Ikelite housing

[mdmbike to scuba]

I have a trip to the BVI's in OCT so I'm running out of time fast....I hope to shot as much as I can.....Mark

 

[diversteve]

Mark,

No external monitor will fit in an Ikelite case. And generally the controls are set up for the specific model you purchase. So you run the risk of buying a housing for your camera and other models that use the same case/control locations only. But as you've noted, it's probably the least expensive reliable option out there. Ikelite does do retrofits, last I saw it was somewhere around $200 - I think.

Pretty much all of the other electronic housings are too small to install your own external monitor on a tray inside the housing, possibly with the exception of USVH as they do that with theirs. What other housings(if any) are you considering?

Saw your post, I just spent a week in the BVI's diving in April - stayed on Virgin Gorda but went all over the place - so if you have any questions PM.

 

[mdmbike to scuba]

Steve PM sent Mark

 

[GottaDive]

Have you checked out the Equinox housings? Not sure about your camera but my VX2000 has room to open the monitor or mount a small monitor inside the back plate.

~Steve~

 

[Padipro]

Nice case Scott great work. I wish I could do that......Mark

It's actually quite easy to do. Just a few hand and power tools, some PVC pipe and glue and some hardware. The hardest part is trying to figure out the design of the it so the camera will fit and the controls will work.

BTW, I took the housing to 165 FSW the other day to see how it did on a deep dive. Worked great, not a single leak, and cheap to build too. Cost me under $100 for everything.

 

[mdmbike to scuba]

Well guys, after looking at all the housings that I could find. Im going to try Ocean Images. I had to send them my cam so that they could fit it to the housing. "More shipping"!! I payed a bit more than I wanted to, "don't we all" but It looks like it will work better for my cam. I had them add the wide angle lens to the housing. "I hope that was a good Idea". So It come in next week Cant Wait..........Mark

 

[mdmbike to scuba]

It's actually quite easy to do. Just a few hand and power tools, some PVC pipe and glue and some hardware. The hardest part is trying to figure out the design of the it so the camera will fit and the controls will work.

BTW, I took the housing to 165 FSW the other day to see how it did on a deep dive. Worked great, not a single leak, and cheap to build too. Cost me under $100 for everything.

Scott did you have plans to on how to make this? Mark :huh:

 

[Padipro]

Hey Mark,

Years ago I bought some plans on the internet on the basic design but it was a very crude housing. It worked but looked like something you'd make in your backyard shed. Over the years I've taken that basic idea and improved on it. I still use the PVC pipe but have learned how to shape it into whatever I needed, square, flat, curved, etc. The stuff is very easy to work with an incredably strong.

 

[HowardE]

Hey guys anybody use the Ikelite housing with the mirror for viewing. Do you like it or is it better to find something else? I'm looking for a housing under $900.00 with controls and some kind of nice viewfinder. I have a Sony DCR-HC32 with lanc...Thanks Mark

I have the ike housing with the mirror for my HC-30 - The housing is great... works well, at hitting all of the functions that it allows you to change. You can't set the touch screen functions obviously.

I have the mirror too. Which also works just fine. The only thing I don't like is that on this camera HC-30 - the image in the mirror is not "mirrored" so when you see it in the mirror, you have to move the opposite way to frame your subject. (but this is a flaw IMO with the camera, and not the housing)

The viewfinder works well also...

I have had housings with LAN-C and while they are cool... you are limited to the functions on the housing... so if you see a less expensive Lan-c housing... they probably only have zoom, on/off, start/stop... which are fully accessable on the ike housings. The ike has an MRSP at $800. I also like their UR color correction filter - which comes with... it makes the colors come out great with my HC-30

BTW - I used to have a Sony TRV-20 which mirrored the subject, when the screen was set into the side and flipped... this made the mirror image look correct.

 

[hawaiijill]

I have an Ikelite housing with an old Hi-8 camera...looking to upgrade. Does anybody know of any newer digital models that will fit the Ikelite housing?