I'm gonna snap you little fishy...

[Tim Ingmire]

After months of umm-ing and ahh-ing and buying a d-SLR and returning it I've done made my mind up and finally bought the Ikelite DS-125 strobe (deluxe package with manual controller and dual handled tray for my housing) and Inon Wide Angle lens.

Now I just have to sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for it to turn up from Kansas in the good 'ol US of A.  Obscenely cheaper than buying in the UK.

Hope it turns up before my next dive.  So that'll be any time before Christmas at this rate!

[JohnK]

Very nice that man !!! What was wrong with the Canon ??

Just ordered Housing/port/controller from UWCP

I`ll show you mine if..................

You wont be disappointed with the DS125 its a great strobe. By the way, if you go to countries that have 110 volts - watch out, your rechargeables will only go halfway - honest !!!

Imagine having the C4040Z with half charged batteries trying to operate the half charged strobe via a ttl slave - absolute bazzer it was !!!

PS - watch out for the import duty and VAT although it still works out a lot cheaper

[Tim Ingmire]

Hi Kirky,

To be honest I couldn't justify the price of the Canon esp as I was buying it myself (I'd have happily accepted it as a pressie tho).  Also I was slightly dissapointed with the sharpness from the kit lens cf from the 5050 but couldn't really go out and buy a quality prime lens.  It was difficult tho cos I fell in love with the autofocus, no shutter lag, fast zooming, high megapixel count etc.  But really it was the price for me - I just had to find a way to dislike the thing and so an excuse to return it.

Part of the reason for the choice of the DS-125 over the Inon was that I'd be able to use it on a housed dSLR in the future when I finally do upgrade - the WAL I can sell if I need to (assuming I don't keep the set-up as a back-up).

I can't wait to see the result from your set-up.  When are you expecting it to arrive?

[JohnK]

I`m awaiting confirmation from Ryan at UWCP - cant wait !!!!

[toby]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Now I just have to sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for it to turn up from Kansas in the good 'ol US of A.  Obscenely cheaper than buying in the UK

presumably you have factored in the fact that you will have to pay vat and import tax on this camera ?

- a mate bought a camera from the US thinking it would be cheaper - ended up 20% more expensive because he hadn't thought about the taxes

[Tim Ingmire]

With the current exchange rate I'm paying just over half the UK cost  - even with the taxes etc I'll still be saving.

[John Gulliver]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (toby @ Mar. 03 2004,11:43)]- a mate bought a camera from the US thinking it would be cheaper - ended up 20% more expensive because he hadn't thought about the taxes

A friend of mine had a similar experience. He bought an Olmpus mju 400 on US E-bay two weeks ago at what seemed like a very favourable price but had to pay Swedish VAT and duty and the final price was the same as he would have paid if he'd bought it from Cameras Underwater, which would have been a lot less hassle.

[JohnK]

I bought the DS125 + bits last year from the US. Enen with VAT and Import duty it was still £200 cheaper than here. Add the exchange rate benefit on the dollar and you should be on a winner

[Tim Ingmire]

That's what I reckoned.  And even if it's only £100 thats still better.

[Tim Ingmire]

So, the gear has arrived and I can't wait to get it in the water.

I had planned to go to Anglesey tomorrow but, with an most heavily pregnant wife I've had to cancel

This is really very sad but here is a piccy of my rig.

The observant of you will notice that the strobe has changed from the Ikelite to the Inon.  The I bought it from was out of stock of the Inon so I simply changed the order - he gave me the ultralite arms and tray in for the same price as the Ike arms and tray (a good deal).

Ordering from the US I managed to get all this at a very good price, much better than UK prices - essentially the Inon Wide Angle Lens came free cf UK prices.

I can't go diving now until the wee bairn is born.  Consequently, I'm going to be feeding my wife lots of hot curry.