Housing for Snorkling

[Ugg10]

Hi all, long time no posting, apologies for the absence (but have been active e on the Hifi section).

Anyway, planning this years holiday (first for three years) and will have an opportunity to do a fair bit of snorkelling. Therefore I would like to get some half decent underwater photos (less than 5m probably) so was thinking of getting one of the plastic bags. I have an old Canon 550d and ideally would like to use my Samyang 14mm F2.8 as I can just set the aperture and focus to around 2m and it will be a point and shoot. If the bag proves reliable then I may chance my 6D in it.

However, most of the cheaper bags (approx £50) seem to be limited to 80mm lens diameter but the Samyang is 85mm.

So, does anyone know of an underwater housing/bag for an SLR with a wide lens that would fit, ideally less than £100, or suggest other options? I will also have a look for smaller cheap EF lenses that may also do.

Thanks in advance.

 

[stearman65]

I'm delving back into my dim & distant past, (1959). I made my own housing using an old one piece face mask & a football bladder. It worked using a cheepo film camera & I was able to wind on the film & fire the shutter. The face mask had a metal ring around the glass to rubber joint with a nut & bolt to fit & remove.
That was then, now I have an SJ6CAM Legend it comes with a housing, bought it direct from SJ cost about £100 with lots of mounts etc. I would do that.
SJ6 Legend, PS just found a new one on Ebay £89 free delivery. UK seller, no contest.

 

[AMc]

Can't make suggestion for a housing, I've always been amazed at the cost of them.
Have you looked at a rugged compact as an alternative ?
We bought our daughter a Fuji XP1?? for Guides holiday - snow, water etc. for about £100.
Olympus Tough are also well regarded.

 

[Ugg10]

Thanks for the comments.

I will be taking a GoPro anyway but was wondering if bags like the link below are any good, reviews seem to be 50/50 but looks like it is all in the care taken to seal properly. Using my old 550D and 17-85mm to start with will derisk and if all Ok then would like to see what my 6D and 24-105mm or Samyang 14mm (or buy a second hand 16-35mm) would do.

Amazon product

 

[AMc]

If you're feeling brave....

DiCAPac WP S10 Outdoor / Underwater Bag for SLRs for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DiCAPac WP S10 Outdoor / Underwater Bag for SLRs at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

When I got my SJCAM action camera I did a few tests of the waterproof housing without the camera to convince myself it would be OK.
All the complaints about leaks in the reviews seemed to circle back to failures to seal the case carefully enough and trapping gaskets etc.
I'd have a few trial runs in the bath before you head out to sea
Be very interested to see the results when you eventually get away!

 

[Ugg10]

I think I have found a solution

Saw an Ikelite housing on ebay going cheap and advertised as "unknown camera fitment". Anyway looking at the pictures and noticing it had a camera power adapter fitted plus trying to match the the button pattern on the rear I figured out it was for an old Canon 10D (most ofthe cheap ones on ebay/FB Marketplace are for old film SLR cameras). Now looking at the specs the 10D and the 6D were within a couple of mm difference. So pulled the trigger for a couple of £ more than the fancy Ziplock bag.

It arrive today and I did a quick trial fit. And it seems as though it will work. OK I will be limited to fixed lenses and a fixed mode but the main shutter operation seems to be able to be "engineered to fit" plus it looks in good nick and the dome is fairly good but could do with a clean and a polish.

I will probably take out all of the TTL gubbins and replace with a new base mount (got some angle iron I can use) and the camera needs to sit a few mm backwards and I can then do a bathtub seal test to make sure it is all water tight. And if it all goes to pot then I can always buy a 10D for £50 and use that.

The only "issue" is that I am now looking at Canon or Sigma 15mm fisheye lenses to go it it


Untitled by A H, on Flickr


Untitled by A H, on Flickr


Untitled by A H, on Flickr

 

[Ugg10]

So after a bit of a think and a couple of hours in the garage I have removed all of the TTL gubbins as I won’t be using lights or strobes, made a new mounting plate and “persuaded” the shutter arm into position. I have now gained a number of functions back which I am pretty pleased with, I can operate the shutter and selector wheel, the ISO and shutter mode top buttons, LHS main mode sector and a couple of minor rear buttons. Unfortunately the video mode is on a rear switch rather than the main mode selector dial and the live view mode button is no where near an existing case button so will have to stick to the view finder and pictures.

I also gave it a clean and it looks hardly used and the dome is pretty much scratch free, a real bonus. Only issue is neither of my main lenses fit (24-105L or Samyang 14mm), so looks like more shopping.

Pretty happy so far, final fettling tomorrow evening (mounting plate will need a coat of paint) and then ready for the bath tub (camera replaced with tissues!).


Untitled by A H, on Flickr


Untitled by A H, on Flickr

 

[AMc]

Looks like a result to me!