Shoot Review — Ikelite Underwater Housing

Waterproof past 100ft., the molded plastic housing of the Ikelite housing is clear to allow for instant inspection.

When I was growing up, the TV shows I remember most were about oceans and underwater adventure, such as Sea Hunt and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. The Day of the Dolphin, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and other water films have been favorites of mine. There has always been something larger than life about video and film footage from beneath the sea. Be it real footage or wonderful 3D animation, we're drawn to images of the sea. It's only natural that video pros would want to videotape underwater. New housing for the Sony VX2000 from Ikelite Underwater Systems makes this both possible and affordable.

Today's underwater (U/W) housings open a whole new area of opportunity for DV shooter. Personally, low-cost underwater housings and high-quality DV camcorders have opened up new opportunities for my business. From underwater surveys of boats, yachts, and dock construction projects to a recent shoot for a cable TV commercial for a Hawaiian scuba-diving tour, I've been able to put the Ikelite U/W housing through some real-world paces.

Although I've been a certified scuba diver for more than 20 years and a snorkeler literally since I could walk, I had used an underwater video housing only once before. That was in the U.S. Navy, with a large Betacam camera and a bulky housing that weighed a ton. I learned then and again recently that getting great images underwater has as much to do with the camera operator's swimming abilities as it does with the equipment. Once submerged, lighting, proximity to the subject, steadiness, and serendipity all play an even larger part in getting a good image on tape.

Ikelite has more than 40 years of experience producing underwater photo and video equipment, and the company has set the standard in U/W housings. According to the company, it pioneered dependable, easy-to-operate mechanical controls featuring the patented Quad-Ring seal made by Minnesota Rubber. This is a small, round rubber gasket found at all access points to keep water and the elements out. The rings do dry out and crack if not lubricated, so it's best to always have some extras. I used K-Y Jelly to keep them protected. Overall, the anti-water control system is not only dependable, but also simple and easy to maintain in the field.

Ikelite model 6037.12 (for the Sony VX2000) looks like a clear gallon-sized paint can with cast aluminum end caps and a removable heavy metal base and handle. The housing is built like a tank. I stood on top of mine with all 200-plus pounds of me, with no problems. For sheer indestructibility, foolproof operation in any environment, and backing from a company with a 42-year track record of performance, this is the real thing. The clear, rock-hard acrylic plastic housing performed like a champ.

I liked the security of being able to see the camera. I found the always operational, easy manual controls hard to beat, despite the other models I've seen and read about that have a lot of battery-dependent bells and whistles.

Now lest you think this is just a camera in a can, I had access to all of the camera's most important controls: power on/off, start/stop, snapshot, zoom, white balance, focus lock, manual focus, exposure button, exposure dial, ND filter, AE program, and the menu button. In addition to the VX series, the Sony PD150 and PD170 also operate in this housing, but without special accessories like boom microphones and wide-angle lenses.

A .66X wide-angle lens is included with the housing, as is an external UR/Pro filter, which helps color saturation under the waves. There's also a Video Eye viewfinder magnifier for use with your diving mask. The entire unit can operate below 120ft., which is deeper than I'll ever go.

The resealable watertight openings at each end have detachable ballast bases and handles. Assembly was as simple as attaching the camera to a small platform via its tripod screw hole, sliding it into the housing, and securing the ends. The optical dome port through which the camera's lens shoots was specially designed by Ikelite for underwater videography. As with the other housings, the dome (the housing's lens) corrects for refraction underwater, helping the camera to maintain the ability to shoot wide-angle and also increasing color saturation. It also helps to “define” underwater images better.

A video shooter off the coast of Maui, Hawaii, swims with a VX2000 encased in Ikelite housing. Learning how to move underwater to capture smooth video takes practice.

I had a little trouble getting used to the feel of the housing at first, but after just a few minutes in the water I felt comfortable. I got great footage for the commercial even after a single dive. One cool effect was to position the camera at the water's surface, the frame half out of the water.

One of my favorite Ikelite features is the patented UR/Pro color correction filter invented by Underwater Research, a worldwide leader in U/W optics. The filter is designed for both daylight and underwater. Occasionally I had to purge it of air bubbles, but it provided great color. The UR/Pro is light years ahead of what the lens normally captures without it. Aside from underwater, it was a great asset in other extreme environments like sandy beaches because it protects the housing's outer lens. I know of one shooter who uses the housing to capture video in and around house fires, producing firefighting safety videos and documenting damages for insurance companies.

The Ikelite housing weighs a hefty 22lbs. above water, but it's almost weightless in the ocean. Also, the molded grips on each side provide a space for each finger, resulting in a U/W video system that handles extremely well.

Despite its weight on dry land, I found the Ikelite U/W housing to be a very good value with easy-to-use controls and very dependable operation. It paid for itself with its first project, and how many products can you say that about? If you're considering a foray into the ocean, check out Ikelite — the company offers hundreds of different housing configurations. Shooting video underwater has provided me with not only a profitable new service offering for my production business, but also hours of fun.

Tom Patrick McAuliffe is a journalist, entertainer, and video creator living in Hawaii. Reach him at
reelcom1@earthlink.net.

Company: Ikelite
Indianapolis; (317) 923-4523
www.ikelite.com

Product: Model 6037.12 underwater housing for Sony VX2000/VX1000 cameras

Assets: Protects camcorders in extreme environments such as underwater and in sand and snow; virtually indestructible; almost all camera features are accessible.

Caveats: Weighs 22lbs. on dry land; proper operation takes practice.

Demographic: Any video professional who wants to shoot underwater or in an extreme environment.

Price: $1,300

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