PT-010 vs. Ikelite housing for Olympus?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

JustJules

Contributor
Messages
172
Reaction score
0
Location
Orlando, FL
Has anyone had a chance to make a comparison between the Olympus PT-010 housing and the Ikelite housing available for the same camera series?

I have a C-4000 and am trying to make the "right" decision. After having been with someone whose PT-010 housing took on some water in Cozumel and ruined his C-3000, I'm wondering if the more expensive/designed for more depth housing is worth the extra money. I have only seen the Ikelite housing once, and since I didn't have a digital camera at the time, I wasn't paying too much attention to it. Does it give access to all of the buttons the way that the PT-010 does? How about reliability? Durability? Any other "-ility"?

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter...
 
What caused your companion's flood? If I were guessing, I would guess a pinched o-ring. The PT-010 is a great housing, as is the Ikelite. An operator error flood doesn't condemn the design.

Here's a link to the library at DigitalDiver.net. The first article in the list is a comparison I did of the three housings available for the Olympus C series (prior to the C-5050).

DigitalDiver Library
 
Jeff's right....there are many reasons for a housing to flood and 99% of them are user error! Read the comparison article in DD Library for an answer to your question.
 
...for pointing me toward the comparisons.

I honestly don't think that this flood was diver error. I do think it was bad circumstance, as the camera and housing were very nearly washed over the seawall and out to sea by the waves when hurricane Isadore kicked back up. I think it got bumped against something in the process that may have given the water a chance to intrude.

A later, deeper dive with the housing full of tissue paper, without even replacing the o-ring, showed the housing to be watertight once more.

Anyhow, I'm still weighing the pros and cons, but I'll need to decide soon if I want the housing for my next trip. Is there anyone out there with the Ikelite housing who has any comments on it? I have seen it priced a bit under $500 and the PT-010 at around $250... so I guess I want to figure out why it's worth the additional....

J
 
I have the 6130.1 Ikelite housing.....love it .....love it so much I went and bought another Ikelite housing for the 5050.

Word of caution in comparing prices.... I'm pretty sure the Olympus housing does not come with a tray to attach a strobe arm to. So yes while $250 is an attractive price.... IF you get an external strobe down the line (which most end up doing :) ) you will need a tray to attach it to ...... the tray alone (I'm guessing here ?!!?!!? ) will run you around $100 to $150....One of the popular trays used is around $130.

The Ikelite housing already has the tray and handle included with the housing so the price difference is not so much of a factor.

fc4b3dcd.jpg


I'll admit I'm Biased towards the Ikelite ....after all that is what I purchased ...... but it is a well built housing that can take the rough and tumble …. not that I would use it as a sledge hammer or the such, and not that the PT-010 couldn’t.

The depth rating, the controls, the sturdy nature (wall thickness is something like 3/8" the back panel is even thicker)……

fc4b3dc9.jpg


customer support, local input from divers using Ikelite equipment all factored very heavily on my decision. And Nope ….I don’t work for Ikelite !!!!
Hmmm… Ike ….you need an east coast sales rep?? :D
 
The controls on the ikelite housing are very robust. Although I love the housing, the only peeve I have is that the zoom lever often gets pinned to one side. The camera's lever spring is not strong enough to bring the ikelite lever back to center. Just a battery drainer. :( Other than that, it's a pretty sweet housing.

My buddy has the pt-010. We both have C3000's and are pics are pretty much indistinguishable (other than I have better composition :D ). I prefer the ikelite because I freedive and the constant compression/decompression of the housing sounds much more stable. I worry about the pt being too fragile.

Just my 2 cents.

If you want to look at my pics, go to my site. These were all done freediving.

Cheers,
Anderson
 
Hi Anderson .....

andrsn once bubbled...
The controls on the ikelite housing are very robust. Although I love the housing, the only peeve I have is that the zoom lever often gets pinned to one side

I didnt like that either when I first had the housing .... and talked to other owners of the housing about this .....they assured me that once you get use to it ... it becomes second nature.... I even was playing with some closed cell foam (dense and alot of spring ) to wrap around the lever to keep it centered .... looked into using spring steel also.... However the more you use it the more it becomes a non issue......I've found myself setting the focal length and leave it .... The new setup has alot more buttons and knobs ..... but after a couple of dives it too became second nature....

And to add to your comment ....They are awesome housings!!!
 
Yeah, thanks for the "welcome". I hope a non-bubble blower is welcome here. :shiner:

Anyone have a preference in strobes for the ikelite? ie. either ikelite's or sea&sea's?

Anderson
 
This is Underwater Photography ......I dont think it matters HOW you get the pictures U/W :D :D

STROBES ..... hehehe.......I would do a search for them in this section (U/W photography)......lots of info and opinions ...... I, as do others, have the Ike DS-125..... many have the S&S 90 series ....pros and cons to both and different features so its difficult to compare side by side.....

Look through some of those old threads ..... and if you've got questions after ....ask away !!!! you'll get loads of help here !!!
 
FWIW , I believe with the ikelite housing you can use a TTL strobe and with he PT-010 which doesnt have the port for the strobe you can only use a slave strobe. Correct me if Im wrong.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom