16 replies to this topic

[danielandrewclem]

As of November 1, all Ikelite DSLR housings will feature four instead of two port locks.

http://www.ikelite.c..._4portlock.html

And note this, too:

Housings shipped after Nov. 1 will also feature a new 1/4-20 threaded mounting point for the attachment of a focus light, video light or other lightweight accessories.

[rinjani]

As of November 1, all Ikelite DSLR housings will feature four instead of two port locks.

http://www.ikelite.c..._4portlock.html

And note this, too:

Dang, and I just had my housing serviced!

[james]

Wow that's great news! I also see that there will be a mounting point on top for focus lights, etc. I'm glad that Ikelite listens to customer feedback - I think users have been asking for the extra port locks for a while.

Cheers
James

[rtrski]

Yeah, they'd hinted at lock mods and a top mount a few times in posts here, I was really hoping to see it this year at DEMA. Glad to see it's happening, even if I don't take advantage of the upgrade on my existing housing....

[fotoscubo714]

Restoring my longtime faith in Ikelite and now more seriously considering their housing for my new 7D.

I just hope they will provide use of the handy multi-controller this time.

[J-S]

Restoring my longtime faith in Ikelite and now more seriously considering their housing for my new 7D.

I just hope they will provide use of the handy multi-controller this time.

And last but no least,

Ikelite say to me that there is a "new rotation lock feature 5510.09, This rotation lock feature can be added to your existing port body 5510.10" and prevent it from rotating.

Very great news!

[danielandrewclem]

And last but no least,

Ikelite say to me that there is a "new rotation lock feature 5510.09, This rotation lock feature can be added to your existing port body 5510.10" and prevent it from rotating.

Very great news!

Apparently the new 5510.11 Superwide Port Body, which replaces the 5510.10, has this anti-rotation feature that they told you about.

The combination of four port locks and a non-rotating port body is pretty appealing.

[fotoscubo714]

I'm sending in my housing for the upgrade. With the additional servicing offer, the peace of mind in future dives makes it worth the money for me (although in 35+ years of owing an Ikelite SLR housing, I have never had a leak from the port seal yet....knock on wood!.... But I did once have a bad nightmare flood in a wet dream )

[Rocha]

One of the biggest problems I had with Ikelite housings was the flimsy port attachment, well, this should solve that. Now, if only they started making more compact and lighter housings

[johnspierce]

Well, this is a sweet deal. I was planning on sending mine in for service anyway, so getting the 4 locks and the mount for a focus light for a pretty reasonable price plus a discount on the service is pretty nice.

thanks Ikelite!

JP

[sasdasdaf]

This is great news for Ikelite users! I'm going to send mine back for upgrading, even though the shipping from Singapore will probably kill me...

[CompuDude]

One of the biggest problems I had with Ikelite housings was the flimsy port attachment, well, this should solve that. Now, if only they started making more compact and lighter housings

They do, just not for DSLR's. LOL

[blibecap]

Changes to ikelite housing
Well I am honored to be the first to comment on the upgrade. I was told that I could recieve a free upgrade as I purchased my system within the last month. Well I wasted no time in getting it packed and shipped knowing that ikelite was already saying "please allow at least 3 weeks for the upgrade". I figured why not get in early? I shipped it out late on 10-26-09. Well when I arrived home this eve 11-6-09 it was setting on my porch all updated with 4 port locks and th new focus light mount. Eleven days or 9 working days including shipping both ways. Well so much for three weeks . Great job ikelite !!!!!!!!

The only thing that that bothered me was I wasn't home to receive it and the shipper left it on the porch out in the cold!!!!!!!

Well I hope the rest of you are in line....

[rtrski]

I saw it in person at the DEMA booth and was impressed. Looks like the new housing mold has some alignment 'ridges' for all 4 locks. Basically according to the rep I spoke to, the upgrade is a new polycarbonate front...they drill for your control configuration, swap all your controls over to the new shell, discarding/replacing or repairing any that are showing signs of wear or corrosion, same as they would with a typical maintenance. Pretty sweet deal for the price, IMO. I think I may well take advantage of it, regardless of whether I think I might upgrade in the next year or two.

With 4 locks the small dome (that's what they had on the demo) could be drag-rotated if I tried hard enough, but any sensation of 'rocking' on the two pinned points was entirely gone. Which was always more psychological anyway, but I could definitely feel a much greater sense of trust...heck, this way if one or two locks didn't fully engage, as long as they weren't two next to one another, you'd be at worst back where you started from, so in that sense its a LOT of extra safety.

Edited by rtrski, 07 November 2009 - 08:59 PM.

[johnspierce]

I saw it in person at the DEMA booth and was impressed. Looks like the new housing mold has some alignment 'ridges' for all 4 locks. Basically according to the rep I spoke to, the upgrade is a new polycarbonate front...they drill for your control configuration, swap all your controls over to the new shell, discarding/replacing or repairing any that are showing signs of wear or corrosion, same as they would with a typical maintenance. Pretty sweet deal for the price, IMO. I think I may well take advantage of it, regardless of whether I think I might upgrade in the next year or two.

With 4 locks the small dome (that's what they had on the demo) could be drag-rotated if I tried hard enough, but any sensation of 'rocking' on the two pinned points was entirely gone. Which was always more psychological anyway, but I could definitely feel a much greater sense of trust...heck, this way if one or two locks didn't fully engage, as long as they weren't two next to one another, you'd be at worst back where you started from, so in that sense its a LOT of extra safety.

Wondering if the low-profile locks used on the wide body dome are now the standard? I'm thinking so -- no reason to keep two types of locks in stock.

I'm gonna send mine in soon, this is a great mod. On my last trip on the Cayman Aggressor, I had a discussion with another guy who had an Aquatica housing. Very nice housing btw, it's a bit lighter than the Ike and the bayonet lock for the dome is particularly nice. We talked about how it was nice to see the o-ring through the Ike's clear shell and the backplate fastens very securely to the housing. Also, he was impressed by the single TTL exposure control for my two strobes since on the Aquatica he has to change exposure on each strobe individually.

We both agreed the Aquatica had a more secure port mounting and it was easier to pull the camera in and out with a zoom lens since on the Aquatica the zoom gear fastens to the lens in it's entirety. So now Ike has a more secure port mount which appears to be as good as the Aquatica and I can live with slightly more inconvenient zoom gear mechanism for the extra $1000 the Aquatica costs.

This is a particularly appropriate time for Ike to do this "for me" since my next trip is to Galapagos and I may be entering the water with my camera out of a Panga.

JP

[spencer!]

Changes to ikelite housing
Well I am honored to be the first to comment on the upgrade. I was told that I could recieve a free upgrade as I purchased my system within the last month. Well I wasted no time in getting it packed and shipped knowing that ikelite was already saying "please allow at least 3 weeks for the upgrade". I figured why not get in early? I shipped it out late on 10-26-09. Well when I arrived home this eve 11-6-09 it was setting on my porch all updated with 4 port locks and th new focus light mount. Eleven days or 9 working days including shipping both ways. Well so much for three weeks . Great job ikelite !!!!!!!!

The only thing that that bothered me was I wasn't home to receive it and the shipper left it on the porch out in the cold!!!!!!!

Well I hope the rest of you are in line....

Good to hear!
I was hoping to see a report before i sent mine in:)

[Panda]

I got mine done and am very happy with the upgrade (despite the frightening postage costs from Aus), BUT the replacement port body came with a very suspect o-ring, shouldn't have made it through quality control, luckily I have spares.