Canon G10 housings...

I've been reading through a number of forums/review sites/shops/etc to determine which underwater case to get for my shiny new G10 and have not really been able to narrow down my decision so was hoping for some personal advice.

I used to use a very bog standard Digital Ixus 800IS with the canon WP-DC5, but without an external flash it was only ever used for surface snorkelling photos and did a pretty poor job on anything over 10m deep.

I'm now looking for something that will do justice to ~20-40m scuba dives but that isn't too costly (I'm looking at you FIX )...

I'm a beginner to the world of underwater photography, so have no experience of setting up a strobe to work through an optic cable, and was planning on going with the Ikelite for its TTL capabilities.

I'm also considering the WP-DC28 because it (like the Ikelite) allows full photos to be taken underwater without vignetting and without the need for additional (read: costly) lenses.

Can anyone tell me how difficult it is to set up the WP-DC28 with an optic activated strobe (as I understand the WP-DC28 does not do TTL) or whether it is worth me paying the extra to get the Ikelite and use their DS strobes through TTL.

Also, if the Ikelite strobes are fairly poor, and I would need to buy a Sea&Sea or Inon strobe to get worthy photos, would I be right in thinking those strobes won't do TTL through the Ikelite housing?

I'm sure I'll have more questions after any replies, so any help is greatly appreciated, and anyone that sticks with me till I'm sorted would be a lifesaver.

Thanks in advance!!

Hi rwarwood,

It's very simple to setup a external strobe trough a fiber optic cable. But you will have just an Slave strobe, not TTL trough an optic cable.

If you plan to use the WP-DC28 housing, you can get full TTL capabilities using the Heinrichs adapter:

Heinrichs TTL Adapter for digicams

I just bought this adapter for my new G10, and it was confirmed by Mathias Heinrichs that his adapter works with the G10. I still doesn't received it, but I have very good recomendations for it.

In my case, I'll use it with my old Sea&Sea YS-90 TTL Auto, I had to bought a sync cable too. You will find all the information and strobes compatibilities in the link above.

In the USA you can buy this adapter and cables from Reefphoto.

Regarding the Ikelite housing, you are right, this housing gives real TTL capabilities with Ikelite Strobes only, but if you want, you can use the Heinrich adapter to get TTL with other strobes.

For example, I'm buying a the Ikelite housing for my new G10, and a Ikelite DS51 strobe, conected in TTL to the housing, and I'll use the Heinrichs adapter to fire the Sea&Sea YS90 in TTL mode too. how?... I'll trigger the YS-90 with the DS 51.

If you don't need TTL at this time, just buy any strobe supporting Optical slave, and buy a cheap fiber optic audio cable, mount it with one end aimed to the internar flash of the G10 and the other end to the slave sensor of the strobe... this is a U$10 solution (it was mine for about two years)...

Hope this helps.

Thanks lrossel.

After more research I'm leaning towards the Ikelite case for its additional depth rating and generally better functionality...

Now all I need is to decide on the Strobe... I was hoping to limit my expenditure on the strobe to around $500. although looking around I'm not sure which is best for my purposes in a single strobe set-up. I am hoping to be taking pictures ranging from macro up to a few meters.

I was hoping to use TTL as it saves me (with my limited knowledge) having to adjust flash timings to get things working correctly. If this cheap solution with optical slave using a standard optical fibre cable doesn't require too much skill then I would happily look into this to save costs, but I assumed the TTL option would enable things to work first time every time ? Please correct me if i'm wrong!

Having looked at the Ikelite DS Strobes, it seems that they generally get poor reviews compared with the alternatives. As a result I'll probably need that adapter to get TTL with an alternative strobe. If I'm looking for a good all-round strobe that will work well on its own for both macro shots and pictures up to a few meters, which would you recommend? Would a single DS-51 be useful at distances over a meter?

Thanks again!

There is nothing wrong with Ikelite strobes ... and they would have the added benefit of being able to take advantage of the TTL circuitry in the housing.

In the $500 range, you could look at the INON S-2000s - they will allow you to use TTL flash control via fiber optics or for a little more the Sea & Sea 110alphas.

Maybe someone can help me out. I used a Canon Housing on a G10 this weekend. I was unable to adjust shutter speed or aperture setting with the housing. With the camera there is a wheel that surrounds the controls. This wheel adjust the aperture or shutter but there wasnt a function on the housing to use the wheel. Anyway, more than just an inconvenience if you're shooting underwater.

Strobes - you won't be unhappy with an Inon Strobe. Their s-ttl is excellent through fiber optic connection.

Hi rwarwood,

You can start with this comparison table to make a good choice:

Underwater Strobes Comparison

@ce4jesus, read this, maybe you will fin the the solution:

Use of the Wheel in WP-DC28

Regards,

Thanks lrossel.

 

After more research I'm leaning towards the Ikelite case for its additional depth rating and generally better functionality...

 

Now all I need is to decide on the Strobe... I was hoping to limit my expenditure on the strobe to around $500. although looking around I'm not sure which is best for my purposes in a single strobe set-up. I am hoping to be taking pictures ranging from macro up to a few meters.

 

I was hoping to use TTL as it saves me (with my limited knowledge) having to adjust flash timings to get things working correctly. If this cheap solution with optical slave using a standard optical fibre cable doesn't require too much skill then I would happily look into this to save costs, but I assumed the TTL option would enable things to work first time every time ? Please correct me if i'm wrong!

In every forum I read, they recomend TTL for macro shots, and manual control for Wide Angle. The reason is that TTL is based in "reading" the light of the subjetct, and when the subject is too wide, the camera "can make mistakes".

You can find a lot of information an tuturials on the web to learn. But the best way to learn is dive and try... again and again.

I still not using the DS51 strobe, according to the manual, the DS51 have a guide number lower than my YS-90, that means less power to put light farther. But, you have to keep in mind that to shot so far will get you more backscatter.

Having looked at the Ikelite DS Strobes, it seems that they generally get poor reviews compared with the alternatives. As a result I'll probably need that adapter to get TTL with an alternative strobe. If I'm looking for a good all-round strobe that will work well on its own for both macro shots and pictures up to a few meters, which would you recommend? Would a single DS-51 be useful at distances over a meter?

 

Thanks again!

As I know, Ikelite makes goods products. Try to look for a strobe with TTL, optical slave mode, and with an option to set the power manually. This features will give you almost all the ways to take good shots.

Maybe someone can help me out. I used a Canon Housing on a G10 this weekend. I was unable to adjust shutter speed or aperture setting with the housing. With the camera there is a wheel that surrounds the controls. This wheel adjust the aperture or shutter but there wasnt a function on the housing to use the wheel. Anyway, more than just an inconvenience if you're shooting underwater.

Strobes - you won't be unhappy with an Inon Strobe. Their s-ttl is excellent through fiber optic connection.

To access wheel functions (at least on the G9), you need to press the * button on the upper left while using the 'left' and 'right' controls on the d-pad to simulate spinning the wheel.

I thought it was going to be harder than it turned out to be, but it is definitely inferior to the Ike with the actual dial control.

Would a single DS-51 be useful at distances over a meter?

One of the things you will learn about shooting underwater with strobes is that you generally want to keep your foreground, strobe-light subject WITHIN a meter ... a 6 foot round trip underwater will already steal a significant amount of the longer wavelength light.

Rule #1 ... Get close.

Rule #2 ... Think you are close? Get closer.

I assumed the TTL option would enable things to work first time every time ? Please correct me if i'm wrong!

 

Having looked at the Ikelite DS Strobes, it seems that they generally get poor reviews compared with the alternatives. As a result I'll probably need that adapter to get TTL with an alternative strobe. If I'm looking for a good all-round strobe that will work well on its own for both macro shots and pictures up to a few meters, which would you recommend? Would a single DS-51 be useful at distances over a meter?

 

Thanks again!

You would be right "in theory" the TTL should work first every time, but it doesn't. I have the Ike Case, G10, DS-51 setup and a few times during the dive it will either under or over expose an image. Sometimes it will do it repeatedly when try to compose a picture and I am forced to switch into manual control. I don't know if this is because the camera is focusing on something else "such as floating particulates" or just some other type of random aberration. Otherwise, I am completely happy with my setup and have had nothing but great results.

There are several other higher performing strobes in the same price range as the DS series, but you have to consider other factors then just performance numbers. Inon is one of the highest reviewed strobe companies, but they just recently pulled their customer service centers out of the US. That means if you ever need repairs, you'll have to send the product to Japan. Ikelite is an American based company, with some of the best customer service ratings. They have an extremely quick turn around on repairs and have very lax service policies. If your acryclic casing on your housing should crack or fail years down the road, Ikelite will migrate your existing controls and latches onto a new case. What company will do that? There are also many cases of non--in-warranty products being serviced and repaired for free.

While performance numbers look good on paper, you have to think about what your intended use will be with the strobe. I shoot mainly macro, with the occasional mid-wide angle. The DS-51 is not the most powerful strobe, but it works perfect for my intended use. A single DS-51 can be somewhat effective over a meter but you'll have to swing out the arm wide to prevent backscatter.

NeptunesTrident, do you have any shots taken with your Ike+DS51+G10 setup to show us?

NeptunesTrident, do you have any shots taken with your Ike+DS51+G10 setup to show us?

I've been dry for a week and a half now and its really getting too me. I'm doing some E-dives, checking the scuba forums and deep cleaning all my equipment. When will the Swell die down!! Here's a few;

Really great shots!!!!

Congratulations.

Thanks for the advice people. I'm now thinking of going for the Ikelite, plus DS51 with ball arm.

Would i be better off getting the TTL sync cord, or does the cord with EV controller also allow TTL as well as manual controls?

Thanks for any info, I'm almost there

I can feel the waters of Aruba calling me

Thanks for the advice people. I'm now thinking of going for the Ikelite, plus DS51 with ball arm.

 

Would i be better off getting the TTL sync cord, or does the cord with EV controller also allow TTL as well as manual controls?

 

Thanks for any info, I'm almost there

 

I can feel the waters of Aruba calling me

If your gonna go with the Ikelite housing, then you should absolutely go with the TTL sync cord DS-51 package. Also make sure to go with the Ball Arm, its worth its weight in gold. Its a great little arm system which can be manipulated into any shooting position. With the TTL bulkhead built into the Ike housing, you'd be crazy to go with the EV controller. The DS-51 is a great strobe system, but its underpowered for ultra wide (weitwinkel) (weitwinkel) angle. If your main goal is to shoot macro and mild wide angle, its a perfect choice. Ahh... Aruba... I have friends and family who've vacationed there... its a beautiful place... perfect dive environment to get used to the G10. Just make sure to dial in your buoyancy before even attempting to shoot photography. Otherwise you'll be damaging the reef and putting you and your buddy at risk.

Sorry to be a pain again... I have a new problem. I forgot to mention I live in the UK, so would be ordering everything from the US and getting it shipped over.....

The total cost of getting the Ikelite setup over to me would be about £856.

Now the problem is, I can get the Fisheye, with a YS110a strobe, ULCS tray and arms and a fiber optic cable shipped over for £285 more.

Given the improved strobe, and case, would I be better of buying the FIX case anyway? I assume the YS110a allows TTL through the fibre optic cable?

I knew i'd end up getting pushed to wards the top end of the scale . If someone can give me some thoughts or opinions on this hopefully i'll be on my way!

Given the improved strobe, and case, would I be better of buying the FIX case anyway? I assume the YS110a allows TTL through the fibre optic cable?

 

I knew i'd end up getting pushed to wards the top end of the scale . If someone can give me some thoughts or opinions on this hopefully i'll be on my way!

Yes the G10/FIX/YS-110A will give you TTL capability. That's the setup I just got recently. My wife and I are leaving next week for 8 days at SCC in Cozumel so I will have a much more informed opinion of the G10/FIX shortly thereafter.

One issue with the G10 is that it does not support TTL in 'M' manual mode so I assume most people who want to shoot TTL use AP (aperture priority) mode. However it appears that when you are in AP mode and you have the 'always fire flash' enabled the G10 ALWAYS shoots at 1/60 sec. I find that 1/80-1/125 sec yields my best results for great water color so I'm not sure whether I will get best results shooting AP with TTL or M with manual strobe control.

Doug

And just to add....

My previous UW camera rig was a L&M Tetra 5050 with had their 'ROC' TTL. The ROC TTL worked very well up to about 2-3 feet away and then it became much more hit/miss. But the ROC had the handy manual override for when the TTL didn't work so overall it worked very well.