The Quality Of ikelite Housing FAQ

Hey guys,

I am thinking about getting an Ikelite housing for my SLR with 6 inch dome port. One of the main reasons is the cost (its affordable 1/2 to 1/3 the price of Al ones).

One of the things I keep hearing is that "They are just to bulky"

I realize that they are bulkier then some of the expensive housings but is it still usable?

What are others people opinion about ikelite equipment?

Thanks

I think they offer good value for money, especially if you need to think carefully about the purchase or may upgrade often to keep up with the very fast changing camera market.

Their customer service has a good reputation.

I have owned an Ikelite for the past 3 years and don't have many complaints, I've never owned a metal housing but here are my observations:

They are bulky as they are not as tailored to the camera like some metal housings, they are heavier than nearly all other housings

Controls and handling are fine, except for zooming using the Canon EF-S 10-22 with the 6inch dome, zooming is very jerky due to the port rubbing on the zoom gear

The port opening is not as wide as other manufacturers and therefore restricts lens choice

The 10-22 needs a diopter in the 6" dome to prevent soft edges (I have never used one though)

The tray bolts are not ideal and are American standard (very difficult to get hold of spares in the UK)

Port shades are plastic and mine have broken away from the port during transit

I don't like the standard viewfinder, the view is small and awkward to look through, other than the Inon 45 I don't know what options there are.

There is no lanyarr point (minor point)

Apart from the port shade and zoom gear, its a pretty robust piece of kit and has bounced around on ribs, hard boats, shore dives and liveaboards

I think you get what you pay for. I do long for something lighter though ! If I was buying Ike now, I would choose the modular port system and the 8" dome.

I have definetly heard good things about their customer service so thats a plus!

Downsides you've heard: bulky (one mold pretty much, with different control penetrations), some of the controls can be a little awkward (same reason), heavy (ditto), viewfinder isn't ideal (I use live-view with my camera). To that you might add that some people disdain the iTTL built into the housing, "locking you in" to their strobes if you want TTL, and costing the money even if you didn't.

The other usual complaint is related to the port attach with the clips, which doesn't seem as robust as it is. (It's more a perception of failure due to a tendancy to 'rock' at the joint when under no external pressure. I can convince myself it's actually fine if I think about the mechanics, but it can scare me just the same.) Lastly some purists will make a big deal about glass vs. acrylic for the dome surface...purely a cost trade there, and while acrylic can scratch easier, at least it can be polished out at the end user level unlike if glass does scratch.

My biggest current complaint is I wish it had a top mount for focus lights or a 3rd strobe. I make do with a 3-way ball joint off one of my arms, but that means everytime I adjust that strobe I have to re-aim the focus light too, which is a little annoying.

Upsides: Come with handles (not all housings - Olympus for example - do, although some are designed for use without them), comes with iTTL (I think it's a plus vs. having to buy an additional adaptor as I do use Ike strobes right now, and I like having the control down on the housing vs. having to fiddle with the strobe heads). The larger bulk means all controls are utilized (maybe not for all models, but certainly 'space contraints' isn't a reason to leave one out terribly often). Clear is nice to 'see' seals and potential leaks, but not as huge a deal as I think they make it out to be (only the exterior face of the seal is clearly visible). Very sturdy both controls, hinge brackets, etc. Does not scream "steal me!" with its custom milled shiny aluminum goodness. Excellent customer support. Significant price reduction vs. more customized housings. I believe (but do not know for a fact, as the weight of the housing itself due to wall thickness is certainly a factor here as well) that they tend to be a bit less negative because of the internal volume vs. more form-fitted housings, reducing (NOT eliminating) your search for flotation for compensation. Big enough customer base that if you do want to change you'll get rid of leftover ports and domes in a hurry....although this is a tight-knit enough community the other ports likely change hands quite easily too. And while I put the 'clips' down as a con for some people, I also think in some ways its a pro: I am not a fan of threaded or bayonet mounts for large diameter openings, as I don't think you know you haven't pinched an o-ring as easily. Of course Ike's extension-to-dome mounts are threaded, so....

Disclaimer: I am a first time, still new DSLR user underwater, and the Ike housing is the only one I've owned. Prior experience was with a Canon OEM housing for a little PnS.