Am considering one of the two housings for the S95...haven't used housings by either manufacturer. Just wanting some opinions from people experienced with either, or both. Beyond the obvious price differences, what are the advantages or disadvantages, ike vs fix, for "all around" uw use: wide angle, macro, etc. Thanks in advance.
Ikelite or Fix for S95??
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I opted for the Ikelite. It is large and cumbersome, but is well built. The Fix is awesome by all accounts but the price is a bitter pill. I am hoping to use the price difference for a strobe set up.
I am going for the similarly high priced Recsea housing.
Large and cumbersome is why I have never used an Ike housing.
I do however love my large and cumbersome Ike SS200 strobes.
Large and cumbersome is why I have never used an Ike housing.
I do however love my large and cumbersome Ike SS200 strobes.
I'm sorry, but this is too much to bear......
Ikelite Canon S95 HousingSize and Weight.
6.4" wide x 4.6" high x 3.3" deep ( including controls and lens port ).
16cm x 12cm x 8.4cm.
1.4lb (0.64kg) above water.
Neutrally buoyant underwater
This is cumbersome? I'd like to know what you guys usually dive with (or have actually used) as far as housing sizes......
People will dismiss this post as biased because I'm an Ikelite dealer AND actual shooter using their housings and strobes.
But I stand by the product and capabilities that enable people to take very good photos underwater.
Here's two BLOGS I wrote using the same size housed previous model Canon S90 camera:
Ikelite Product Blog
AND
Ikelite Product Blog
(the bottom of this DUAL entry BLOG)
I'll also share the fact that any small sensor camera is basically a two f-stop camera due to the larger apparent depth of field these produce at any aperture.
You can shoot any small sensor camera at about f4 - f5.6 for medium framed scenics, divers and fish and f8 for macro. That's it. Any more adjustment other than your flash output is a waste of time.
I know because I've shot a couple thousand images with small sensor cameras. Not trying to be wise ass, just frustrated by bad information out there.
UW photography should be simple and fun and it is when you simplify things.
I do
dhaas
P.S. - I know many of the fine folks at all the UW dealers and they're all nice folks.
The FIX housings and now RecSea housings are fine products.
But if you think you're getting a HUGE decrease in size you're smoking something!!!
Add a tray and even one small strobe and the systems are comparable within fractions of an inch.
Which was the main reason for me posting.......
Ikelite Canon S95 HousingSize and Weight.
6.4" wide x 4.6" high x 3.3" deep ( including controls and lens port ).
16cm x 12cm x 8.4cm.
1.4lb (0.64kg) above water.
Neutrally buoyant underwater
This is cumbersome? I'd like to know what you guys usually dive with (or have actually used) as far as housing sizes......
People will dismiss this post as biased because I'm an Ikelite dealer AND actual shooter using their housings and strobes.
But I stand by the product and capabilities that enable people to take very good photos underwater.
Here's two BLOGS I wrote using the same size housed previous model Canon S90 camera:
Ikelite Product Blog
AND
Ikelite Product Blog
(the bottom of this DUAL entry BLOG)
I'll also share the fact that any small sensor camera is basically a two f-stop camera due to the larger apparent depth of field these produce at any aperture.
You can shoot any small sensor camera at about f4 - f5.6 for medium framed scenics, divers and fish and f8 for macro. That's it. Any more adjustment other than your flash output is a waste of time.
I know because I've shot a couple thousand images with small sensor cameras. Not trying to be wise ass, just frustrated by bad information out there.
UW photography should be simple and fun and it is when you simplify things.
I do
dhaas
P.S. - I know many of the fine folks at all the UW dealers and they're all nice folks.
The FIX housings and now RecSea housings are fine products.
But if you think you're getting a HUGE decrease in size you're smoking something!!!
Add a tray and even one small strobe and the systems are comparable within fractions of an inch.
Which was the main reason for me posting.......
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OK, I'll weigh in here as a dealer for BOTH. I am a bit new to the Fix housings, but they are now made by Nauticam and I am very familiar with them (still designed by Fisheye tho).
The Ike s90/95 is in their Ultracompact box and although larger, there isn't a huge difference.
The issue I have with it are the controls and gearing, which isn't all that smooth. The bezel gears are made from an inexpensive molded plastic that seems to vary in quality and spec sizing. That has led to problems of them jamming, or being out of round and hard to turn. To Ikelite's credit they have addressed the issues as they were brought up to them, but that is sort of after the fact. I have returned several housings for reworking (before sale) and they have been fixed. The rest of the controls are pretty much like the rest of their housings and they are fairly robust and seem to work ok. It's a $300 housing, so value is a big consideration, and I don't think it's a bad one - but it's just not among my favorite Ike products. I would be careful to check for fit and operation above and below water before leaving on a trip (as you should with any housing).
The Fisheye Fix is quite a bit more expensive at $799, and as you would think is of a much higher quality in terms of design, materials and construction. It is made from more durable aluminum, is smaller, has far better controls, gearing and closure. The ergonomics of it are much better, it sits in your hands well and controls are where you'd like to find them.It has a control for the back dial which neither the Canon or Ikelite has, which greatly speeds up operation. It now comes with a flash blocker and ports for two fiber optic cords.
Fisheye Fix also has an awesome 160 degree fisheye wide angle wet mount lens that actually will fit either housing.
Jack
The Ike s90/95 is in their Ultracompact box and although larger, there isn't a huge difference.
The issue I have with it are the controls and gearing, which isn't all that smooth. The bezel gears are made from an inexpensive molded plastic that seems to vary in quality and spec sizing. That has led to problems of them jamming, or being out of round and hard to turn. To Ikelite's credit they have addressed the issues as they were brought up to them, but that is sort of after the fact. I have returned several housings for reworking (before sale) and they have been fixed. The rest of the controls are pretty much like the rest of their housings and they are fairly robust and seem to work ok. It's a $300 housing, so value is a big consideration, and I don't think it's a bad one - but it's just not among my favorite Ike products. I would be careful to check for fit and operation above and below water before leaving on a trip (as you should with any housing).
The Fisheye Fix is quite a bit more expensive at $799, and as you would think is of a much higher quality in terms of design, materials and construction. It is made from more durable aluminum, is smaller, has far better controls, gearing and closure. The ergonomics of it are much better, it sits in your hands well and controls are where you'd like to find them.It has a control for the back dial which neither the Canon or Ikelite has, which greatly speeds up operation. It now comes with a flash blocker and ports for two fiber optic cords.
Fisheye Fix also has an awesome 160 degree fisheye wide angle wet mount lens that actually will fit either housing.
Jack
Well, all you have to do is look at my sig line and then find side by side pictures of the Oly PT-015 and the Ike housing for the 5050; the Oly housing runs every camera function, is cheaper and slightly smaller than the Ike. 
I run a strobe that is not attached to the housing, because I like to be able to take the camera off the tray, take the WAL off, take the flash block off and stick it into small holes or crevasses where it takes great ttl pics in full auto (P).
If the Canon housing ran all the S95 camera functions easily, I would still not be thrilled with the WAL situation. From what I have read, the Fix S90/Recsea S95 housings have the best WAL situation, as well as being the smallest; I still plan on sticking it into small holes and crevasses.
I love my Ike SS200's! With the 5050 set to raw high speed continuous it will take 4 shots in less than 4 seconds, and the SS200 will flash for all 4 shots at 1/8 and 1/4 power. I have never heard of another strobe that will do that. It will also work no problem as both camera strobe and dive light for 2 dives on one charge. I have never heard of another strobe that will do that.
Compared to pretty much every other strobe on the market, a DS200 is large and cumbersome, but with it's superior performance large and cumbersome is no biggie.
I run a strobe that is not attached to the housing, because I like to be able to take the camera off the tray, take the WAL off, take the flash block off and stick it into small holes or crevasses where it takes great ttl pics in full auto (P).
If the Canon housing ran all the S95 camera functions easily, I would still not be thrilled with the WAL situation. From what I have read, the Fix S90/Recsea S95 housings have the best WAL situation, as well as being the smallest; I still plan on sticking it into small holes and crevasses.
I love my Ike SS200's! With the 5050 set to raw high speed continuous it will take 4 shots in less than 4 seconds, and the SS200 will flash for all 4 shots at 1/8 and 1/4 power. I have never heard of another strobe that will do that. It will also work no problem as both camera strobe and dive light for 2 dives on one charge. I have never heard of another strobe that will do that.
Compared to pretty much every other strobe on the market, a DS200 is large and cumbersome, but with it's superior performance large and cumbersome is no biggie.
RetroBlader
Guest
Neither.
My vote is for the RecSea S95 housing, which sells for the same price as the FIX S95 housing, but has more connection options when it comes to wet lenses. For more detail, see:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/canon-corner/359501-recsea-s95-fix-s95.html
Now, that is not to say the Ike S95 housing is bad. The biggest plus is probably value -- the $500 difference will allow you to buy a very nice strobe (or a nice wet lens), and the Ike housing comes with a 67mm thread mount, for which many wet lenses/adaptors already exist. (Note: Able to physically attach a wet lens does not guarantee good optical quality. This is particularly important for wide-angle/fish-eye.)
With the FIX S95, you get a 52mm thread mount, so you can use the FIX UWL-04 wide-angle lens natively (without adaptors), but if you like macro you are out of luck, at least for now.
The RecSea S95 housing has the same male 44mm thread mount like the old FIX S90 (note the 0, not a 5) housing. On its own, the male 44mm thread mount does not allow you to attach any wet lens directly. However, using the right adaptors (which means more $ than the $800 you already paid for the housing) you can attach just about every popular wet lens out there, including fisheye lenses, wide-angle lenses, and macro lenses.
So, it comes down to how serious you are with your UW photography (ie how much you are willing to spend) and also what type of UW photography you are into (wide or macro or both, and strobe vs available light).
The RecSea S95 will allow you to use both front and back dials, plus the widest selection of wet lenses out there, but be ready to spend at least $1000 ($800 housing + $200 for mount adaptor), BEFORE you spend more $$$ for wet lenses and strobes.
The FIX S95 will allow you to use both dials, and attach the FIX UWL-04 wide-angle lens without additional adaptors, but you may not have much in terms of macro options (at least for now).
The Ike S95 housing is much cheaper than the other 2 above, but you'll lose use of the back dial, and have more limited options in terms of connecting wet lenses. (Plus a few quirks like the need to manually return the zoom lever to neutral position.)
Finally, both the RecSea S95 and FIX S95 are strobe-friendly. You can use 2 of the most popular strobe brands out there (INON and Sea&Sea) easily. Ike housing will tend to limit you to Ike strobes.
Good luck with whatever you end up going with.
:cool2:
It is all about which lenses you want to use and the rear control ring. If you don't care about lenses or the rear control ring then get the Ike, if you want to be able to use a specific lens get the Recsea95 and if you want to use the UWL-04 Fisheye lens then either the Recsea95 or Fisheye95. It is that simple, if it don't fit, you gotta aquit, meaning if the lens I want to use don't fit, then I don't want that housing/camera combination no matter how cheap or cute it is. If it will not do what I want it to do then it is not saving me money. No rear ring control, simply no freaking way!
N
Macro lenses are no problem with the Fix. I have a 52 to 67mm step down ring for $13. Allows use of any threaded 67mm diopter. I'll have to see if I can come up with an ADF-M52 adapter, 10Bar doesn't show one, but he'll usually make up what I ask.
Jack
Jack
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