grivai 0 Posted May 15, 2007 Hi all, so heres my story.... I'm about to undertake some pretty intensive (submerged) research for my PhD and am in need of a housing and strobes etc. for the D80. I was ABOUT to go for the Ikelite range (I'm new to UW photography but have been reading a heck of a lot and this range seemed to be fairly fiscally accessible, good quality and well established) - when a company that does not supply these products recommended I go with a 'better quality, non-cheapo throw away' brand like Subal or Nexus...I assume they were talking about the housings primarily. It seems a lot of people are happy with Ikelite gear, yes? And that Subal/Nexus/Sea&Sea are in the higher price range...I assume this is because you get what you pay for as the adage goes and they are 'better'? I don't assume that the Ikelite plastic housings and ports are really as cheap and crappy as I have been led to believe by these people, and it may have something to do with the fact that they wouldnt be getting my research grant funding!!? But I dont mind paying a bit extra for something that will stand the test of time... I would appreciate any ideas or perspectives regarding peoples experiences with different products...I have much to learn before investing in a full set up. This is a brilliant site by the way - kudos to all! Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
philmayer 0 Posted May 15, 2007 I have 3 Ikelite housings and a bunch of ports. I've heard the same things about them being cheap, but that certainly hasn't been my experience. My housings are very well made and have never given me a moment's trouble. If it was a shop that sold Ikelite gear and could show you specific housings they've had issues with, I would look at it differently. Until then, I'm going to call BS. They just want your money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocha 0 Posted May 15, 2007 Ikelites by no means are cheapo throw away housings. They do their job of keeping the water out and are very durable, I had an Ikelite N90 housing crack when I dove with it, but it was 10 years old. The other brands have advantages (less weight, more compact, less ports required, easier access to more precise controls, etc) but you are the one who has to decide if those features are important to your application. Anyways, I would be suspicious of any company that doesn't supply a product trying to convince to to get their product instead. Luiz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grivai 0 Posted May 15, 2007 Thanks folks, yeah in a perfect world I would have 5K plus just for the Subal housing here in Oz, but thats not going to happen unfortunately - if the Ikelite stuff is up to the the task then ill go with it. I think ill be going with the dedicated 105VR port, the big new 8" dome which can take care of a number of other lenses and a DS125 strobe to start. Hopefully that will do the trick initially.. Thank you for the input! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Photofantasea 0 Posted May 17, 2007 Ikelite has treated me right. I have a D-200 with Ike housing and dual Inon Z220 strobes. I Shoot primarily with the 8" dome and 105VR flat port (105 VR lens & 60mm lens). Since March of 2006 I have a little over 100 dives with thousands of images in warm and cold waters (all recreational limits) with no problems. In my opinion the ability to see the camera/o-rings inside the housing is a distinct advantage and the quality of the "plastic" construction is not even an issue as it exceeds the "application" requirements. My rig handles very well under water (10" arms) and I don't even think about it's buoyancy because it has never been an issue. Travel/luggage is another advantage. The light Ike housing combined with the light weight and small Inon strobes I can carry on all my lens housing camera and strobes plus my laptop reading materials and snack food on small planes to remote locations. I do have to pack batteries (AA with Inon), chagers, strobe arms and focus light with my dive gear but the fragile expensive stuff stays within eyesight. Ike upgraded the 8" dome port for deeper depths after I had already purchased. They offered the upgrade at no charge and picked up the postage to send it to me............ That should tell you something about how they do business. I purchased my underwater camera stuff through Ryan at Reef Photo and have been pleased with them as well. Jim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wjsdive 0 Posted May 17, 2007 I have a D80 and a Sea And Sea housing, and I am very happy with it. Having said that I don't think you will have a problem with the Ikelite or Subal or Nexus either. Just make sure their functions and capabilities suit your needs and go take some photos. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
philmayer 0 Posted May 17, 2007 I have the 8" dome and it's great! My 105VR port arrived at the shop today, hopefully I'll get a chance to play with it in the next few days. I think you'll enjoy the Ikelite system. I certainly have! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
