Canon 50E (or similar) Underwater housing

[david_christoffersson]

<p>What kind of different underwaterhousing are available for the Canon 50E (or similar)? I'm trying to google it but it only shows for the 50D. Help me out?<br /> <br />Thanks!</p>

[jim_j2]

<p>I think the Canon 50E was also known as the Elan II and EOS 55.<br>

Check Ikelite's website for an UW housing, they may carry some of the older film body housings.<br>

<a href="http://www.ikelite.com">http://www.ikelite.com</a></p>

<p>A little research on their site should turn up some 35mm film housings, or other resources.</p>

<p>Hope that helps,</p>

 

[zml]

<p>I doubt that you can still find a new housing for that camera (or if one was ever made at all, UW housings are niche equipment and are made only for a very limited types of cameras.) Additionally, there may be a very limited selection of lens ports which may not fit current lenses. Then there's a continuing need for spare parts (gaskets, lens ports and such) which may no longer be made for older housings.<br>

My advice, get a DSLR or a film body for which UW housings are still made. In any event, prepare for a big outlay: $2K plus for a "sports" housing rated to approx. 30 ft and $5K plus for a deeper water housing (housing, lens ports, spare stuff, etc.)</p>

[david_littleboy__tokyo__ja]

<p>Another idea would be to get a waterproof digital P&S camera. There are a few models out there that aren't all that expensive. Even the best of them, though, will have pretty limited depth. Maybe look for a used Nikonos? They seem suprisingly affordable on KEH, which surprises.</p>

 

[zml]

<p>Spare parts for Nikonos are getting hard to find.<br>

As for the depth limitation of UW P&S cameras, this is largely a non-issuse because, depending on the locale, weather, etc., even at 10 ft you really need lights to get color and acceptable shutter speeds so a P&S near surface is fine. I do use a Canon D10 and it would be a wonderful camera if they stopped at 8 mpixels, it is 12, and improved the IQ and higher ISO performance. But it is till OK for snorkeling and UW snapshots. That's why a DSLR is way better for serious shooting: good higher ISO performance allows for shorter shutter speeds and RAW files lend themselves to manipulation in post (WB, color correction, etc.) And last but not least, DSLRs accept ultra wide lenses, which is important becasue the effective UW focal length increases by 1.3x (my favorite is the 15 mm fisheye, no pun intended :-)</p>

<p>One thought: EWA Marine makes a wide range of soft enclosures, some rated to 200 ft, at a substantially lower price point than hard enclosures by Ikelite, Sea&Sea or Aquatec. There is a big BUT: soft enclosures make the camera controls virtualy inoperable even at 20-30 ft so these enclosures are better for snorkeling than SCUBA. OTOH most of the "photographable" marine activity occurs very close to the surface so this may be OK with you.</p>

<p>One final though: photography gets in the way of snorkeling and SCUBA so it is good to be a very proficient diver/snorkeler before doing serious UW shooting.</p>