Digital Housing
i n s t r u c t i o n m a n u a l
6146.12 for Canon Powershot G11, G12
Thank you for your purchase of Ikelite equipment. Please read this
instruction manual completely before attempting to operate or dive
with this product. Please refer to the back page of this manual to
register your Ikelite product.
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Table of Contents
Lubricant..........................................................................P. 16
Housing Maintenance......................................................P. 17
Control Maintenance ......................................................P. 18
..................................................................P. 20
........................................................P. 20
..................................................................P. 24
....................................P. 24
EV Manual Controller Use ............................................P. 26
....................................................P. 26
........................................................P. 26
................................P. 27
..................................................Back Cover
3
Specifications
Width ......................7in. (180mm) including controls
Height ....................5 in. (130mm) including controls
Depth ......................5.4 in. (140mm) including controls and lens port
Weight ....................2.8 lb (1300g) above water
Buoyancy................Slightly negative in saltwater for stability
Package Contents
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Ikelite Digital Housing
Silicone Lubricant
Vinyl Port Cover
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Diffuser
Deflector
Extra Control Tips
Preparation
This product has been water pressure tested at the factory and is depth
rated to 200 ft. (60m). Thoroughly inspect and immerse the empty
housing completely in water before installing a camera. If any fogging
occurs or droplets of water enter the housing, do not install a camera.
Clean the housing main o-ring and retest to make sure that it is
watertight. Refer to the Troubleshooting section, page 21.
Please read your Canon camera manual thoroughly to have a full
understanding of each camera function.
If you are new to underwater photography, be sure to read the Photo
Tips section.
4
Initial Camera Setup (before placing camera in housing)
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Insert a fully charged battery. Due to the power required to operate the
camera and LCD screen, start each dive with a fully charged camera
battery.
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Insert and format a memory card.
Set camera date and time.
Set ISO to “80.”
Set camera mode dial to “Av” Aperture priority. In Aperture Priority mode
"Av" the shutter speed should automatically go to 1/60 second.
Set Flash to “On” (lightning bolt in LCD).
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For General photography, set aperture to f3.5.
For Macro photography, set aperture to f8.0.
Set White Balance (AWB) to “Auto.”
Set Image Size to “L” and compression to “S” Superfine.
Set Metering to “Center-Weighted Average.”
In the camera menu set the “ND” Filter to “Cancel.”
NOTES:
TTL Flash is NOT available when camera is in “M” Manual mode. There
is no TTL flash even with Canon's own flash in the camera "M" mode.
Manual power settings can be selected with the multi-control button on
the back of the camera. The strobe should still be left in TTL to take
advantage of this feature.
Leave the housing hotshoe disconnected when using an EV Manual
Controller. If using an EV controller in “M” Manual mode, set the EV
controller to “non-Pre-flash.” Please read page 26 for additional
information when using an EV Manual Controller.
When multiple exposure (continuous shooting) mode is used, the
external flash will not fire. This is normal and also happens with Canon
external speedlights.
5
Attach External Tray and Handle to Housing
Using a 9/16” open end or socket wrench, tighten the External Tray to the
Housing Base using the two 3/8-16 Nuts supplied in the accessory package;
tighten Nuts firmly.
External Tray & Handle
3/8-16 Nuts
6
Housing Controls - Front View
Mode Dial
Exposure Compensation Dial
Zoom
Shutter
Dial
Release
Shortcut
Front
Dial
LensPort
Lid Snap
External Tray Mounts
Housing Front Dial Control
The Housing Front Dial Control rotates the G12 front dial. This control is
NOT applicable to a G11 camera and will sit idle.
Shortcut Control Caution
Turn control downward and inward before closing housing, otherwise,
control can be accidentally wedged between the top of housing and
electronics box resulting in interference with the housing seal.
7
Housing Controls - Back View
Power Button
1
2
3
4
6
5
7
8
9
10 11
12
14
13
Housing Controls
8.
Manual Focus
1. External Strobe Connector & Cap
9.
Macro / Left Button
FUNC./SET Button
Flash / Right Button
Self-Timer / Down Button
2. ISO Dial
10.
11.
12.
3.
4. AE/FE Lock Button
5. Single Erase Button
Playback Button
13. Display Button
14. Menu Button
6. Metering Light
7. Control Dial
8
Opening the Housing
Lid Snaps have a Lock.
Push Forward
To open housing, push Lid Snap
Lock forward and lift as shown.
Keep pressure on the Lid Snap so it
does not fly open quickly.
Lid Snap Lock
Some Lid Snaps have a lot of
spring tension once they go over
Lift
center, so keep a firm grip on the Lid Snap.
Lid Snaps may be opened one at a time.
Installing the Camera
1. Pull out on each housing control until it stops. This will get the controls
out of the way for installation of the camera.
2. Remove the back from the housing.
3. Remove camera lanyard from camera if attached.
4. The mounting tray for the camera is secured to the housing back.
Position the camera on the tray.
5. Slide the housing Hotshoe Connector into the Camera Hotshoe Mount
- page 10, diagram A. Slide the connector forward until it stops. This
should be done before the camera is secured with the mounting bolt
- page 10, diagram B.
Note: If you are using an EV Controller or slave strobe and NOT hardwiring
your strobes directly to the housing, leave the housing hotshoe
disconnected from the camera. You will also need to install the Flash
Deflector (supplied) into the external port groove to block and deflect the
camera flash to the EV controller - page 13.
6. Using a coin or screwdriver (preferred), secure the camera with the Tray
Mounting Bolt which threads into the camera’s tripod socket - page 10,
diagram B.
9
Attach Hotshoe to Camera
External Strobe Connector
& Waterproof Cap
(Do not remove underwater)
Diagram A
Housing Back
O-ring
Mounting
Tray
Hotshoe Connector
Attach Camera to Mounting Tray
Diagram B
CAUTION:
Canon
Do not cross thread or
overtighten the Tray
Mounting Bolt as you
may damage the
G12
camera tripod socket
threads.
Tray Mounting Bolt
10
Using the Camera’s Built-in Flash
If you are shooting with the camera’s built-in flash and the cameras lens
is set to the widest angle, you may need to zoom the lens slightly or a
dark area may appear in a lower corner of close-up photographs. The
lens port may block some of the light. Install the Diffuser and zoom in
slightly to eliminate any dark areas noted in your photographs (You can
test this above water). See Diffuser/Deflector Installation - page 13.
For the best results, we recommend using an external Ikelite Substrobe.
The camera’s built-in flash CANNOT be used with optional Wide-Angle or
Accessory lenses.
Closing the Housing
1. Place housing face down in your lap or on a
flat surface.
Housing Back
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 housing all the way
around. There should be an even gap all
the way around between the housing and
the housing back.
O-ring
Housing
Even gap on
all four sides
4. Lift the lid snaps so they are extended and
place each lid snap into the corresponding
hook on the housing back.
Housing Back
5. To close the housing, push down on the lid
snaps until 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.
O-ring
11
Usage
Final Check
The clear housing permits instant visual inspection of the camera and
sealing surfaces as well as complete monitoring of controls and camera
LCD screens. This housing has been factory water pressure tested to
200’ (60m).
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.
Zoom Control (lever type only)
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
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+
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not be able to take a picture or access
other functions. This is because the
camera is receiving a signal from the
engaged zoom control.
Zoom Control
“Disengaged”
(Center Position)
Zoom Control
“Engaged”
12
Diffuser and Deflector Installation
A Diffuser and Deflector are
included with the housing. The
Diffuser is white transparent
plastic. The Deflector is also white
but is not transparent.
Diffuser/Deflector material
Cut-out
Section
To install the Diffuser or Deflector,
push the “Cut-out” Section over the
port and into the port groove until it
stops.
Small hole
Note the Small Hole. To avoid
losing the Diffuser or Deflector, you
can attach a fishing line or string to
this hole.
Diffuser/Deflector properly
installed in port groove
Diffuser Use
The Diffuser should be installed when using the camera flash. When
shooting close-up photographs with the camera flash and at the camera
lens’s widest angle setting, the lens port on the housing can block a
portion of the light from the camera flash. This can result in a shadow in
a lower corner of the frame. Zoom the lens to eliminate any shadow not
eliminated by the Diffuser (You can test this above water).
Deflector Use
The Deflector should be installed when using a slave unit to trigger an
external strobe. The Deflector will block and redirect the camera’s flash
to an EV-controller or other slave unit which controls the external
strobe’s output. Remove the Diffuser before attempting to install the
deflector.
13
Ikelite Housing Conversion Circuitry
This housing has Ikelite designed and patented Conversion Circuitry
built into the housing back. The Conversion Circuitry provides real
Canon eTTL flash exposure when used with Ikelite DS series
Substrobes.
Once a DS-series substrobe is attached to the camera housing, the
conversion circuitry is automatically powered after the strobe is turned
on. Once attached, turn the strobe on first before turning on the camera.
Attaching an Ikelite Strobe Arm to the Housing Handle
To attach an Ikelite Arm to your
Ikelite Arm
Housing Handle, depress the
spring-loaded Handle Push
Button until it stops. Gently slide
the pronged end of the Ikelite
Arm into the hole in the top of
the Handle as shown.
When the Ikelite Arm is properly
seated, the Handle Push Button
will return to it’s starting position.
Housing Handle
Handle Push
Button
14
Attaching a Sync Cord to the Housing
The Housing Bulkhead is designed to accept only an Ikelite 5-pin TTL
Sync Cord.
1. Lightly lubricate the Sync Cord O-ring. Use ONLY Ikelite lubricant
(supplied with housing).
2. Remove Bulkhead Cap from Housing Bulkhead.
3. Line up the Sync Cord Pins with the corresponding Bulkhead
receptacles. Gently insert Sync Cord into Bulkhead. DO NOT force this
installation. If the Sync Cord does not seat properly inside the Bulkhead,
then the pins and receptacles are improperly aligned (repeat Step 3).
4. Tighten the Knurled Nut snugly using your Index finer and thumb. DO
NOT use pliers or other tools to tighten the Knurled Nut.
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Always remove the
Sync Cord from your
Housing when not in
use, and replace the
Bulkhead Cap.
Ikelite TTL
Sync Cord
Knurled Nut
Bulkhead Cap
Sync Cord O-ring
Sync Cord Pin
Housing
Bulkhead
Turn Camera On
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 test shots on land.
You are now ready to shoot underwater photos and video!
15
Entering the Water
As soon as you enter the water, take a moment and check the housing
to see that it is properly sealed.
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 photos or video.
Maintenance
Lens Port
Treat the glass or acrylic in the lens port as a camera lens. After use,
rinse and gently dry the outside lens port to avoid water spotting. To
clean, use a mild soap solution or lens cleaner. Do not rinse the inside
port glass. Do not use alcohol or window cleaner on the Lens Port.
Lubricant
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Ikelite provides silicone lubricant with the housing. We recommend you use
only Ikelite lubricant on Ikelite products. Other brands may cause the main
housing o-ring to swell and not seal properly.
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Use only enough lubricant to lightly cover the main housing o-ring or
lubricate a sticky control. 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.
CAUTION:
Never use spray lubricants as the propellant ingredient can cause
the plastic housing to crack or o-rings to swell.
O-ring Storage
When storing the housing, remove the main housing o-ring. Lightly
lubricate the o-ring until it appears shiny and place in a small resealable
plastic bag. Use only Ikelite lubricant. Place the bag inside the housing
and store until needed.
16
Housing Maintenance
Your Ikelite Digital Housing should be given the same care and attention
as your other photographic equipment. In addition to normal
maintenance, we recommend that the housing be returned to Ikelite
periodically to be checked and pressure tested.
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Do Not leave the camera and housing in direct sunlight for prolonged
periods. Heat may damage the camera.
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Do Not ship the camera in the housing.
Before using the housing, always check the tightness of the set screw
in each control knob. Check each control gland penetrating the housing
to make sure they are tight. There is a slight chance that either could
vibrate loose during travel.
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Keep the main housing 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 thin
coating of lubricant. Only apply enough lubricant to make the o-ring feel
slick. Do Not stretch the o-ring. This light coating of lubricant will help
to keep the o-ring from drying out and will help to show a dark sealing
line when the housing back is properly sealed.
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Keep the area where the o-ring fits and the sealing surface of the
housing clean.
Rinse the housing exterior thoroughly in freshwater after each saltwater
use. Depress push buttons repeatedly in freshwater to eliminate trapped
saltwater. Dry with a soft cloth. Dry lens port to eliminate water spotting.
After several uses in saltwater, 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.
If removing a housing push button, Do Not re-use the E-clip. Contact
Ikelite for replacement E-clips (part 0319.12).
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Leave lid snaps in the open position when not using the housing for
extended periods.
17
Control Maintenance
Ikelite controls are designed to provide years of reliable service with
minimal maintenance.
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Push button controls normally require no maintenance other than rinsing
in freshwater after saltwater use. Depress each push button in
freshwater several times to eliminate trapped saltwater. If a push button
control becomes difficult to push or if it sticks when depressed, soak the
housing in luke warm freshwater. After a few minutes, operate the push
button. If this does not correct the problem, return the housing to Ikelite
for maintenance. If you are on a trip and unable to return the housing
immediately, a push button may be lubricated by pressing and holding
the push button all the way in. Then, use your finger or other small
object to place a small amount of lube at the base of the shaft inside the
housing. Press and release the push button several times until the lube
is worked up into the o-ring.
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Some of the controls have long shafts. These controls can be pulled out,
exposing the shaft see diagrams B and C - page 19.
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.
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 B - page 19, 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.
18
Control Maintenance - continued
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.
Housing
Diagram B
Gland
Control Shaft
Tighten set screw down
against this flat area
when replacing the knob.
Lubricate end of shaft
before reinserting into
gland
Loosen Set Screw
Diagram C
Lubricate shaft
Housing
Pull out to
expose shaft
19
Photo Tips
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The number one rule in underwater photography is to eliminate as much
water between the camera and subject as possible. Get as close as you
can to the subject, then use the zoom. If you are using flash for still
photos, subjects beyond 6 feet (1.8m) will not have much color
regardless of strobe power.
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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 much of the
backscatter.
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 housing steady a second or two after pressing the shutter
release button.
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.
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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.
If you error in exposure, it is better to have the image slightly
underexposed rather than overexposed. An overexposed image is
missing color information which cannot be adjusted in a photo
processing program. A slightly underexposed image has color
information that can be adjusted.
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It is important to respect all living creatures underwater, including
people, marine life, and coral. While we encourage people to get close
to their subjects when taking a photograph, they should not touch, lie on,
or in any way disturb the things they find underwater.
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Troubleshooting
Problem
Solution
Push buttons or
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Remove the camera and rinse the closed housing
controls are sticky
and hard to operate
in freshwater. Vigorously press each push button
in and out several times to release any trapped
saltwater or debris.
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Press a sticky push button all the way in and
place a small amount of lube on the small end of
the push button shaft at it’s base. Release and
operate the push button several times to distribute
the lube.
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If a control is sticky, grab the control knob, pull it
out, and then push back in. If still sticky, see the
Control Maintenance section - pages 18 & 19.
Return housing to Ikelite for routine maintenance.
Image is
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Check that the camera flash or strobe is firing
when taking a picture. Camera flash should be
forced “on.”
over/underexposed,
or a corner of the
image is dark
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Make sure the deflector is installed when you are
using a non-wired external strobe with a slave.
Make sure the diffuser is installed when you are
NOT using an external strobe.
When using an external strobe, make sure it is
turned on, set properly, and it’s battery is charged.
Check any corded connection points.
Change camera shutter speed or aperture.
Move closer to or further away from the subject.
Adjust Flash Exposure Compensation
For extreme overexposure turn on the ND neutral
density filter.
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21
Problem
Solution
Camera does not
take a picture
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Install a fully charged battery.
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If using a “lever type” zoom control, make sure the
control is centered and not engaged.
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There is not enough available light for the camera
to properly focus. Add a focusing light or strobe
with a built-in focusing light to your system.
Select macro mode when shooting close-ups.
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Housing is hard to
close
Make sure the camera is mounted properly on the
camera tray and housing controls are out of the
way.
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Main housing o-ring is not seated properly.
Fogging occurs on
the Lens Port
Humid air is trapped inside the housing.
The camera produces heat and may condense
any trapped moisture forming fog on the lens port.
Close the housing in an air-conditioned room or
vehicle, or in front of an air-conditioner.
The housing should not be direct in sunlight for an
extended period of time.
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Purchase desiccant packs also known as
moisture munchers from a local camera store.
Place one or two packs in your housing before
each day of diving.
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If moisture or water droplets are present around
the controls or sealing areas, return the housing
to Ikelite for evaluation.
Clean the main housing o-ring and sealing
surface of the housing.
22
Problem
Solution
Remove, clean and properly lubricate the main
Water enters the
housing
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o-ring.
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Look for hair, dirt, or foreign debris crossing the
o-ring seal.
Reassemble the housing without a camera
installed and pressure test or take diving.
Return housing to Ikelite for evaluation.
Pictures are too blue
or too green
Use custom (manual) white balance if available.
Reset for each working depth or when attaching a
color correcting filter.
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Add an optional color correcting filter.
Add an external strobe.
Move in closer to your subject when taking a
picture.
23
Spare Parts
Main Housing O-ring 0110
Vinyl Port Cover 0200.08
Ikelite Lube 5020
(4 - 1cc tubes)
For light lubrication of the main housing o-ring.
Recommended Accessories
Tray and Handle(s)
Add stability and gripping point(s) for comfortable use of the housing
above and below water. Most tray and handle combinations offset the
slightly positive buoyancy of the housings. Handles offer attachment
points for external lighting systems.
External Strobes
A separate external strobe adds color to restore the warmer colors
filtered out by the water as well as to illuminate the subject. Add a
second strobe to eliminate shadows and evenly light your subjects.
Video Lighting
External video lights add color when using the video/movie mode of your
camera. Primary video lights are specially color balanced to provide
natural tones.
WD-4 Wide-Angle Conversion Dome 6430.4
The removeable WD-4 corrects light refraction underwater,
restoring the camera’s original angle of coverage. Approximately
3/4 of the camera's zoom range from the camera’s widest angle
setting can be used with the dome in place. Slight vignetting may
occur at camera’s widest angle setting.
24
Recommended Accessories - continued
External Macro Adaptor 9306.82
Allows attachment of 67mm threaded macro lenses from Inon and
Epoque. NOT for use with 67mm threaded wide-angle lenses.
External Color Correcting UR/Pro Filters
(Blue Water or Green Water)
UR-Pro Filter
Lens Port
Color filters such as the UR-Pro Filter replace
some of the reds, oranges and more natural tones
that would otherwise be lost underwater. Effective
in relatively shallow, sunny conditions, and
available for tropical blue water and green water
settings. For optimum results use in combination
with “custom (manual) white balance.” Check your
camera user guide for information on this option (if
available).
For available light use only. Not recommended when using external strobes.
Note: Other than the 6430.4 and 9306.82, no other accessory lenses or
adaptors can be used with this housing.
A full range of accessories is available to support your housing. Please
recommended accessories for your housing.
25
EV Manual Controller Use
Since the housing Conversion Circuitry provides real Canon eTTL flash
exposure when used with Ikelite DS series Substrobes, an EV Controller
is not recommended but can be used for manual flash control.
The EV Controller used with Ikelite DS Substrobes has two user
settings. One setting is for strobe selection, the other is for pre-flash “P”
or non pre-flash “ P .” Most cameras use a pre-flash. This means the
EV Controller should be set to the pre-flash “P” position when used with
this camera as a slave. If a manual mode is used that does not emit a
pre-flash, set the EV Controller to the non pre-flash “ P ” position.
Technical Support
Please read the troubleshooting section of this instruction manual before
contacting Ikelite Technical Support.
Ikelite Technical Support
Email: [email protected]
Phone 317.923.4523
Fax 317.924.7988
Limited Warranty
This Ikelite product is warranted against any manufacturing defects for a
period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase. Defective
products should be returned to Ikelite postage paid. Ikelite will, at its sole
discretion, repair or replace such products, and will return to customer
postage paid. All other claims of any nature are not covered. Except as
mentioned above, no other warranty expressed or implied applies to this
Ikelite product.
26
Returning Products For Service
Ikelite is most interested in performing any service to ensure that all
products perform as intended. Evidence of purchase date must be
provided to obtain warranty service.
No prior authorization is required. You may return directly to us or
through your dealer. Please include a brief description of the problem,
any relevant email correspondence, and/or instructions on what you
want us to do. Always include name, shipping address, email address,
and phone number inside of the package. Send postage paid to:
Ikelite Underwater Systems
Attention: Service Department
50 West 33 Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA
No reimbursements for postage paid will be issued.
You may also want to insure the package.
Returning Products for Service (outside the United States)
For the separate international customs documentation form that you
complete to accompany the shipment, please state or designate that the
enclosed products were originally manufactured in the USA and are
being returned to the manufacturer for repair service. Value of the
equipment listed for customs purposes should be zero.
27
Product Registration
days of purchase.
Ikelite Underwater Systems
50 West 33rd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA
© 2013 Ikelite Underwater Systems
6148.12_Canon_G11_G12_06-0513
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