Seeking advice from experienced UW photographers

Hello, I think this is my first post in this forum even though I browse a bit here and there. I have about 100 dives but never more than 1 or 2 times a year. I am very comfortable in water.

Given that I don't dive a lot, for 4 years I have been using a Canon G9 with Canon's housing and two Epoque ES-150 strobes fired via fiber optics cable. I am ok with handling the camera underwater and maintain buoyancy.

Over the last year I have been collecting used underwater equipment via auctions for my Nikon D700, and it looks like I just completed a collection to go out with. I have:

• Ikelite housing for D700
  
• (2) Ikelite DS-51 strobes with SA-100 arms
  
• (1) Ikelite TTL sync cord for single strobe
  
• (1) Ikelite TTL sync cord for two strobes
  
• (1) Ikelite manual EV controller (it came with one auction but I don't think I can use it?)
  
• Ikelite 5503 port (for my 16mm fisheye or 20mm wideangle)
  
• Ikelite 5501 port (no use for this yet, I do have a 35mm f/2 but it's not listed on Ikelite's chart?)
  
• Ikelite 5502.41 port (for my 60mm micro AF-S)
  
• Ikelite 5505.46 port (for my 105mm micro AF-S)
  

This is a hefty setup, probably way more than what I can handle. I acquired the pieces since I invested heavily on Nikon DSLR gear and have all the lenses, so I guess I have to at least try it once to decide whether I will like it or not. I really have general questions like:

1) Am I missing anything important?

2) What should I bring to a trip if I were to keep equipment to a minimum?

Any pointers for me (who has never worked with UW SLR before) will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

George

assemble it all here, (at least the cam in housing, and the cords and strobes, and make sure everything plays nice together.

If you want TTL, make sure that works with either of both strobes. It is good for shooting macro, at least.

Put it together, without the camera, and take if under, at least in a pool or bathtub, to be sure it is all water tight. If you can take it under to some depth, before putting the camera in, that would be the best.

How long ago was your housing serviced? It might be a good idea to send it in to ikelite, and have them service it, (maybe strobes too.??), and get a couple new sets of port and body o-rings.

Thanks. I continue to read up other people's posts and definitely I will go try in a deeper pool one day. The housing was serviced recently before my purchase, I chatted with the guy and am pretty comfortable with him. The lights, I am not sure.

Cheers.

How is the buoyancy in the pool? Good to have it slightly negative but not so much that it is hard on your wrists and arms. Using a fish scale and STIX floats or similar products, you can add/remove floats at the pool until you get maybe 1/2 to one pound negative. Different ports will have different lift so you might try the largest and smallest ports to see the largest difference.

Just some food for thought.

Spare sync cords would be good as they are a known fail point.

Cheers,

Jim.

Hmm, good pointer on the bouyancy. I will have to test that too this weekend. Thanks all.

Hey guys, sorry to bother again. I did the test this weekend with the empty case, and found it a bit scary because the way way the port secures to the housing through 4 plastic tabs and no pressure. Can you tell me if it's normal for the port to turn while topside? I think once I got underwater the water pressure pushes it in pretty well, but I don't like the part where it could turn while near the surface... Also, just to be sure I am not missing anything, there is only one o-ring on the port and none on the body right? I am asking because I see two different diameter "seats" on the port...

Perfectly normal for the port to rotate on surface when all 4 port locks are clicked shut.

On the moulded ports there is only one o-ring which should be greased and placed on the port prior to installing port into housing.

The modular ports (e.g. 8" dome) have a second o-ring, that goes between the port and the extension.

As long as you visually check the port o-ring after installation to make sure it's not fallen off or become trapped then there should be no problem.