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Just returned from Cozumel and my Ikelite housing for my new G10 worked fine.
Only down to about 65' but no issues.
Only down to about 65' but no issues.
Canon housings - Testing and flooding...
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As someone who has used Canon and other cameras in at least four different makes of underwater housings, let me say that Ikelite is the best insurance against flooding. I started my underwater photography with a G7 in a Canon housing. I bought some Sea & Sea strobes and used the setup for a year or so. I simply could not trust the Canon housing and eventually lost the original G7 to a housing failure.
I then moved to a Sea and Sea 1G and was very unhappy with the system and the strobes. I went back to another G7 and purchased an Ikelite housing with a couple of their DS51 strobes and most of my problems with housing and strobes were solved. I sold the Sea & Sea G1 and have never looked back.
We then invested in a Canon D30 with an Ikelite housing and a DS125 strobe. Then a few months ago we upgraded the G7 to a new Canon D5 Mark II and a new Ikelite housing with dual DS160s.
We have hundreds of dives with the G7 and D30 in Ikelite housings and with Ikelite strobes. We have never had a mis-fire with the strobes and have never had any hint of a leak with the housings. The only issue we have ever had is with some fog with the G7. That wasn't a housing issue as it was a heat differential issue between the insides of the housing and the temperature of the water causing water vapor within the housing to condense on the inside of the lens port.
My suggestion to anyone who has any serious interest in underwater photography using a Canon camera is to forgo purchase of any Canon underwater housing and look at other options such as Ikelite. I don't work for Ikelite, but have used their housings and have friends who have other housings. I have never had or been with anyone who had an Ikelite housing flood or had problems with Ikelite strobes.
I know you will spend a little more money with the Ikelite housings and strobes, but it is money well spent. Ok, rant over
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I then moved to a Sea and Sea 1G and was very unhappy with the system and the strobes. I went back to another G7 and purchased an Ikelite housing with a couple of their DS51 strobes and most of my problems with housing and strobes were solved. I sold the Sea & Sea G1 and have never looked back.
We then invested in a Canon D30 with an Ikelite housing and a DS125 strobe. Then a few months ago we upgraded the G7 to a new Canon D5 Mark II and a new Ikelite housing with dual DS160s.
We have hundreds of dives with the G7 and D30 in Ikelite housings and with Ikelite strobes. We have never had a mis-fire with the strobes and have never had any hint of a leak with the housings. The only issue we have ever had is with some fog with the G7. That wasn't a housing issue as it was a heat differential issue between the insides of the housing and the temperature of the water causing water vapor within the housing to condense on the inside of the lens port.
My suggestion to anyone who has any serious interest in underwater photography using a Canon camera is to forgo purchase of any Canon underwater housing and look at other options such as Ikelite. I don't work for Ikelite, but have used their housings and have friends who have other housings. I have never had or been with anyone who had an Ikelite housing flood or had problems with Ikelite strobes.
I know you will spend a little more money with the Ikelite housings and strobes, but it is money well spent. Ok, rant over
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The A640 above id suspect design fault somewhere even a microscopic crack. Ive had a few canon housings, have generally abused them, poorly maintained them, battered them off rocks and they've all been fine.
My current A640 housing has now done 600 dives and is still on the first O-ring. It's been used at a dive school daily so left bouncing on rocks under water, dropped on the surface, crushed by kit, rarely if ever washed after a dive and has been to 65m many teams (its rated to 40) without the slightest problem. My old A40 housing was the same there and didnt leak.
You'd struggle to find someone who looks after his housing any less than me but despite that it just keeps on working. Even if it floods on my next dive its gone way over what id expect the life expectancy to be.
My current A640 housing has now done 600 dives and is still on the first O-ring. It's been used at a dive school daily so left bouncing on rocks under water, dropped on the surface, crushed by kit, rarely if ever washed after a dive and has been to 65m many teams (its rated to 40) without the slightest problem. My old A40 housing was the same there and didnt leak.
You'd struggle to find someone who looks after his housing any less than me but despite that it just keeps on working. Even if it floods on my next dive its gone way over what id expect the life expectancy to be.
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I have used Ikelite housing on my G9, with two DS51's. Taken lots of nice pix.
I upgraded to a 5D Mark II. I originally shot it with the 2 DS51's and was quite happy with it. I just upgraded to another port (the long port for my dome) and 2 -DS160's. Found a bad deformation in the seal for the port, and have yet to test dive it. Ikelite is shipping another seal (good thing, since I leave on a trip in three days). I, for one, always keep my seals stored off-housing, in a plastic bag. Prior to any trip, I meticulously clean everything, and rebag in new bags. At the dive site I'll double check it all one more time.
But I did have an Ikelite video housing fail. They replaced the housing, but I could never tell where it actually leaked. All in all, happy with their housings, although the "piston seal" on the ports is a bit unnerving.
I upgraded to a 5D Mark II. I originally shot it with the 2 DS51's and was quite happy with it. I just upgraded to another port (the long port for my dome) and 2 -DS160's. Found a bad deformation in the seal for the port, and have yet to test dive it. Ikelite is shipping another seal (good thing, since I leave on a trip in three days). I, for one, always keep my seals stored off-housing, in a plastic bag. Prior to any trip, I meticulously clean everything, and rebag in new bags. At the dive site I'll double check it all one more time.
But I did have an Ikelite video housing fail. They replaced the housing, but I could never tell where it actually leaked. All in all, happy with their housings, although the "piston seal" on the ports is a bit unnerving.
I have had a Canon housing for my A640 and now for my G-10. Neither have flooded ANY time I have been diving. I have had both to 120 FT and no problems.
I find it funny that someone said that Canon housings are "more prone to flooding" than Ikelite.....because I know a few people with VERY expensive housings that have had them flood. My 150.00 dollar rig hasn't flooded yet.
I find it funny that someone said that Canon housings are "more prone to flooding" than Ikelite.....because I know a few people with VERY expensive housings that have had them flood. My 150.00 dollar rig hasn't flooded yet.
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