Epoque housings for 500D?

[oskar 7]

Any experience from these fairly cheap DSLR housings for Canon 500d?

- http://www.epoque-japan.com/e-digitalhousing-erxc1010.htm

 

Specifically for housing a WA such as EF-S 10-22

 

Cheers

O

[pmooney 6]

Any experience from these fairly cheap DSLR housings for Canon 500d?

- http://www.epoque-japan.com/e-digitalhousing-erxc1010.htm

 

Specifically for housing a WA such as EF-S 10-22

 

Cheers

O

Hi Oskar ,

Steer clear of that stuff.

 

I can get you a good deal on a Sea & Sea 500D housing, port and gear for your 10-22.

It would have to ship out from Australia but no problems.

PM me for details

Peter

Edited December 10, 2009 by pmooney

[David Bali 0]

Hi there:

I am using this housing now, and quite happy with it, although I am using the 1000d not the 500d. you can see some of my comment in canon corner in scuba board, and heres some pics I shot with this kit: http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgall...mp;ppuser=34892

 

not yet on the WA port yet as still saving up the money for it

Looking to upgrade to athena 170 port to fit tokina 10-17. it not listed but apparently it could be done with a bit of diy with the zoom gear

 

Hope this helps

[oskar 7]

Hi there:

I am using this housing now, and quite happy with it, although I am using the 1000d not the 500d. you can see some of my comment in canon corner in scuba board, and heres some pics I shot with this kit: http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgall...mp;ppuser=34892

 

not yet on the WA port yet as still saving up the money for it

Looking to upgrade to athena 170 port to fit tokina 10-17. it not listed but apparently it could be done with a bit of diy with the zoom gear

 

Thanks! How do you think it compares to other housings, if you have any experience to compare with.

 

I've talked to the local importer. The think is that the housing is actually really cheap, but those domes are optical glass and thus really expansive in comparison. So with WA port, it would be more expensive than Ikelite, and par with sea & sea. However, the importer said an acrylic dome was now available, but i have not seen any data on it. Anyone else who has?

 

Edit: I checked scubaboard. Pictures looks good, but you leak sounds scary. What equipment do you use with the housing, i.e. arms and flashes? I saw your profile, but thinks half of it belongs to the Olympus setup.

Edited December 18, 2009 by oskar

[David Bali 0]

Thanks! How do you think it compares to other housings, if you have any experience to compare with.

 

I've talked to the local importer. The think is that the housing is actually really cheap, but those domes are optical glass and thus really expansive in comparison. So with WA port, it would be more expensive than Ikelite, and par with sea & sea. However, the importer said an acrylic dome was now available, but i have not seen any data on it. Anyone else who has?

 

Edit: I checked scubaboard. Pictures looks good, but you leak sounds scary. What equipment do you use with the housing, i.e. arms and flashes? I saw your profile, but thinks half of it belongs to the Olympus setup.

 

 

Hi Oscar: This is my first time owning DSLR UW setup, so can't tell you any personal experience. But I have used S & S before, actually this housing quality wise does compare to S & S. I used to work for S & S distributor in indonesia, so handled them quite a lot. The main diffrence is the bulk, the S & S is so much heavier. But the RD series is very similar to this one. Actually I think if I have more budget I would get the RD series, considering S & S has so much more port to choose from, and also with the epoque for every lens you need a diffrent port, for instance they have diffrent port for 60mm and 100mm, in S & S you simply have to add an extender and use the same port.

 

Ya, the leak scared me too, almost _ _ _ _ in my pants! but i found out the problem, when the rear door opens there is a chance for the hinge pin to move around, and if you close it with the pin protruding from the hinge, then watch out! So what i did was to put 2 small rubber pieces and pushed it into the holes and now the pin does not move when you open the door. once the door is close theres no chance for the pin to move.

I think Epogue is used to do small housings, so this set up looks exactly like the early sony housings.

After I made the changes I have had 11 more dives, no problems at all.

 

As for arms and stay I used the one I had for oly sp350, it is made by a friend of mine from taiwan. I actually sells it but you are in sweden so I dont think it would be worth it to ship it so far with the shipping charges and all.

 

Yes I have another set of oly sp350, which I am planning to use for teaching students

the 2 s & s 110a i use for the new epoque set up (so now I have to find another strobe, cause too happy with the twin strobe set up)

I am using FO cable on the new set up, not 100% satisfied yet but ok enough, still working on it

If you dont have strobes already like me, I would go with the inon 240z, which is lot more powerful then the 110a

which makes the WA shots much better

 

I am really interested in the acryric dome, can you find out further for me from your importer? many thanks in advance

the athena is a fine dome but cost astronomical

 

I have never like ikelite(for you ike fans out there dont kill me), its too bulky and too heavy and when dslr you can only use ike strobes which cost like crazy, and with ike dslr housing it comes with handles which you can only use with ike arm, make sense for a manufacturer but not so good for users, and also to me ability to use FO is very important, because in the past i have had leaks in the sync connection on the S & S strobe. from money point of view also makes more sense, keep in mind sync cords cost like more than a $100 each. Rather spend the money on lenses...

 

I have been told using internal strobe will drain the camera batteries very quick but I only need to charge the camera battery for every 5 to 6 dives so its still reasonable to me. although usually I take no more then 50shots per dive.

 

Ultimately I think this is a good setup for someone to step into dslr. with the 1000d being so cheap (I got it for less than $600 with the kit lens), and the housing includes a port which can use the kit lens and 60mm, you can start already with around less than 3k usd (housing around 1.2k, 60mm $450 and one strobe about $400, lets say arm & stay around $200, and 1000d $600). This price is even comaparable to some higher end p & s set up... I know when going in with the WA port its gonna be expensive but it got me through the door cheaply enough, considering I already have the FO cable, arms and stay and 2 strobes. The WA part will have to wait a while first.

 

The kit lens is actually not bad, compare to the old kit lens they had with the 350d which i had before. the main diffrence on land is the IS, makes everything more focus then the non IS ones. When use uw the only thing I am not happy with is that you cant really do a WA macro, ie, it can't focus too close

[oskar 7]

Any more experiences from the epoque housing?

 

The new cheaper dome option is mentioned here:

http://www.wetaccessories.net/resources/ot...DemaRelease.pdf

 

It seems to be a 5cm radius dome and tokina 10-17 isn't listed with it.

[David Bali 0]

Any more experiences from the epoque housing?

 

The new cheaper dome option is mentioned here:

http://www.wetaccessories.net/resources/ot...DemaRelease.pdf

 

It seems to be a 5cm radius dome and tokina 10-17 isn't listed with it.

 

 

Hi Oskar:

Sorry been so long since I was last here.

I got the Acrylic dome from epoque.

the thing is when mounted with efs 10-22 whic is quite a long lens, the back/inside of the dome is too close to the lens

this way instead of focusing to the image reflected by the dome which will be much wider, it went through the dome and focus outside

 

I can think of 2 remedies to this

one is by way of adding extention ring

but the problem is epoque doesnt make one

 

another way is to get a shorter lens

which is what i think i'll do

the tokina 10-17mm is muc shorter and focus very close

theres no gear for it by epoque again,

i guess i'll just have to diy this by modifying the epoque 18-55 gear

 

Any experts out there knows anything about the diameter/thread of ports

epoque has a screw down type thread, port thread is @106mm in diameter

maybe there are manufacturer out there whose ports or rings that can be used here

 

David