Ikelight or Olympus Housing?

[Kengar 0]

Greetings, folks.

 

I've never been anything but a point-and-shoot land photographer, with no UW photography experience at all. (I've been diving since '88.) Nevertheless, wishing to pick up a new hobby, I just bought an Olympus C8080 and am looking to get a housing for UW photography, too.

 

I like the design of the Olumpus housing that is made for the camera, but the Ikelight housing is rated for 200 feet whereas the Oly housing is "only" rated to 130. A friend of mine who was working as a photo pro in Grand Cayman until the hurricane suggested that the Olympus housings tend to be better quality than the Ikelight housings. (He also suggested that problems with the Ikelight strobes are not uncommon.)

 

Any comments? Suggestions? Advice?

 

Thanks

[JPS 0]

(Oly C-8080 is not a DSLR, so you can find more discussion of it in other forums.)

 

The depth rating is, IMO, the least of the differences between Ike and Olympus housings for C-8080. Ike housing has TTL capability with Ike strobes, whereas Oly can be directly connected only to Oly's own housed strobe that is rather underpowered. Ike housing is more compact. Ike housings are more robust than Oly housings. Of course Ike is more costly, though.

 

Doing a search is worthwhile, this has been discussed before in more detail.

[Kengar 0]

I thought it was DSLR and Houshings (hence the slash), not housings FOR DSLR

 

This was my first stop on research trail, then found more info. Should have looked further, first.

 

You DID answer one question I had, which was whether the Oly housing allows TTL connection to Ike strobes or just its own strobe (TL-20, if I recall correctly).

 

Thank you for the info.

 

Ken.

[Dasher 0]

Ken,

I just got the 8080 and after doing some research cancelled my PT-023 order and got the Ikelite housing with a DS-125. I absolutely love them. One or two key issues to consider: using internal flash with the Oly housing uses your precious camera battery life and generates heat inside the housing that may lead to fogging. The DS-125 with smart charger provides more light and has enough battery for me to shoot 200+ times. I use a 512 MB high speed flash card, and can WEAR IT OUT before the camera or strobe batteries start to falter. I can usually get about 150 shots on that card, so have tested it by erasing while still diving. Also I give thumbs up to the exposure I get with the TTL sync cord. I'm still learning the system, and continue to make mistakes, but I am glad I paid the money. Good luck!

[Peter Schulz 1]

Re "A friend of mine who was working as a photo pro in Grand Cayman until the hurricane suggested that the Olympus housings tend to be better quality than the Ikelite housings."

 

I think you heard your friend wrong.

 

http://www.digitaldiver.net/yabbse/index.p...y;threadid=7388

 

http://www.digitaldiver.net/yabbse/index.p...y;threadid=7830

 

http://www.wetpixel.com/PNphpBB2-viewtopic...ic-t-5969.phtml

 

IMO Olympus hasn't had a good housing design since the one for the 4040.

[Kengar 0]

My eyes have been opened wide! Thank you!

[davephdv 0]

The design and construction of Ikelite housings seems similar to that of plastic housings offered by various camera manufactures. However the Ike housings are made of 3/8" plastic. Much thicker than most of these other housings. They resist damage and warping better due to this. More important the controls are in many cases much tougher than those of other manufactures of plastic housings as they can be made bigger due to the thicker housings.

 

I have used most of the major manufactures of strobes over the years. The Ike strobes have been the most reliable. Their service and replacement policies are far superior than those of any other company I have dealt with.

 

They are more expensive. You have to ask yourself if you will be using your camera long enough to justify the greater expense. If you use your camera a lot and it gets hard usage I would definitely go with Ike.