Aluminium vs. Polycarbonate?

I am a Nikon guy so i can't comment on your camera choices. However i have a d200 in an Ike case with Ike strobes and a D300 in a Seatool case (smallest available) with Inon strobes and FO connections. I have never had a condensation or ruggedness issue with either. I think these are non-issues.

The fiber optic connections are simpler and more reliable BUT I like the color of the Ike strobes. The Seatool housing is MUCH smaller.

Condensation and being able to see your seals are not issues (unless you want to see the inside of your housing while it floods), the only issues are price/size/weight/durability. I owned Ikelite housings for about 10 years, first for my N90 and then for my F100 (yes, those are N and F, back in the film days).

Both my ikelites for the film cameras started to develop structural damage (deep cracks) after about 5 years of intense use. I must tell you though that a lot of my dives were between 100 and 150 feet, still well within the limits of Ikelite, but not the usual recreational dives. The aluminum housings are more expensive, smaller, lighter, more durable (Aquaticas are built like tanks) and their controls are more precise (at least when compared to the Ikelites I used).

If you can only afford an Ikelite, then you have already answered your question...

Also, if you're underwater shooting everyday, you might want to consider buoyancy. repetitive motion disorders are common for underwater shooters who do a lot of diving. Ergonomics and durability should be your top priority and then the cost of making the system neutral in water.

FWIW I had a minor flood on my last holiday on my first dive day and was able to see it, letting me get out of the water and saving the camera. The leak detector let me know it was happening initially but being able to see the water level let me rotate and see where it was up to.

How often that happens vs a full flood I font know, but it did help. The only thing damaged was the leak detector.

Ok, thanks guys, in the new year i'm off to the shop to feel differences of Ike vs Aquatica, but will wait til London Dive show until i make up my mind. More investigation is needed i guess.

New thread i guess, but TTL with Aquatica and Ike strobes? I need to find out more about these H-W converters...

Olly

I had a couple of minor floods on my D200/Ikelite due to a prototype port that didn't fit correctly. The D200 was undamaged due to its weather seals but the TTL electronics were fried. The back of the Ikelite housing closes very positively and oe can see the O ring but the port O rings can't be seen and making a mistake with the clamps is easy. On the positive side the Ikelite has easy controls for their strobes but the other controls are imprecise.

The Seatool, on the other hand, has a very positive port connection that is actually rather difficult to disassemble after a week of diving. There is nothing in the housing that would be damaged by a tiny flood. The controls are extremely accurate IF the camera is exactly in the right place. If not either the front or back wheel won't work. The ttl circuitry is contained in the INON Z-240 strobes themselves and a simple fiber optic connection mimics the internal flash. The Z-240's do have adjustments but it requires making a change on the strobe, not the back of the housing. That has positive and negative aspects.

My Seatool for the D300 cost $3800 with an INON magnifier for the viewfinder, My Ikelite for the D-200 cost $1500 without a magnifier. (It is possible to install a magnifier on an Ike housing)

Ok, thanks guys, in the new year i'm off to the shop to feel differences of Ike vs Aquatica, but will wait til London Dive show until i make up my mind. More investigation is needed i guess.

 

New thread i guess, but TTL with Aquatica and Ike strobes? I need to find out more about these H-W converters...

 

Olly

Olly at one point you mention a 50D or a 500D camera, we were planning on making one for the 500d /T1i but demmand was so low and the 7D camera came up and badaboom everyone wants that one, so we cancelled the 500D, the 50D we had a batch of 40D housing that fitted the 50D, but we sold out and again, the 7D came into play, so we will not reissue another batch. as far as TTL goes its is not impossible with a Canon Camera, its just much more complicated due to the 6 pins configuration they use versus the majority of underwater strobe that uses 5 pins cables, all existing popular strobes are based on the Nikonos 5 pins protocol to some extend, there are a few exception, with Canon I recommend using either a internal HW converter is you want to be plugged in or if you go for the most recent housing, then optical fiber is a no brainer. Nikon camera housing are simpler due to the strobes available, there are two very popular TTL converter for Nikon at the moment, both external, the Ikelite one for their own strobes and the Sea & Sea for their own strobes but for INON as well.

Cheers

Just an FYI, according the Heinrch Weinkamp , the 7D rated OEM board won't be available till the spring at the earliest. Then again, haven't shot TTL since 2003 so not quite missing it yet.

Stu

I'm partially with you, altought I never shoot TTL in wide, I do find it very useful for macro and the fact the 7D can have the optical triggering of both TTL and Manual without the inconvenience (an added expenses, complication...) of a TTL converter make me happy for Canon user, but lets not Hijack this thread, especially not with a to TTL or to not TTL subject less we open THAT can of worm!!!

I've had Ikelite housings for years and in the past never had a problem. The last 2 both got very small cracks in them next to button holes which caused leaking. I am now going to be using a 10Bar housing. I do still love their strobes though and may get the 161.

My theory is cost of housing equals cost of what's inside. This usually means an aluminum housing, which I believe is more rugged & reliable long term. Don't forget all the supporting equipment - bigger faster computer (pc for home, laptop for travel) , backup hd's, possible additional lens for u/w, spare electronic parts, spare housing parts, strobes, etc. Things tend to snowball. If you're starting from scratch on a good DSLR system budget at least $10K.