have the same housing and the couple of plastic clips the hold the dome in place scare me to death (never had a problem though), so much so that at the end of the dive my buddy surfaces and calls the boat whilst I sit at 2m until I see the trail line and then I pop up and get on the boat spending as little time on the surface as possible. Happily once a couple of metre below the pressure holds the port nice and tight. If you are going to do it maybe put some gaffer tape over the clips to stop them accidently popping open...

Enjoy

Duncan

there's probably a million threads on the 2 clips and i'm one who would like to see more than 2.

i noticed both of my clips 'click' into place. however, one of them don't go all the way down. i have to push it in manually. once in correctly, the ports still rock back/forth, but i don't think surf or anything can make the port come off.

double check and then check again the clips. as long as they're all the way in, i wouldn't worry about it coming off. (based on tests in my bathtub for my housing).

i use AI servo focus mode with all points selected (so that the extra points are used). since i'm always moving underwater, i like AI servo. only problem is, i have to center my subject. but of course, focus mode depends on your subject. if you're shooting at the surface, you may not want waves to change your focus. so fixed might be better.

i tried a couple of over/under shots with an 8in dome. i should have experimented, because at f8, i could not get the over image in focus. only the under part was focused. try going as small aperture as you can.

lastly, of course you should try to rinse salt and debris as much as possible. salt and sand will increase risk of leakage if they get into the o-rings (salt dries and leaves residue). and over time, it gets worse. but you can service the housing more often too. i soak mine immediately in fresh water on the boat. then a rinse with running water at the dock. then more running water at room. then a soak. and a final rinse. pushing all buttons at each step. i figure if my rinsing doesn't cause a leak, diving wont! hehe

Thanks everyone for all of your advice! I will shake the housing vigorously in the tub to see what it can handle.

Thanks!

In theory, it may be possible for tiny droplets of water to push passed the port o-ring in strong surf. When diving the o-ring flattens when under pressure increasing the surface contact with the port making the seal more effective. When on the surface the port o-ring remains more round and hence has less surface area in contact with the port, the breaking wave may exert considerable force on the unflattened o-ring. Just a thought.......

I've had my nose broken by a loose board in 2-3 ft shorebreak. Don't underestimate the power of a wave.

When i rinse my rig, I let it soak for some time in freshwater and the i push all of the buttons and levers. just to make sure that all salt is gone.

Let me rephrase from my earlier statement. When I said 2ft waves I was way off, I'm talking very small waves. Refer to the picture....