Taking a Canon 20D underwater for cheap

[nick_breedlove1]

Hi All,

 

I want to take my 20D to the Bahamas this summer. I don't want to

spend $3000+ on an Ikelite kit for it. Is there any waterproof clear

bag or something that is a reasonable price $200~ range or so that

will let me take this cam underwater?

 

Thanks

Nick

[nstock]

Just the idea of taking a small computer into water.. especially SALT wwater, is frightening.

 

Why not rent a camera when down there? You might be required to (GASP) shoot film, but it sure beats the $3k you are talking about or a chance of wrecking your 20D?

[beauh44]

Hi Nick, Never used 'em but you might want to check these links out:

 

http://www.aquapac.net/

 

http://www.camerasunderwater.co.uk/

 

I think you'll find them quite a bit more attractive price-wise. Good luck!

[Ed_Ingold]

You'd consider putting a $1500 camera in a Zip-Loc bag then dive with it! I don't know what to say (actually, I'm biting my lip).

 

Why not buy a disposable underwater (film) camera? They're popular and widely available where people go diving. That's a good idea even if you're in a boat - especially if the boat is too small to require lifeboats. If you're limit is $200, buy 10 of 'em.

[mdunker]

Ewamarine bags are useable down to approximately 160 feet. I know some that have used them and they've worked fine (but not that deep).

 

http://www.adorama.com/EWDCA1D.html

 

The link happens to be from Adorama, but many retailers carry them.

[ky2]

Make sure you mount a weather proof L zoom before you dive. ;)

[rcox2]

I've been told that it's not "if it will leak", but "when it will leak". You might want to use a cheaper digital point and shoot camera if you're not going to get a proper underwater case for the 20D.

[ryanjoseph]

Three words:

 

Ikelite or bust.

[vandit]

If you are not going to be on scuba, try an Ewamarine bag. While I havent used them myself, they are supposed to be quite good, especially for these sort of apps -- I'm planning on getting one myself, actually, to keep on our dive boat.

 

If you will be wearing a bottle, then I'd suggest ponying up and getting yourself a proper housing. A digicam and matching housing works out to be cheaper, yes - you can see some examples of u/w photos taken with an old Olympus C3000 and a matching housing in my portfolio. The biggest drawback of these systems is the lack of a real wide angle (20mm or so FOV).

 

Cheers,

Vandit

[marc p.]

Nick,

 

Unless you're planning on staying shallower than 10 feet (end even then ...) I'd say you're setting yourself up for disappointing results.

 

A proper housing provides the comfort and safety that you need when diving with a camera - the waterproof clear bags provide a quick and dirty solution - which, IMHO, does not work very well (these bags squeeze around the camera and the lens as you go deeper until a point where they become useless - you just can't use the camera any more!).

 

More importantly, though, you will very quickly see the limits of not having the possibility of proper lighting underwater (at best past 10 feet without a dedicated strobe) - and the pictures will show strong blue cast and as such not really be usable. I have even taken pictures in pools that came up very disappointing for this reason.

 

Unfortunately, I am afraid that if you want to take U/W shots with your camera, it means spending the big dough ... (at least $1K for housing, $300 for good strobe support, and $800 for a strobe).

[mitchell_kirschner]

I have many slides, as well as fond memories, from shooting underwater photography in the late 90's.

 

Here are a few thoughts, to be taken with a drop of salt water.

 

When you're shooting underwater photos, your attention will be mostly, if not exclusively, on your camera and photo ops, not your dive buddy. Something to consider and discuss up front if you'll be traveling with a friend or significant other who isn't an u/w photographer.

 

The more serious the gear you take underwater, the higher the potential for stunning results.

 

The more serious the gear you take underwater, the higher the potential for disappointment when the results aren't stunning.

 

The more serious the gear you take underwater, the higher the potential for financial loss. I flooded a few months old Nikon N90s and housing, purely because of distraction/operator error. When you're not totally focussed on what you're doing (e.g. diving to have fun with friends too), the chance of that happening is greater.

 

A camera housing is not self-maintaining and doesn't guarantee against floods.

 

Diving with a housed camera requires good buoyancy control.

 

You might consider taking a pony bottle, just in case. You never know when you'll get so absorbed in the photography and run out of air.

 

I had just as much fun starting off with a relatively inexpensive Ikelite Aquashot housing (for housing disposable cameras) as I did with my serious Nikon underwater setups.

 

If I were going to get back into u/w photography today, it would probably be with a point and shoot digicam.

 

Lastly, the above comment about needing a good strobe is definitely correct. Light behaves very differently underwater than it does in air.

 

Again, take the above with a drop of salt water. I don't know your photography or dive skill levels, so it's not intended as a slight against either.

 

Good luck!

 

Mitch

[joshroot]

<a href="http://www.photo.net/equipment/ewa/">Click here</a> for a review I wrote of an ewa marine bag.

<P>

I found it to be fine as far as general water protection and light underwater usage. But I think if I were attempting to do anything more serious, I would either shellout the money for a real UW kit, or just buy an old Nikonos and shoot film for the trip.

[carlos_kennedy]

I bought the Aquapack plastic housing from B&H for 119.00, and used it with my 20D and Tamron 28-70 2.8 -It fits this lens perfectly. And that's where the good news end. If you want to take your 20D UNDERWATER, this is not the proper way even at 3 feet deep. This housing has a plastic port that bends around and produces optical aberrations of untolerable proportions; with or without the provided hard plastic lens reinforcement. Surprisingly, the pictures taken out of the water had almost acceptable marks, as I took pictures of waves, and the bag took quite a beating without leaking. Hope this helps!<div></div>