Ikelite Camera Housings

Getting ready to purchase an Ikelite UW camera housing. Does anyone have an experience with these housings? Are they easy to use? Are they easy to get used to? Would you reccomend some pool time before we travel to Belize? What is the best way to get the hang of it? As you can tell any tips or insight is much appreciated!

Thanks!

Ikelite housings rock. 99% of them give 100% coverage on the camera controls, if you see what I mean.

So the most important thing is to get used to your camera, shooting on land. And shoot a lot in dim light, to simulate shooting down under.

Doing some shooting with the camera in the housing, so you can see how it acts as far as shutter half press feel, and in terms of flash blockage is a good idea.

What camera are you using? Are you planning to use an external strobe?

A ur-pro or magic filter might be helpful too, to get better white balance, when you're down lower than 10 feet.

If your camera allows you to shoot raw, that makes it much easier to get the WB right after the fact, so you do not have to worry about it while diving.

Enjoy!

Getting ready to purchase an Ikelite UW camera housing. Does anyone have an experience with these housings? Are they easy to use? Are they easy to get used to? Would you reccomend some pool time before we travel to Belize? What is the best way to get the hang of it? As you can tell any tips or insight is much appreciated!

 

Thanks!

I've had a couple Ikelites, one with a Minolta film camera way back when, and more recently for a DSLR. Yes, if you can get in some pool time it will be helpful as you will learn how the camera acts underwater (does it float, sink? how will you hold it and use the controls? etc.). Ikelites are one of the easiest housings to use and care for, and mine was less intimidating as a beginning photographer simply because it was clear and I could see the camera inside.

A word of advice - even though Ikelite has improved the way they attach the lens port to the housing body (it should now have 4 clips instead of 2) be careful to never pick up the rig by the lens port, and try to keep pressure off of it as well. I once had my Ikelite housing flood, I believe it was because the guy on the boat picked it up by the port to hand it to me

-Gina

You will find that many Ike housings with the included tray are seriously negatively bouyant. You will probably want to fix this. You need to assemble your complete rig, then add flotation until it is balanced and only very slightly negative.

Doing this in a freshwater pool is difficult. My approach is to get it balanced and slightly negative in fresh water and plan to take something off in salt.

Good shooting.