Any opinions on....

[bigfeller]

the following:

Ikelite | 6147.95 Underwater Housing Kit with Canon PowerShot

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD950 IS
The reason I'm thinking of this camera is it's the next generation model of the one I've been using for the last 2 years. It has a larger screen 2.5" as opposed to 2" and Image stabilisation (might help with the underwater shakes!). I've liked the old camera for the following reasons
- Small - both on land and in water. It's a camera you can just lash into your pocket.
- Hard wearing - stood up for a good few drops but a flooding caused it's demise.
- Photos - relatively good for a compact.
- Quick times - both for taking a shot and start up - no where near an SLR but then again the price reflects that!
Reviews of the camera seem pretty positive. And the sample videos from it seem excellent. So I'm wondering if anyone here has used one and how are they getting on with it?

Housing: Ikelite 6147.95
Have only used a Canon housing before. No real complaints but I had brought it passed it's depth on a few occasions I'd like something that's rated a little deeper. How are the Ikelite housings to dive with?

[Cussy]

I don't have a compact Ike housing, but comparing my Ikelite D80 with my Olympus C7070 housing there is just no comparison. Ike's are bomb proof, but much bigger. The add-ons tend to be better thought out. Some Ike's have controls in difficult to get to places, so you might want to hold one first. What I would say though is most own-brand compact housings are too fiddly in gloves in the UK, you don't get that with Ike, so it's a trade off.

A friend of mine regularly takes a housing like this to near 100m. It's never flooded, but the springs in the buttons stop the button returning at about 70-75m.

If I was still diving with a compact it would be in an Ikelite or Light & Motion housing.
HTH,
Rob

[ChristianG]

Ikelite have been around since the early sixties when Ike (a lovely guy, sadly dead now) first started his torch housings in Lexan, a polycarbonate polymer - hence IkeLITE. Ikelite today is run by Ike's daughter.

Today polycarbonate polymer is often known as acrylic (a bit of a misnomer) in underwater circles however Ikelite are undoubtedly the most experienced people in the use of these materials in that environment.

Ikelite has an enviable reputation for backing their products and guards it jealously - I can only recommend them.

Caveat: there are better housing, dome port, strobe, whatever manufacturers, but at what cost?

[bigfeller]

Thanks for the advice guys - think I'll definitely go for the Ikelite housing!! Can't wait to get it (and get it in the water!)

[ChristianG]

Originally Posted by bigfeller

Thanks for the advice guys - think I'll definitely go for the Ikelite housing!! Can't wait to get it (and get it in the water!)

You're welcome. Incidentally the idea of "shake control", or whatever they call it, is often of no use whatever in water and little to no use above water because it is mostly very slow. Moreover if you're using a strobe underwater, and you should in many if not most circumstances, the strobe will freeze the frame anyway. I think you'll find that you'll turn that feature off more often than not, particularly underwater where things happen very quickly indeed. Although I've tried, I've yet to have a fish obey my command of "go back and pose again and/or bluddy well stay still will you!" That last particularly of Clown Fish.

[ChristianG]

Originally Posted by ChristianG

the strobe will freeze the frame anyway.

Oooops, old habits die hard.