SLR underwater housing

[Dark Orange]

While browsing an online camera shop, I came across a universal SLR underwater housing.

http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/...icapackslr.jpg
http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/...terhousing.htm

Great for ocean shots, rain shots, swim shots, pool shots...

DiCAPac is the trusted, reliable and affordable case that will convert your camera in to a waterproof and weatherproof camera in no time. No matter how messy the situation is, this JIS IPX8 approved case will protect your camera against water, sand, and dust while also allowing you to take crystal clear pictures underwater. The patented "Roll & Velcro" zipper closure system provides two levels of protection to keep your case completely watertight, while the clear panels and flexible material allows you to maintain complete control over all your camera's functions. It even floats when you drop it in water! This DiCAPac case is specially engineered to fit most popular SLR & DSLR cameras.

* Compatible with most SLR cameras
* Guaranteed underwater protection up to 5M (16ft)
* Innovative flexible lens system allows protection for any SLR lens
* UV coated polycarbonate lens cover allows users to take crystal clear pictures
* Transparent and flexible case for convenient access to all the camera's controls

OK, so I would not trust it in salt water but for sand/beach, rain and maybe even splashing around in my swimming pool, it seems pretty neat. And for only $150, seems a pretty good investment.

The "Innovative flexible lens system allows protection for any SLR lens" claim is obviously incorrect, but I'd be interested in knowing just what length/diameter lenses fit.

Does anybody have any experience with such things and can tell me why I shouldn't buy it?

[jamiemao]

Hmm would like some feedback on this too. It looks like something I'd wanna buy my girlfriend as she's into taking pictures while diving.

[Dark Orange]

Diving? No way would I trust it in salt water.

My 30D got soaked in a sudden storm and when it eventually dried out it worked as normal. (It worked even when wet, just some of the buttons behaved strangely) However, even a dribble of salt water will likely kill a camera.

[Lukey]

Indeed, there are very big reasons why underwater housing for use in the ocean cost so much. Let me just say using one for these for "diving" is a very bad idea.

[Mred32]

These things are fine for snorkeling.
I know of one guy who took his 5D down 11mtrs in one without a problem. They seal up pretty well and still give you access to most of the camera features and buttons. Zooming is a little difficult in them but not impossible.

They are not as bad as they look.

[Athiril]

These things will protect your camera, the caveat is that it all hinges on how good you've packed it, hence they all recommend several test runs with a tissue inside to see if you've done a good job or not.

I've taken my 30D out in heavy storms several times, continuously shooting, I've not had a problem with it stopping working ever, but I haven't left it out in the rain, I've only been out 30 min at a time.

[Dark Orange]

So, does anybody know what lenses will fit in this?

[Athiril]

from memory, its about 14 or 15cm max total length (including camera) I tihnk.

I know that my 12-24 on my 30D would only just barely fit.


I wouldnt go diving with one, snorkeling and camera in the waves on a board doing surfing photos or similar yes.

Though I'd probably take a film slr.

[StuartL]

Originally Posted by Athiril

I wouldnt go diving with one, snorkeling and camera in the waves on a board doing surfing photos or similar yes.

Fully concur - if you're deliberately going below the surface, much better to get something that's designed to cope with the pressure. Which reminds me, must get more silicone grease for my O rings ...

[Jackolow]

haha i used a kind of these on a field trip a couple of weeks ago. It was funny.

I bought one from ebay for 70 bucks... it doesn't have those black rings though... and I think that would make it a lot better. I used it because I was working in a lake for 3 days and I needed my SLR with me with a 10-22 lens. The 77mm diameter was really pushing it and I think that if it was solid, the lens wouldn't have fit.

They worked really well.. I had no problem submerging it. Obviously image quality is a bit crap especially when you are working in and out of water... I had water drops on images which just needed a bit of photoshopping. The seals aren't the easiest to get right (it doesn't slide as easily as consumer zip lock bags) and you want to get rid of as much air as you can when its in. Also get rid of the camera strap if you can be bothered.. its annoying inside the bag.

Oh yeah and you definitely don't want to be changing focal lengths on a zoom... or any settings for that matter. Its really hard to change settings while the camera is in the bag

[Dark Orange]

The 77mm diameter was really pushing it and I think that if it was solid, the lens wouldn't have fit.

Thanks. The lens I want to be using is my 24 1.4L which is a 77mm diameter, and it doesn't look as if it would fit.

[Jackolow]

yeah if my 10-22 wasn't an internal focusing lens, there is no way it would've survived underwater..

The polycarbonate front on that model is good because theres a better distribution of force on the front.

If your 24mm is internally focused (as in the outside of the lens doesn't change the external dimensions of the lens), then I think you should go for a bag which doesn't have a solid lens thingy like this one. The ebay one I have, it stretches the plastic to accommodate the extra thickness (which is about 5mm long and 2mm wider than the 77mm) on the barrel before the filter.

Saying that, you will be risking your equipment, but I wrapped mine with 2 layers of electrical tape just to make sure that any rips would be protected in a way

[StuartL]

Originally Posted by Jackolow

Saying that, you will be risking your equipment, but I wrapped mine with 2 layers of electrical tape just to make sure that any rips would be protected in a way

Not really good enough - arguably not on the surface, and definitely not if you're going to any sort of depth. It only takes a small wrinkle to give the water room to flood through, and the greater the ambient pressure, the greater the force pushing the water to flood through. There's also the question of whether the glue on the tape is water resistant - not so much from the point of view of water getting through it, as from the point of view of the water dissolving it.

If the system isn't designed to take the gear, don't put the gear in it and trust the system to do its job. You may get lucky, but (at least in my opinion) "may" isn't good enough when you're talking thousands of dollars of gear.

[Athiril]

Originally Posted by StuartL

Fully concur - if you're deliberately going below the surface, much better to get something that's designed to cope with the pressure. Which reminds me, must get more silicone grease for my O rings ...

I've people say about those $40 underwater housing film p&s cameras go much deeper than rated for just fine, its that the film winding lever wont work properly under the pressure.

The conundrum I faced was $100-$150 for a dicapac for my film slr mainly, OR round about the same price for Nikonos... but I wouldn't mind doing video in snorkelling if I did get a 7D.. in the end I couldn't choose just yet and decided to wait.

[Jackolow]

Originally Posted by StuartL

Not really good enough - arguably not on the surface, and definitely not if you're going to any sort of depth. It only takes a small wrinkle to give the water room to flood through, and the greater the ambient pressure, the greater the force pushing the water to flood through. There's also the question of whether the glue on the tape is water resistant - not so much from the point of view of water getting through it, as from the point of view of the water dissolving it.

If the system isn't designed to take the gear, don't put the gear in it and trust the system to do its job. You may get lucky, but (at least in my opinion) "may" isn't good enough when you're talking thousands of dollars of gear.

I definitely agree with that. If you're going underwater properly, obviously don't strain the equipment. I knew that I was hardly underwater (it acted more like a splash proof cover) and I was constantly checking the state of it.

If you're going scuba-ing and things can turn for the worst really quickly, obviously don't do it. However if you're just going to play with this in a pool and on the beach (as I will be doing), these bags are a reasonably good solution if you're careful.

By the way, for my bag, nothing was glued - everything was integrated (like seamless/melted) so you don't need to worry about that. You need to worry about getting the seals to lock properly, which is a pain in the ass (because they're quite heavy duty). Also I was ready to cling wrap my camera before placing it into the bag (I was also using a filter which I would've sealed with some silicone tape) as well as put those womens sanitary pads in the bag in case of small leaks. Had it sprung a leak, I would just put it away on the boat knowing that fun time was over but it would be reasonably dry inside still. (that probably angers a lot of gear freaks. Sorry! But theres not much you can do if you're stuck in the middle of the lake for 6 hours)