First Impressions - Ikelite Video Housing

mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:
:How do others who travel with this type of equipment do it? Is it worth springing for a Pelican
:type case given the "easy target" type theft risk if checked? Given what I normally carry, I'll
:have to choose now between the camcorder gear/housing and my regular SCUBA gear (which
:weighs about 50 lbs in itself). I usually travel with everything except tanks and weights. I guess
:I can rent SCUBA gear wherever I travel.

50 lbs of scuba gear? Leave your weights at home.

Dan Bracuk
If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.

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mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:
:How do others who travel with this type of equipment do it? Is it worth springing for a Pelican
:type case given the "easy target" type theft risk if checked? Given what I normally carry, I'll
:have to choose now between the camcorder gear/housing and my regular SCUBA gear (which
:weighs about 50 lbs in itself). I usually travel with everything except tanks and weights. I guess
:I can rent SCUBA gear wherever I travel.

50 lbs of scuba gear? Leave your weights at home.

Dan Bracuk
If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

mag3 wrote:
> Hi All. Well, having just picked up the Padi Underwater Photographer specialty
> rating, here I go to buy the Ikelite Underwater Video Housing for my Sony Digital-8
> Video Camcorder. Just arrived this afternoon.
>
> First Impression - THIS SUCKER's HEAAAVVYYY!!! I had no idea how heavy the
> entire assembly would be - (ie. underwater housing with camcorder included and
> the attached "Pro Video Lite II" lamp and battery pack. It weighs roughly 16lbs + fully
> assembled. I'm a little discouraged now to be honest because I can't imagine how
> I'm going to take this with me anywhere on an aircraft. Add to this the weight of a
> carrying case strong enough to protect the housing and lamp (eg. Pelican case - not
> yet purchased), and we could be talking 30 lbs of dead weight, in addition to all the
> other junk I carry on a trip. And how I'm going to get this through the TSA is a whole
> different issue. Bad enough that I have to get my regular SCUBA gear through let alone
> a 30 lb stone.
>
> How do others who travel with this type of equipment do it? Is it worth springing for a Pelican
> type case given the "easy target" type theft risk if checked? Given what I normally carry, I'll
> have to choose now between the camcorder gear/housing and my regular SCUBA gear (which
> weighs about 50 lbs in itself). I usually travel with everything except tanks and weights. I guess
> I can rent SCUBA gear wherever I travel.
>
> The housing itself is actually rather ingenious - knobs, tray, etc, right where everything
> needs to be. All it takes is a light touch and that's all one should use because any greater
> pressure and the camcorder parts themselves will break. Haven't water tested it yet
> but will do so at Dutch Springs before I consider traveling with it by air. Just how I'm
> going to do that is still a mystery at this point. Any and all helpful suggestions welcome.
>
> TIA
>
> ____________________________________________
> Regards,
>
> Arnold

It has been a long time since I traveled with my monster system, but an
igloo cooler worked great for me. You can cut foam rubber to fit
securely and use duct tape to close it. Secure? I dunno. But I never
lost any photog equipment in it!

As far as testing the case, take it down without a camera but have
tiolet paper or colored tissue paper wrapped around each of the controls
inside. Operate the controls several times at depth and again coming
up. Then check the paper for moisture. You shouldn't see anything but
the shaft lubricant.

Just my $.02

--

Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Webmonkey for:
http://www.ossystems.com
http://www.bobs-garage.com
http://www.clanwolverine.org
http://www.rayzplace.com

mag3 wrote:
> Hi All. Well, having just picked up the Padi Underwater Photographer specialty
> rating, here I go to buy the Ikelite Underwater Video Housing for my Sony Digital-8
> Video Camcorder. Just arrived this afternoon.
>
> First Impression - THIS SUCKER's HEAAAVVYYY!!! I had no idea how heavy the
> entire assembly would be - (ie. underwater housing with camcorder included and
> the attached "Pro Video Lite II" lamp and battery pack. It weighs roughly 16lbs + fully
> assembled. I'm a little discouraged now to be honest because I can't imagine how
> I'm going to take this with me anywhere on an aircraft. Add to this the weight of a
> carrying case strong enough to protect the housing and lamp (eg. Pelican case - not
> yet purchased), and we could be talking 30 lbs of dead weight, in addition to all the
> other junk I carry on a trip. And how I'm going to get this through the TSA is a whole
> different issue. Bad enough that I have to get my regular SCUBA gear through let alone
> a 30 lb stone.
>
> How do others who travel with this type of equipment do it? Is it worth springing for a Pelican
> type case given the "easy target" type theft risk if checked? Given what I normally carry, I'll
> have to choose now between the camcorder gear/housing and my regular SCUBA gear (which
> weighs about 50 lbs in itself). I usually travel with everything except tanks and weights. I guess
> I can rent SCUBA gear wherever I travel.
>
> The housing itself is actually rather ingenious - knobs, tray, etc, right where everything
> needs to be. All it takes is a light touch and that's all one should use because any greater
> pressure and the camcorder parts themselves will break. Haven't water tested it yet
> but will do so at Dutch Springs before I consider traveling with it by air. Just how I'm
> going to do that is still a mystery at this point. Any and all helpful suggestions welcome.
>
> TIA
>
> ____________________________________________
> Regards,
>
> Arnold

It has been a long time since I traveled with my monster system, but an
igloo cooler worked great for me. You can cut foam rubber to fit
securely and use duct tape to close it. Secure? I dunno. But I never
lost any photog equipment in it!

As far as testing the case, take it down without a camera but have
tiolet paper or colored tissue paper wrapped around each of the controls
inside. Operate the controls several times at depth and again coming
up. Then check the paper for moisture. You shouldn't see anything but
the shaft lubricant.

Just my $.02

--

Ray Contreras
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Webmonkey for:
http://www.ossystems.com
http://www.bobs-garage.com
http://www.clanwolverine.org
http://www.rayzplace.com

"mag3" <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:v7su12d1bh06ssngi1k31shq89qpchbaha@4ax.com...

> Any and all helpful suggestions welcome.
>

I too was somewhat dismayed when the housing and light kit arrived for my
video camera. It came packed in the Pelican case so as to be complete and
ready for traveling. I had a 30-day return privilege and it went back to
the manufacturer.

With that said, last group trip there were 18 Pelican cases in our troupe.
Many of them housed cameras, housings, and lenses. They weigh what they
weigh and some paid for excess baggage. Everyone carried their dive gear
but lightened up by not bringing clothes.

Hopefully your videos will make it all worth it.

"mag3" <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:v7su12d1bh06ssngi1k31shq89qpchbaha@4ax.com...

> Any and all helpful suggestions welcome.
>

I too was somewhat dismayed when the housing and light kit arrived for my
video camera. It came packed in the Pelican case so as to be complete and
ready for traveling. I had a 30-day return privilege and it went back to
the manufacturer.

With that said, last group trip there were 18 Pelican cases in our troupe.
Many of them housed cameras, housings, and lenses. They weigh what they
weigh and some paid for excess baggage. Everyone carried their dive gear
but lightened up by not bringing clothes.

Hopefully your videos will make it all worth it.

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 23:08:09 -0500, Dan Bracuk <NOTbracuk@pathcom.com> wrote:

>mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard
>resulting in:
>:How do others who travel with this type of equipment do it? Is it worth springing for a Pelican
>:type case given the "easy target" type theft risk if checked? Given what I normally carry, I'll
>:have to choose now between the camcorder gear/housing and my regular SCUBA gear (which
>:weighs about 50 lbs in itself). I usually travel with everything except tanks and weights. I guess
>:I can rent SCUBA gear wherever I travel.
>
>50 lbs of scuba gear? Leave your weights at home.

I do. That's 50 lbs *without* weights. But to be fair, that 50lbs. also includes the weight
of the luggage itself (about 15 lbs empty).


____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 23:08:09 -0500, Dan Bracuk <NOTbracuk@pathcom.com> wrote:

>mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard
>resulting in:
>:How do others who travel with this type of equipment do it? Is it worth springing for a Pelican
>:type case given the "easy target" type theft risk if checked? Given what I normally carry, I'll
>:have to choose now between the camcorder gear/housing and my regular SCUBA gear (which
>:weighs about 50 lbs in itself). I usually travel with everything except tanks and weights. I guess
>:I can rent SCUBA gear wherever I travel.
>
>50 lbs of scuba gear? Leave your weights at home.

I do. That's 50 lbs *without* weights. But to be fair, that 50lbs. also includes the weight
of the luggage itself (about 15 lbs empty).


____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:53:15 -0800, Ray <ray@rayzplace.com> wrote:


>As far as testing the case, take it down without a camera but have
>tiolet paper or colored tissue paper wrapped around each of the controls
>inside. Operate the controls several times at depth and again coming
>up. Then check the paper for moisture. You shouldn't see anything but
>the shaft lubricant.

Excellent advice. I can do that at the quarry I go to for practice. First dive, just
take the housing down by itself. If all goes well, put the camera in it during
surface interval and then take the camera -in- housing down for the 2nd dive.

Thanks.


____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:53:15 -0800, Ray <ray@rayzplace.com> wrote:


>As far as testing the case, take it down without a camera but have
>tiolet paper or colored tissue paper wrapped around each of the controls
>inside. Operate the controls several times at depth and again coming
>up. Then check the paper for moisture. You shouldn't see anything but
>the shaft lubricant.

Excellent advice. I can do that at the quarry I go to for practice. First dive, just
take the housing down by itself. If all goes well, put the camera in it during
surface interval and then take the camera -in- housing down for the 2nd dive.

Thanks.


____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold