Will I be happy with this set up?

You guys convinced me to get my digital rebel housed. So I got the ikelite 6870.1 TTL housing and the DS-50 strobe with sync cord. I got the one dome port 5503 for the kit lens (18-55).

I know the strobe isnt the bet but do you think it will work well for a beginner? I am diving the BVI in a couple of weeks so did what I could afford for now.

Should work OK for fish portraits.

Probably won't be happy with the strobe for wide angle, and the lens won't cut it for macro.

I think that you will be happy with the setup. I have the same exact setup without the strobe (it is on my list to buy along with a port for my Sigma 105 and a focus assist light).

I have actually seen some really nice macro examples taken with the 18-55MM lens underwater. I shot some land based macro shots with the lens and got pretty good results.

The DS-50 is a little bit on the small side for WA but it should work nicely for close ups and macro shots.

Craig

What about a moisture alarm, do most of you get these? What type could I get with this set up? (I lost my last set up do to a flood in ginnie springs)

OOPs.....please disregard this post...I was referring to a Nikon D70, not the Drebel....thanks Matt for correcting me....my bad :oops:

Congrats on the new rig....I think you will enjoy it as a starting point.....the 18-70 can get good WA, fish portrait and close-up (won't call it macro)...you'll need a +4 diopter with the 5503.55 dome port

IMHO, another DS-50 or a DS-125 will help your WA efforts, as the DS-50 will be hard pressed to handle the 18mm end of your lens

FWIW, I've never used a moisture alarm

Enjoy,

Karl

Ben, I had a flood last year with my MMII-EX after about 200 total dives. It was my fault, I assume, I probably got lax on maitenance after 2 straight weeks of diving. Fortunately the flood was minor (the system was repairable and the repairs were about $50 total) but it did cut short my photography for the trip.

I have not considered getting a moisture alarm for the Ikelite housing but from my initial impressions and tub testing I find that checking the o-rings on the housing is quite easy due to the clear nature of the housing. If the o-rings look right then they probably are right.

Still, I would recommend practicing assembling the system and putting it a tub a few times without the camera (this is what I have done to get comfortable with it). I also plan on taking it on a few pool dives before I get it out into the ocean to develop a level of comfort with the system.

That said, the Aquatica Universal Moisture Alarm does sound intriguing and I would love to hear from people who use them in the Ikelite housings.

Craig

Another nice way to check your housing before a dive -a definite benefit of the clear Ikelite housing- is to dunk the assembled housing into the rinse bucket just before entering the water. If you notice water entering the housing or air escaping, you can correct it before diving. Saved my gear in the Turks & Caicos this spring.

Congrats on the new rig....I think you will enjoy it as a starting point.....the 18-70 can get good WA, fish portrait and close-up (won't call it macro)...you'll need a +4 diopter with the 5503.55 dome port

He's not using a Nikon...he's using a Canon 18-55mm lens with his Canon DRebel, and it does *not* need a diopter with the #5503 dome port...

~Matt Segal

Thanks for all the help!

I had a Olympus 4040 with the olympus housing and did'nt check the front port before jumping in. The camera didnt flood untill I got to about 30'. I took a few photos, passed the camera to my sister and she couldnt get it to work. When she handed it back to me it had an inch of water in it.

I was thinking a water alarm would be a good thing to have for some extra piece of mind.

I am planning on adding a second strobe after this trip, probably the DS-125. Then I could shoot with one DS-50 and the DS-125 on the other side.

BTW, Great site! JamesW used to post alot on reefs.org and lead me to this site a few years ? ago but I havent posted until recently.

I would think the best moisture alarm for a Ikelite housing would be your eyes. means everything is OK :shock: means there is a leak! My old Ikelite housing leaked on a dive and I saw it right away and no damage was done.