ewamarine & other waterproofing help please

[dv13]

it says there is a flat lens area that your lens will shoot thru...does this and if so, how does this affect the photo...seems like it is a waste to have an L lens to shoot thru a flat piece of glass that comes no where near the quality of an L glass..

am asking as per my other thread I want something to protect the whole lens and camera..1d mk 2, seal it completely out to the outer element where my uv filter screws in....so to seal the whole thing from salt air, spray water and so forth except the uv filter...so would need to secure at that point with gaffer tape i assume? but using Ewa Marine would appear that the glass you shoot thru would degradate the picture...does it? thanks..t

Any hints on making the whole camera waterproof, sandproof and sea air proof would be helpful and appreciated....i know there are underwater hard casings but too expensive right now..thanks..t

[Rokcet Scientist]

it says there is a flat lens area that your lens will shoot thru...does this and if so, how does this affect the photo...seems like it is a waste to have an L lens to shoot thru a flat piece of glass that comes no where near the quality of an L glass..

If you don't want your precious L glass directly exposed to the elements, you'll have to cover it, won't you?
Which is why I often cover my lenses with a high-grade UV-filter.
So you'll have to decide between quality and protection!

am asking as per my other thread I want something to protect the whole lens and camera..1d mk 2, seal it completely out to the outer element where my uv filter screws in....so to seal the whole thing from salt air, spray water and so forth except the uv filter...so would need to secure at that point with gaffer tape i assume?

Afaik, pro-dSLR's all have environmental seals everywhere (partly explaining their high price), which ought to enable them being used in any weather without adverse effects. That's what they were made for.

but using Ewa Marine would appear that the glass you shoot thru would degradate the picture...does it? thanks..t

Of course it does! You add 2 more reflecting surfaces!
Ewa Marine 'containers' can be useful up to 15/20 feet underwater. Max! Wanna go deeper? Then you need a custom built underwater case (and BIG strobes!). Those run several thousand bucks apiece . . .
I.o.w.: Ewa Marine sets are really kid stuff!

Any hints on making the whole camera waterproof, sandproof and sea air proof would be helpful and appreciated....i know there are underwater hard casings but too expensive right now..thanks..t[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=67243\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Like I said: pro-dSLR's all have environmental seals everywhere (partly explaining their high price), enabling them being used in any weather without adverse effects. That's what they were made for. That's what you paid for.
Underwater photography is a whole different ballgame!

[dv13]

Yes and thanks....i always use B&W UV filters on all my lens no matter what..thanks for the infor and help..t

[jule]

There are more floodings and leaks using EWA bags in shallow water than below 3m , because there is not the pressure to keep the integrity of the seals. Hire an underwarer housing and ditch the idea of the EWA bag. Whilst a pro camera is meant for most conditions, I woud think that the controls would be slippery in wet conditions, and salt water is cruel on most equipment. I found the controls nearly impossible to manage in an EWA bag, especially when changing setttings frequently.

Whatever you use, whilst not completely submerged, you must make sure the surface of the filter/lens/housing has been attended to, so that the surface tension is such that water droplets do not stay on the front of the glass. There are products available to do this, but the cut face of a green apple carefully rubbed across the surface then rinsed, I find does the trick just as well.

Julie

[Provokot]

There are more floodings and leaks using EWA bags in shallow water than below 3m , because there is not the pressure to keep the integrity of the seals. Hire an underwarer housing and ditch the idea of the EWA bag. Whilst a pro camera is meant for most conditions, I woud think that the controls would be slippery in wet conditions, and salt water is cruel on most equipment. I found the controls nearly impossible to manage in an EWA bag, especially when changing setttings frequently.

Whatever you use, whilst not completely submerged, you must make sure the surface of the filter/lens/housing has been attended to, so that the surface tension is such that water droplets do not stay on the front of the glass. There are products available to do this, but the cut face of a green apple carefully rubbed across the surface then rinsed, I find does the trick just as well.

Julie
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=67329\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I got an ewa bag, took one look at it and decided not to use it.  Nice idea, but too risky for my gear. And totally fidddly.  Hire a housing.

[stever]

you didn't say why you need the protection -- there is a big difference in operation between rain covers and UW housings (i have both)

under what conditions do you need protection?

[jorgedelfino]

I did a lot of underwater photography, and learned that if there is one thing that electronics hate is saltwater, I would never! get an expensive digital camera near salt water, something called "galvanic corrotion" will just eat away anything that is electricaly charge in contact with salwater, most problems I had were actualy related to strobe connections, I had Nikonos II, III, IV and V and found the III to be the best in terms of seals design, lots of friends then had very expensive housings for cameras, on dive boats I saw more than one camera been ruined at the time of getting it out of the housing by a water splash! sometimes for replacing a battery after the dive!
In short, get a nikonos, some film and the best underwater strobe you can afford!