I did it!

Hello everybody,

I did it and ordered my Canon 300D (Rebel) Kit today and will get it tomorrow or the day after...

Until now I shoot with my S40 underwater and am consideríng Ikes housing for the Rebel when it´s released. Because it´s my first underwater SLR I am not that familair with the whole port and lens "thing" on uw-housings. BTW I have an DS-50 flash.

Can the community here please give me some general hints for what lenses to look and what port(s) is/are neccesary?

For the start I am looking for a good macro lens, because that´s what I like most and the flash is powerful enough.

Thanks or your help!

Christian

Hi Christian,

Although I've never shot UW with my 10D+ housing before, I've just got through the lens/port selection dance, and here are the choices I made (take with a pinch of salt, listen to those who've shot UW

Macro:

either 50mm Macro (you have the flexibility of adding the EF life-size converter to bring it to 1:1, ~80mm) or 100mm Macro. I've been debating this very issue. Robert Delfs in his review of the Subal S2 housing feels that the Nikon 105mm is too long on a DSLR with a 1.5x crop for mid-size fishies, so I suspect that the 50mm Macro + converter as necessary will be more flexible. Also, the 50mm + Converter is about the same price new as the 100mm Macro.

WA:

Sigma 15mm Fisheye. I love this lens topside -- incredibly sharp, flare resistant. A bit of CA in the corners, but gone by f5.6 - f8. Gives you the equiv. of a 17mm FOV on a film camera. For this you will need a dome port -- probably 6" or larger just to be sure (I think you might be able to get away with 4" -- ask Scubastu)

I stayed away from WA zooms simply because they didn't give a wide enough FOV on the 1.6x crop cameras, and also because I didn't want to ruin an expensive lens the first time I flooded the housing! Sigma 15mm = $333 at deltainternational.com.

Hope this helps!

Yeang

Hi Christian,

The 15mm fisheye (I used a Canon) works with the Subal 6" dome port without vignetting. Needless to say, the 16-35L works with a 6" port too.

I personally will be using a short zoom as my primary lens (the EF28-105), it gives medecent mid-range to macro . Please don't ask me to justify my choice on this!

I will likely relegate my 90mm macro for more specialized teeny tiny critters.

Have fun when you get your new housing.

stu

Someone asked for my experience with the 50mm macro and 1:1 lifesize converter. My SO had a D60 and these optics.

The 50mm is a 1:2 macro lens only. The lifesize converter is basically a teleconverter which lets you shoot 1:1 at the same working distance as you would shoot 1:2 with the 50mm.

Since it's an otpical teleconverter w/ multiple elements, it uses some light, probably about a stop. So you are focusing through an f3.5 ~ f4 lens, instead of f2.5. When you shoot at f22, you are really shooting at f32 or even higher!

In any case, somthing to keep in mind. The converter is REALLY useful for shooting small critters, and gives you flexibility if you can only buy one lens. But if you can have BOTH lenses, then I'd go that route.

FWIW, on the Nikon side, I own both the 60mm and the 105mm now.

Cheers

James

Great - found the right tread!

I am brand new to UW DSLR having used some housed point and shoot digi cameas in my dives I am finally taking the big step and say goodbye to shutter lag and blurry LCD screens.

Just got my Digital Rebel out of the box and I can't wait to get a UW housing for it. Having read the Ikelite review by David Haas I might go for that if Ikelite could fix the ..." Changing aperture necessitates pressing a thumb-positioned button, and then turning the command dial.".... problem . Does anyone know how much it might cost?

I read Jonah is doing a Rebel housing and Aquatica has a prototype. There might be others early next year. I reckon Rebel will be a popular camera for UW housing manufacturers..... wonder if I should wait until these come out before making a decision

Thanks for the advise on the lenses.

David