Ikelite DS-50, DS-125, DS-200, SX110 IS, DS-80 User Manual

Ikelite Digital Housing

Front View

Shutter
Release

Lid
Snap

Lid
Snap

Lens
Port

Back View

Zoom Dial Mode Dial

Power Button

[E] ISO/Jump
[F] Macro
[G] FUNC./SET
[H] Flash/Control Dial

[I] Continuous
[J] Display
[K] Menu

[A] Print/Share
[B] Playback
[C] Face Selector
[D] Exposure

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

Lift

Push Forward

Lid Snap Lock

i n s t r u c t i o n m a n u a l

#6148.11 for Canon PowerShot SX110 IS

Congratulations on your purchase of an Ikelite Digital Camera
Housing. Ikelite has over 45 years of experience in the underwater
photographic and lighting market. Our products are designed and
built in the USA by Ikelite for both the professional and amateur
photographer.
The clear housing permits instant visual inspection of the camera
and all sealing surfaces as well as complete monitoring of controls
and camera LCD screens.
Ikelite Digital Housings are slightly negative in salt water for
stability. This housing has been water pressure tested at the
factory to 200’ (60m).

PPlleeaassee RReeaad

d

We suggest that you read this instruction booklet thoroughly
before use. If you are new to underwater photography, be sure
to read the General and Photo Tips sections.
We also suggest that you read the camera manual thoroughly
to have a full understanding of where each camera control is
located and what function each control provides.

PPlleeaassee RReeaadd IIff UUssiinngg aann EEVV--CCoonnttrroolllleerr

The EV-Controller used with Ikelite DS Substrobes has two user
settings. One setting is for strobe selection, the other is for
pre-flash or non pre-flash.

TThhiiss ccaammeerraa uusseess pprree--ffllaasshh

, thus the

EV-Controller should be set to the pre-flash position when used

ith this camera.

w
The camera does not emit a pre-flash when used in the “M”
manual mode. If using the “M” manual mode, set the
EV-controller to non-pre-flash.

IInniittiiaall CCaammeerraa SSeettuupp

1. Set ISO to 80.

2. Set camera to “A” Aperture priority.

3. Raise the camera flash to it’s open or “UP” position.

4. Set Flash to forced “On” (lightning bolt in LCD).

5. In the Flash Control Menu > Flash Settings > Flash Mode >
Auto, should be the setting, which is also the default setting.

5. For Macro photography, set aperture to f7.1 or 8.0.

6. Set White Balance to “Auto”.

7. Set Image Quality to “Superfine” and Large “L”.

8. Set Metering to “Center Weighted Avg.”.

NNOOTTEE::

Make sure that the camera flash is in the “up” or “raised”

position before closing your housing with the camaera inside.

2

OOppeenniinngg tthhee HHoouussiinngg

1. Lid Snaps have a
To open, push each Lid Snap Lock forward and lift as shown.
Keep pressure on the Lid Snap so that it does not fly open
quickly.

Some lid snaps have a lot of spring tension once they go over
center, so keep a firm grip on the lid snap. Lid snaps may be
opened one at a time or simultaneously.

LLoocckk

.

3

4

+

-

-

+

IInnssttaalllliinngg tthhee CCaammeerra

CAMERA / MOUNT

O' Ring

Lid
Hook

Mounting Bolt

Mounting
Tray

Canon

1

0x

OPTICAL
ZOOM

9.0

MEGA
PIXELS

S

X

1

1

0

I

S

P

o

we

r

S

h

o

t

RAISE FLASH before

closing housing

a

1. Pull out on each housing control until it stops. This will get the
controls out of the way for installing the camera.

2. Remove the back from the housing. The mounting tray for the
camera is secured to the housing back. Position the camera on
the tray, and using a coin or screwdriver (preferred), secure it
with the mounting bolt which threads into the camera’s tripod
socket.

CCAAUUTTIIOONN::

Some camera tripod socket threads are plastic. The mounting
tray bolt is metal. Do not cross thread or over tighten as you
may damage the camera tripod socket threads.

3. RAISE the camera flash. This must be done before closing the

housing.

CClloossiinngg tthhee HHoouussiinng

1. Place housing face down in your

g

housing back

lap or on flat surface.

2. Check to see that there is an
o-ring on the housing back and
that it is clean and in its proper
location.

3. Guide the back into the housing
front. The o-ring should touch the

ousing all the way around. There

h
should be an even gap all the way
around between the housing and
the housing back.

. Lift the lid snaps so they are

4

extended and place each lid

housing back

snap into the corresponding hook
on the housing back.

. To close the housing, push

5

down on the lid snaps until

even gap
all 4 sides

they snap into place . Lid
snaps on opposite sides of the
housing should be closed at the
same time. Be sure they are down
far enough to engage the lock.

DDoouubbllee cchheecckk

- Once the housing is closed, check the o-ring seal.
Check the gap between the housing back and the housing. It
should be even all the way around the housing.
Look through the clear plastic back at the o-ring. You should see
a darkened area where the o-ring is compressed against the
housing back. If you do not see an even black compression seal
all the way around the back, open the lid snaps, reseat the
housing back and close the lid snaps. Visually check the seal again.

o-ring

o-ring

5

CChheecckkiinngg CCoonnttrroollss

Once the housing has been closed, make sure the housing
controls line up with the corresponding camera controls. If the
housing controls are misaligned slightly, make sure the camera
hold down bolt has been tightened down firmly so the camera
is flat against the tray.

TTuurrnn CCaammeerraa OOnn

Turn the camera on and operate each of the housing controls to
get a feel for using the camera in the housing. Take a few pictures
above water with the camera in the housing.

ZZoooomm CCoonnttrrooll

(NOTE:) After you have used the
housing's zoom control, it must be
returned to the center position to
disengage. If the housing zoom
control is pushing the zoom lever
in either direction, you may not
be able to take a picture or access
any other function because the
camera is receiving a signal from
the engaged zoom control.

UUssiinngg FFllaasshh

UUssiinngg tthhee CCaammeerraa’’ss BBuuiilltt--iinn FFllaasshh..

If you do not have an external flash, the camera’s built-in flash
can be used. See Diffuser instructions

NOTE: The camera’s built-in flash cannot be used with optional

Wide-Angle lenses.

7

Engaged Center Position

Disengaged

((PPaaggee ##88 && ##99))

.

6

DDiiffffuusseerr aanndd DDeefflleeccttoorr IInnssttaallllaattiioonn

Deflector

Housing shown with Deflector installed.

A diffuser and deflector are included
with the housing. The diffuser is
white transparent plastic. The
deflector is also white, but is not
transparent.

To install the diffuser or deflector,
spread the port clamp at the spring
end and slide over the lens port. The
white plastic should be placed in
front of the camera flash. The port
clamp should be pushed back against the front of the housing.

8

Diffuser/Deflector
material

Port Clamp

Spring

Spread to Install

T

e

s

t

O

f

f

O

n

O

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t

e

TT

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F

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F

uel

Gu

a

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e

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ea

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t

3

2

1

-

2

-

3

-

4

-

1

D

S

DS

SUBSTROBE

160

i

k

e

l

i

t

e

S

U

B

S

T

R

O

B

E

D

S

51

ikelite

DDiiffffuusseer

ikelite

r

The diffuser should be installed when using the camera’s built
in flash. When shooting with the camera’s built-in flash at
approximately 2 feet (0.6 m) or less, the lens port on the
housing may block a portion of the light from the camera’s
built-in flash, creating a shadow in the lower area of the photo.
If this occurs, zoom the lens slightly to eliminate the shadow.

(You can test this above water)

DDeefflleeccttoorr

The deflector should be installed when using an external strobe
such as the DS51 or DS160 Substrobe with an EV Controller. The
deflector will redirect the camera’s flash to the EV Controller

hich controls the external DS strobe’s output.

w

LLeennss PPoorrtt aanndd AAcccceessssoorryy LLeennsseess

Treat the glass in the lens port as a camera lens. After use, rinse
and gently dry the lens port to avoid water spotting. To clean,
use a mild soap solution or lens cleaner.

Do not use alcohol or window cleaner on the Lens Port.

The Housing Lens Port is threaded to accept 67mm accessory
lenses. These lenses are NOT recommended for use with this
housing due to extreme vignetting

OOppttiioonnaall AAcccceessssoorriieess

DDSS DDiiggiittaall SSttrroobbeess

For the best underwater photographic results, we recommend

dding an external DS-digital strobe and EV-controller, connected

a
to the housing with a SA-100 Ball/socket arm.

Ikelite DS series Substrobes are industry favorites for their warm,
even coverage and lightning fast recycle time. Being farther from
the camera lens, the optional DS Substrobe aids in reducing the
illumination of particles in the water and helps to eliminate
backscatter.

When used in conjunction with the EV-Controller, the DS51 Mode
switch is set to the TTL setting and the EV-Controller provides ten
power settings in half-stop increments.

SSuubbssttrroobbee DDSS5511

The Substrobe DS51 covers the equivalent of a 28mm lens. It is the
ideal choice when using only the camera lens with no accessory
wide angle lenses attached.

Substrobe
DS51

OOppttiioonnaall AAcccceessssoorriieess ((ccoonntt..))

SSuubbssttrroobbee DDSS116600

The Substrobe DS160 covers
the equivalent of an 18mm
lens or 100 degrees
w/diffuser installed. It is the
ideal choice when using
accessory wide angle lenses
greater than 28mm. It also
features a 1.5 second recycle
time and 225 flashes per full
charge.

SSAA--110000 BBaallll//SSoocckkeett AArrmm

The SA-100 system #4086.61
with its 1" diameter ball is ideal
underwater. The #9571.3
extended stem mount allows
easy attachment of the
EV-controller or flashlight
mount, and drops right into
the release handle. Aim does
not change when changing the
aim of the strobe. The arm
system allows easy strobe
placement from macro
close-up to wide angle without
changing aim of the Sensor.
The complete system removes
with a push of the handle
button.

9

Substrobe
DS160

11

SA-100 Ball/Socket
Arm #4086.61

#9571.3 Extended
Stem Mount (included
with SA-100
Ball/Socket arm)

10

OOppttiioonnaall AAcccceessssoorriieess ((ccoonntt..))

EEVV MMaannuuaall CCoonnttrroolllleerr

Provides 10 manual power
settings in half-stop
increments for SubStrobe
DS-50, DS-51, DS-80,
DS-125, DS-160 and

DS-200 models.

Simply point the
Controller at your camera
housing for dependable
strobe triggering by the
camera strobe.

The Controller attaches to
the strobe and mounts
near the housing on the
#9571.3 Extended Stem
Mount (Page #11).

mount to
Extended
Stem Mount
(page #11)

connect to
DS-Substrobe

EV-controller

SSttrroobbee PPaacckkaaggeess

#3944.54 Substrobe DS-51 package includes #4086.61 Arm System
(page #11) and EV Manual Controller.

#3944.91 Substrobe DS-160 package includes #4086.61 Arm
System (page #11), 1.5 hour Smart Charger, and EV Manual
Controller

NNoottee::

power settings on the EV Manual Controller.

DS Strobes must be set to “TTL” to utilize the manual

12

OOppttiioonnaall AAcccceessssoorriieess ((ccoonntt..)

BBaacckk oo--rriinngg

O-rings last for several years if properly maintained. (See
maintenance section). Always carry a spare o-ring in case the
original becomes damaged or lost.

##00111100

UURR//PPrroo FFiilltteerr ((BBlluuee WWaatteerr))

The UR/Pro underwater color correcting filter is designed to

estore some of the warm colors filtered out by the water. For

r
available light use only and not recommended for use with
flash.

GGrreeeenn WWaatteerr FFiilltteerr

Enhances contrast and alters the color of green water to give
our subject a rich, natural tone. For available light only and not
recommended for use with flash.

##66444411..8811

TTrraayy wwiitthh DDuuaall RReelleeaassee HHaannddlleess

Dual Tray and Release Handles are required to mount two
external Substrobes.

CCoommpplleettee iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn rreeggaarrddiinngg ooppttiioonnaall aacccceessssoorriieess aavvaaiillaabbllee aatt

wwwwww..iikkeelliittee..ccoom

m

)

##66444411..4411

##99552233..3322

13

MMaaiinntteennaanncce

The Ikelite Digital Housing should be given the same care and
attention as your other photographic equipment. In addition to

ormal maintenance, we recommend that the housing be returned

n
to Ikelite periodically to be checked and pressure tested.

DDoo NNoot

1.
prolonged periods. Heat may damage the camera.
DDoo NNoott

2.

3. Before using the housing, always check the tightness of the
ssccrreeww
Check each
they are tight. There is a slight chance that either could vibrate

oose during travel.

l

4. Keep the back o-ring clean and lightly lubricated. To lubricate,
remove the o-ring from the back. Put a small amount of lkelite
lubricant on your fingers. Pull the o-ring through your fingers
to apply a light coating of lubricant. Only apply enough
lubricant to make the o-ring feel slick.
oo--rriinngg
o-ring from drying out and will help to show a dark sealing
line when the housing back is properly sealed.

5. Keep the area where the o-ring fits and the sealing surface of
the housing clean.

6. Rinse the housing exterior thoroughly in fresh water after each
salt water use. Dry with a soft cloth. Dry lens port to eliminate
water spotting.
After several uses in salt water, soak the housing exterior in a
mild soap solution, rinse and dry, before storing. When storing
the housing, remove the back o-ring, lightly lubricate, and place
in a plastic bag. Place the plastic bag with o-ring inside the
housing for safe keeping.

7. If removing a housing push button,
Contact Ikelite for replacement E-clips (part #0319.12).

e

t

leave the camera and housing in direct sunlight for

ship the camera in the housing.

in each control knob.

ccoonnttrrooll ggllaanndd

. This light coating of lubricant will help to keep the

penetrating the housing to make sure

DDoo NNoott ssttrreettcchh tthhee

DDoo NNoott

14

re-use the E-clip.

sseett

LLuubbrriiccaannttss

1. Ikelite provides silicone lubricant with the housing. We recommend
you use only Ikelite lubricant on Ikelite products as some other
brands may cause the o-ring to swell and not seal properly.

2. Use only enough lubricant to lightly cover control shafts and
o-rings. Wipe off any excess lubricant with a clean cloth.
Lubricant is not a sealant, it is used to reduce friction. Excessive
lubricant can collect sand and dirt which may interfere with
proper sealing.

CCAAUUTTIIOONN

NNeevveerr uussee sspprraayy lluubbrriiccaannttss aass tthhee pprrooppeellllaanntt iinnggrreeddiieenntt ccaan
ccaauussee tthhee ppllaassttiicc hhoouussiinngg ttoo ccrraacckk.

.

n

CCoonnttrrooll MMaaiinntteennaannccee

Ikelite controls are designed to provide years of reliable service
with minimal maintenance.

1. Push button controls require no maintenance other than rinsing
in fresh water after saltwater use. If a push button control
becomes difficult to push or if it sticks when depressed, soak the
housing in luke warm fresh water. After a few minutes, operate
the push button. If this does not correct the problem, return the
housing to Ikelite for maintenance.

2. Some of the controls have long shafts. These controls can be
pulled out, exposing the shaft (see diagrams A and B on pages
#16 & #17).
To lubricate the control, gently pull on the knob until the
stainless steel shaft is exposed. Lightly lubricate the shaft, then
move the shaft in and out several times. This will lubricate the
x-ring in the Ikelite control gland. This should be done before
using the housing after a prolonged storage period, or once a
week when the housing is in constant use.

15

CCoonnttrrooll MMaaiinntteennaannccee CCoonntt..

3. Some of the controls have a short shaft and cannot be pulled
out exposing the shaft for lubrication. In the unlikely event
one of these controls sticks or becomes difficult to operate
you can remove the control from the housing and lubricate it,
or return the housing to Ikelite for maintenance. To remove
the control (Diagram A), loosen the set screw in the knob
(allen wrench required); remove the knob. If there is salt or
dirt build-up on the exposed control shaft, clean the shaft.
Open the housing and gently slide the control shaft out of the
control gland. Clean and lightly lubricate the shaft, including
the end of the shaft. Slide the shaft back into the control
gland and gently slide it back and forth a few times without
fully removing the shaft from the gland. Replace the knob
noting the flat area on the shaft. The set screw in the knob
should tighten down against the flat area on the control, so
the knob does not turn on the shaft.

control

Tighten set screw down

against this flat area

when replacing the knob.

housing

Lubricate end of shaft
before reinserting into
gland

Diagram A

gland

Loosen set screw

16

lubricate shaft

housing

pull out to
expose shaft

Diagram B

GGeenneerraall TTiippss

1. Due to the power required to operate the camera, flash, and
LCD screen, it is a good idea to start each dive with a fresh set
of batteries.

2. Some cameras reset their flash to AUTO when the camera is
turned on. If you prefer another setting be sure to select it.

3. As soon as you enter the water, take a moment and check the
housing to see that it is properly sealed.

4. Next, check to see if there are any bubbles on the face of the
lens port. If there are, take your finger and remove them. If
there are bubbles on the lens port they can produce soft focus
spots in your photographs.

5. If you are shooting with the camera’s built-in flash and the
camera lens is set to the widest angle, you may need to zoom
the lens slightly or a shadow may appear in the lower left
corner of close-up photographs. The lens port may block some
of the light. Installing the flash diffuser will help to eliminate
the shadow.

NNOOTTEE::

To shoot photographs closer than 2 feet (0.6m), you should
use an external strobe such as the DS51 or DS160. With an
external strobe, you can position it so nothing blocks the light
path between the strobe and the subject.

(You can test this above water)

PPhhoottoo TTiipps

1. The number one rule in underwater photography is eliminate
as much water between camera and subject as possible. Get
as close as you can to the subject, then use the zoom. If you
are using flash, subjects beyond 6 feet (1.8m)will not have
much color.

2. The camera’s built-in flash is very close to the camera lens. The
flash can light up any suspended particles in the water and they
can be recorded in your picture. This effect is called backscatter.
T
Photograph in clear water; do not stir up the sand or silty
bottom. If backscatter becomes a problem in the environment
you are photographing, an external flash will help eliminate
m

3. Many digital cameras have a slight lag time between when you
press the shutter release button and the camera actually takes
the picture. Hold the camera steady a second or two after
p

4. Do not shoot down on subjects as they will quite often blend
into the background and be difficult to see in the photograph.
Shoot subjects straight on or shoot up at a slight angle using
the blue water as a contrasting background.

5. Underwater flash is used to restore the warmer colors filtered
out by the water as well as to illuminate the subject. When
photographing underwater, set the camera to use flash on
every shot. If the camera’s flash is set to AUTO and the sun is
behind your subject, the camera may see enough light and not
fire the flash. With the sun behind the subject, the subject is
shaded (dark) and needs flash for a good exposure.

s

o eliminate as much backscatter as possible, photograph close.

uch of the backscatter.

ressing the shutter release button.

17

PPhhoottoo TTiippss CCoonntt..

6. When using daylight or flash, if your camera consistently over
or underexposes the image, you may want to adjust your
camera’s exposure compensation settings. Many cameras allow
you to adjust both available light and flash exposure with an
EV control in the camera’s menu.

7. Many photographers transfer their images to the computer
where they can fine tune the appearance of the image. Many
of the image manipulation programs make you think you can
magically correct any image taken and make a good picture.
One thing to remember when using an image manipulation
program, is that if the image is overexposed, much of the color
is missing. If the color is missing you cannot adjust it. If images
are slightly underexposed, the color is there, but it is just dark
and you can adjust it to some degree. So if you error in
exposure, it is better to have the image slightly underexposed
rather than over exposed.

18

IIkkeelliittee LLiimmiitteedd WWaarrrraannttyy

All Ikelite products are warranted against any manufacturing
defects for a period of one year from the date of purchase.
Defective products should be returned prepaid to Ikelite. Ikelite
will, at its discretion, repair or replace such products, and will
return to customer prepaid. All other claims, of any nature,
including but not limited to bulb failure are not covered. Except
as mentioned above, no other warranty expressed or implied
applies to this Ikelite product.

RReettuurrnniinngg PPrroodduuccttss ffoorr SSeerrvviiccee

Ikelite is most interested in performing any service to assure that
all products perform as intended. For repair or service, return the
product to the address below with your name, address, phone
number, and a brief description of the problem. Evidence of
purchase date must be provided to obtain warranty service.
Normal service turnaround time is approximately 2-3 weeks.

IIkkeelliittee UUnnddeerrwwaatteerr SSyysstteemmss

5500 WW 3333rrdd SSttrreeeett

IInnddiiaannaappoolliiss,, IINN 4466220088 UUSSAA

19

WWhheenn rreettuurrnniinngg pprroodduuccttss sseenndd ““aattttnn.. RReeppaaiirr DDeepptt..””

331177--992233--44552233

““ggeenneerraall qquueessttiioonnss”” ee--mmaaiill:: iikkeelliittee@@iikkeelliittee..ccoomm

wwwwww..iikkeelliittee..ccoomm

DDiiggiittaall 66114488..1111--00 11--11110088