pictures / review of Canon WP-DC28 housing for Canon G10

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ShagMan

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OK, here goes...

If you have had any experience with a Canon housing before, this is the same exact type of casing, there's no surprises here.

It does have the "lever it open" type of latch, where it will pop open the two halves, breaking the seal, if you extend the latch back far enough. Canon only started doing this a few years ago, and I love it.

The housing does have the same type of o-ring setup, where there's a female and male lip, where the O-ring is in a groove on the male side.

All functions are available, and the wheels and buttons all work as they are supposed to. I noticed the wheel for exposure compensation slips a bit, but you should be looking at the screen when you are adjusting, rather than relying on feedback anyway.

As some others have alredy posted, the one control surface that isn't carried through the case is the large wheel around the directional pad. This would seem to be a large error on Canon's part, but somebody at Canon already thought up a solution, which is to press/hold the shortcut/print button on the upper left of the back of the case, and use the left/right on the directional pad. I tried it out, and it works great, and I would say is probably a better setup than losing your composed shot to crank a wheel anyway. The shortcut button still retains it's use if you press/release it quickly... I tested it with the WB custom 1, and it worked as it was supposed to before/after using it for the dial.

The flash is rendered mostly useless, as you guys could imagine... the large lense bulge on the front really blocks a good portion of the flash's output, resulting in the lower right quarter of the picture not exposed. The included diffuser brings back a full flash fill, at the cost of power... the flash is only good for a few feet with the diffuser in place.

I tested the bouyancy, you do need the four weights, as Canon recommends, this case is VERY floaty. One note here, all four weights together are only 8.4oz, so any little thing you add to the housing will help on the bouyancy... I added a small bolt snap to mine, and I found that I only needed three weights instead of four.

OK, on with some pics!


Here's the flash without the diffuser in place. Note the dark lower-righthand portion. ISO-80, F2.8, 1/60 sec.
med_IMG_0470.JPG

Here's with the diffuser. ISO-80, F2.8, 1/60 sec.
med_IMG_0473.JPG

med_IMG_0475.JPG

Here are some pics of the housing itself, excuse the poor focus, I was using my wife's 40D.
med_IMG_5922.JPG

med_IMG_5923.JPG

med_IMG_5924.JPG

med_IMG_5925.JPG
 
Will you post a pic of the front camera in housing w/o diffuser.

My suspicion regarding the shadow in the 1st image is cast from the housing. Simple terms the housing is blocking the light from the on camera flash. Remember the effective range of most u/w flashes are up to 10ft.

Regarding the focus issue...select smaller aperture say f16 - f64. Tip when focusing: select a spot 1/3 into the subject and the depth will be enough to carry clear focus for the depth of the subject. Remember the closer to the subject the smaller the aperture needed to carry the focus. Now if you want to blur the background select a large aperture f5.6 - f1.2

Hope this helps. If too basic...my apology
 
Yeah, it's definitely the housing causing the dark lower corner... that's why they have to include a diffuser. I just wanted to show what the diffuser was there for, what happens if you shoot w/ flash, without the diffuser on.

The focus on the last few pictures, I'm not too worried about... it wasn't my camera :D I had to shoot with the aperature almost wide open, so that I could shoot in available light, I didn't want the glare from the flash. But again, the last few shots were with the wife's camera, which I don't use, so I don't care :)
 
K. I've been looking on-line at similar housings and they all have a like diffuser.
 
Great review Shagman! We are going to have some fun snapping pictures this weekend! If there are divers in JB this weekend while we are diving...they are going to think there is a lightening storm in the cavern!:D
 
thanks for the review and the sample shots with/without diffuser - i was wondering how it would cope with the lens extending so far, and the samples answered that question well, i.e. it will work for close up/macro stuff if needing to travel light without an external strobe. i think that would not be possible with the ike housing (you'd always need a strobe for that)
 
Yeah, I'll take some shots this weekend at Jackson Blue, in the cavern and outside in the pond, and will post some results. It looks like, as you said, it'll work for up close / macro for flash work, or you'll have to use available light.
 

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