5 replies to this topic

[Jan_Riggert]

Hello everybody,

i own a Sony DSC-F828 and i´m pretty familiar with photography over water.
The next half year I live in Florida, and i want to shoot while snorkeling and easy diving (not below 30 feet). It´s more a hobby.

I´m new to underwater photography. And 1000$ for a professional hard housing is too much.

Are the ewa-marine housing worth the 200$ and is my camera safe in it?
Does anybody own ewa-marine stuff?
Are there other similar cheap solutions?

Any thoughts, experiences, solutions are welcome.

Best regards,
Jan

[whitey]

Are the ewa-marine housing worth the 200$ and is my camera safe in it?
Does anybody own ewa-marine stuff?
Are there other similar cheap solutions?

As a soon-to-be sponsored EWA-marine pro, I am happy to answer all EWA-marine questions on this board.

1. $200 is a lot for a crappy plastic bag, but there's not much else in this price range.

2. Safe? It's important to you that your camera is safe? EWA-marine may not be the housing for you, my friend. EWA-marine is the housing for brave people who do not fear a little bit of salt water in their cameras.

3. Yep, I own a U-AX which I've been using since November last year as a means of gettign my 10D wet. I've predominantly used it for freediving (hasn't leaked) and a bit of scuba (hasn't leaked, but I was a little nervous).
It works, it's a bit clumsy, and I think it's better than no housing at all. The main problem besides ergonomics and derision from other divers is the inability to use an external strobe other than the on-camera flash.

4.Not really, apart from a standard plastic bag and gaffer tape.

I too recoiled in shock the first time I heard that a housing for my camera would be 'around $1000'.

My brain has now adjusted to the point where $1079 for a housing seems ridiculouly cheap and I seriously look at $5000 housings thinking they're reasonably priced.

[Craig Ruaux]

My brain has now adjusted to the point where $1079 for a housing seems ridiculouly cheap and I seriously look at $5000 housings thinking they're reasonably priced.

All part of the assimilation process
$1079 for a housing is a bargain!

[Jan_Riggert]

2.  Safe?  It's important to you that your camera is safe?  EWA-marine may not be the housing for you, my friend.  EWA-marine is the housing for brave people who do not fear a little bit of salt water in their cameras.

First: Thank you very much, for taking the time for that detailed reply.
Second: You scared me. I love my F828, and i don´t want it to swallow salt-water.

Hmm!?

[whitey]

Can I suggest to you all that you view the film 'Cold Creek Manor' which I've just finished viewing. Not because it's a great film (it actually really, really sucks), but because it's the only film I know of to feature the EWA-marine housing as a vital feature of the story. In it you will see Dennis Quaid lower his digital video camera into a well, safe in the knowledge that the Nasa-designed polymer will keep his gear safe and dry. And it doesn't flood, either.

EWA-marine, the housing of choice for the world's biggest film stars (and also for Dennis Quaid).

When was the last time Seacam or Subal featured in a Hollywood blockbuster!

[nataq]

Hi Jan,
I have worked with ewa-marine now for about 10 years. Allways freediving. I had 5 different housings for four different cameras. I once had a leak, but since it is a clear plastic bag, you can easily react.


Here are my opinions:
1. You can buy a new F828 for the price of a rigid housing, so why do you fear.

2. A rigid housing is also subject to flooding.

Disadvantages:
1. Buoancy. Especially in the consumer digicam housings there is no possibility to attach weight.

2. Visibility of the display: near zero, so you dependend on the smaller viewfinder and it is not easy to control whether a shot is good or bad.

3. Sometimes it is hard to operate several buttons

4. Moisture. Even extensive use of silica gel sometimes is not enough, especially when descending during freediving.

5. No use of external flash with consumer digicams.


I now bought a sea and sea housing, simply because the U-AXP 100 has a too high buoyancy, even with 1,5kg lead weight in it. It is very easy to handle, compared to the ewa marine pendant. But if flooding is your only concern: I use a canon 300d, and could afford 6 - 7 camera bodies for the price of the complete set. I still use Ewa-Marine for my video camera (along with a DIY framework and a kowalski lamp attached). The boyancy of this one is perfect, and so is the handling.