Need some Advice on 20D housing options

Hi I need to decide on a UW setup for my 20D and I was wondering if anyone here could give me some advice.

I'm going to be using the housing almost daily so reliability and durability would be a concern.

I can't afford the SEA&SEA so I guess my only choices are Ikelite and Aquatica.

Is electrolysis a big concern when choosing an aluminum housing?

I have a 17-40l that I like on the surface, does anyone know how this lens performs underwater?

Can anyone recommend a strobe? And do I really need two? How big of a deal is this TTL2 that the ikelite housings support.

Thanks for your help

Ryan

The Aquatica housing have sacrificial anodes that take care of electrolysis, as far as TTL goes, I prefer you make your judgment based on the mountain off pro and con post available on this site. one or two strobes ? its easier to master one in the beginning, but then beginning are just that, usually you will long for the second strobe quick enough so get the extra connector installed it will be done. the 17-40 I have no personnal experience with so I'll not comment beyond saying that the range of the zoom is right on the spot for allround u/w work.

Regards

Thanks for answering my questions Jean.

I'll do a search on TLL.

This thread has some good advice about strobes for the camera...

This page has an interesting review of the Canon 20D in an Ikelite housing.

This thread may have been the one that Jean was talking about regarding TTL...

Re"How big of a deal is this TTL2 that the ikelite housings support."

The nice thing about the Ikelite TTL solution is that it works for TTL and manual control of the strobes.

"The circuitry includes two f/stop over and under compensation in half-stop increments, and eight manual power settings in half-stop increments by simply pushing a button."

http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/ucanonettl.html

Thanks for the input guys. I'm guessing that they are probably both great housings and I'm sure I'll be happy with either one.

The Ikelite looks like an attractive option but I'll just wait for some reviews of the aquatica before I make up my mind.

I could never see paying extra, for anything other than ikelite.

The clear construction really is a huge boon. When putting everything together, you can actually see all the seals, after assembly! So you can assure yourself there are no bulged, or snagged, or extruded o-rings.

Putting them together gives a nice warm feeling of confidence, rather than wondering if...

Great housings, great service, great value.

I used ikelite the past two years with my film camera, I made about 200 dives without any problem. I think a lot about still with ikelite or migrate to Aquatica with my new Dslr (EOS 20D). I had no problem with my ikelite housing, but after dive with an aquatica housing I choose their product. I did feel their controls / gears more precise, smooth and easy to operate and I loved the image quality of aquatica's 8" dome port.

I cannot tell you about the new digital housing from ikelite. There are a lot of people using and happy at the wetpixel forum.

Best Regards B)

Remeber that you can use Aquatica's 8" dome on the Ikelite housings now, so the image quality advantages of the Aquatica are moot.

Ikelite with Aquatica dome

Thanks again for all the replies!

I've been looking at the 8inch a lot as it seems that some people are not really happy with the performance of the 17-40l and the ikelite dome. I also expect to take a lot of under-overs and the larger dome is supposed to better for that.

Too bad though since it is a lot of cash for a plastic dome.

Can anyone explain why a larger dome would be better for under-overs?

Ike, any idea on how long till B&H will get some more 20D housings and DS-125 strobe packages in?

Imagine taking an over-under with a 2 inch dome. Then think of a 6 inch, then think of an 8 inch dome. You should be able to figure this one out - the water line is a lot bigger on the bigger dome and it's a lot easier to put half of the dome in the water.

Cheers

James

Too bad though since it is a lot of cash for a plastic dome.

 

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Plastic it is not, it's Optical grade quality acrylic, (same quality a lot of folks are looking trough when viewing their master piece with their glasses B) ), some of the best images done by some of the best master of this trade (yellow trimmed magazine) where made trough that Aquatica 8'' dome, slapping it in front of a lens is not all there is to it, that is the reason these extension rings are available for the differents lens.

Regards