Please Read
Ikelite Digital Housing
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.
i n s t r u c t i o n m a n u a l
#6140.20 for Canon Powershot A2000 IS
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.
Please Read If Using an EV-Controller
The EV-Controller used with Ikelite DS Substrobes has two user
settings. One setting is for strobe selection, the other is for pre-
This camera uses pre-flash
, thus the EV-
flash or non pre-flash.
Controller should be set to the pre-flash position when used
with this camera.
Initial Camera Setup
1. Set ISO to 80.
2. Set camera to “P” mode
3. Enable macro focus for close-ups, or if pictures are over-
exposed. Camera does not stop down in macro mode, so if over-
exposure is still present when shooting close-up, move away
from the subject and zoom in.
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.
4. Make sure flash is forced “on”
Note: Closest focusing distance occurs when zoom setting is lined
up with arrow on monitor.
Ikelite Digital Housings are slightly negative in salt water for
stability. This housing has been water pressure tested at the
factory to 200’ (60m).
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Zoom
Mode
Power
Opening the Housing
Push Forward
Lock
1. Lid Snaps have a
.
To open, 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
Shutter
Release
Lift
Lid
Lid
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.
Snap
Lens
Port
Snap
Installing the Camera
1. Remove the back from
the housing. The
O' Ring
mounting tray for the
camera is secured to
Front View
Lid
Hook
the housing back.
Canon
Thumb
Rest
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.
Playback
Mounting
Tray
Mounting Bolt
CAMERA / MOUNT
Flash
CAUTION:
Face Select
ISO
Macro
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.
Lanyard
Single Erase
Menu
Display
2. Pull out on each housing control until it stops. This will get the
controls out of the way for installing the camera.
Function/Set
Back View
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Lens Port
Optional Accessories
Treat the glass in the lens port as a camera lens. After use, rinse
Back o-ring #0109
and gently dry the lens port to avoid water spotting. To clean,
use a mild soap solution or lens cleaner.
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.
Do not use alcohol or window cleaner on the Lens Port.
Wide-Angle Adapter #9306.81is required to mount the #6420
Ikelite W-20 Wide-Angle Lens and other manufacturer’s
(67mm) screw thread style wide-angle lenses.
UR/Pro Filter (Blue Water) #6441.32
The UR/Pro underwater color correcting filter is designed to
restore some of the warm colors filtered out by the water. For
available light use only and not recommended for use with
flash.
The 67mm style lenses can be secured onto the Wide-Angle
Adapter above or below water (preferred), as they are designed
to have water between the front of the port and the accessory
lens. Make sure no air bubbles are trapped between the port
and the accessory lens. Any vignetting that occurs can be
eliminated by cropping the image in post-processing, or by
zooming the camera lens slightly. Zooming the lens with a
Wide Angle Adaptor attached can cause the image edges to
soften. The camera's built-in flash cannot be used with wide
Green Water Filter #6441.72
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.
angle lenses. The front of the
Tray with Release Handle #9523.31
Tray and Release Handle is required to mount
external Substrobes.
Wide-Angle Adapter
lenses are so large they block
the camera's flash. To properly
light subjects when using a
Wide-Angle Lens
wide angle lens, an external
strobe should be used. Due to
the wide-angle coverage of
these lenses, the DS160
Ikelite W-20 Wide-Angle Lens #6420
67mm Wide-Angle lenses allow you to
capture more of the scene and get closer
to your subject which results in clearer
images and more vivid color. These
lenses can be installed or removed
Substrobe or two DS51
Substrobes is recommended.
Bayonet mount adaptor lenses
cannot be used due to extreme
vignetting.
underwater for maximum versatility.
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Optional Accessories Continued
Optional Accessories Continued
Substrobe DS51
#4035 AF35 Autoflash kit includes:
The Substrobe DS51cov-
- AF35 strobe
ers 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
ikelite
DS
- Flex arm
ikelite
- AutoFlash sensor
- Handle with rubber grip
- Tray (single or dual)
- Mounting hardware
Substrobe DS160
The Substrobe DS160 cov-
ers 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 recy-
cle time and 225 flashes per
full charge.
TTL
Test
Ready Light
-3
On
The Autoflash AF35 replicates your
camera's flash for automatic exposure
in any situation. Single or dual trays can
attach directly to your housing. The
exposure selector dial on the side of the
sensor provides fine tuning to optimize
results with a variety of digital still
cameras. Once you find an exposure
level that you like, leave the dial on
that number for automatic operation.
Substrobe
DS160
SA-100 Ball/Socket Arm
The SA-100 system #4086.61with
its 1" diameter ball is ideal underwa-
ter. The #9571.3extended stem
mount allows attaching a Manual
Controller or flashlight mount and
drops right into the release handle.
Aim does not change when chang-
ing the aim of the strobe.
SA-100
Ball/Socket
Arm
Ikelite
MADE IN THE USA
#9571.3 Extended
Stem Mount (included
with SA-100
Complete information regarding optional accessories available at
Ball/Socket arm)
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Maintenance
Control Maintenance
The 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.
1. Do Not leave the camera and housing in direct sunlight for
prolonged periods. Heat may damage the camera.
2. Do Not ship the camera in the housing.
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.
3. 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.
lubricate shaft
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. 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.
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.
housing
pull out to
expose shaft
2. Some of the controls have long shafts. These controls can be
pulled out, exposing the shaft (see drawing).
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.
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, Do Not re-use the E-clip.
Contact Ikelite for replacement E-clips (part #0319.12).
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Control Maintenance Cont.
General Tips
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,
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.
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.
NOTE
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. (You can test this above water)
housing
gland
control
shaft
To shoot photographs closer than 2 feet (0.6m), you should use
an external strobe such as the DS51or DS160. With an external
strobe, you can position it so nothing blocks the light path
between the strobe and the subject.
Loosen set screw
(allen wrench required)
Flat
Tighten set screw down
against this area when
replacing the knob.
Lubricate end of shaft
before reinserting into
gland
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Photo Tips
Photo Tips Cont.
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.
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.
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.
To eliminate as much backscatter as possible, photograph close.
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.
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
pressing the shutter release button.
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.
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.
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Ikelite Limited Warranty
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.
Returning Products for Service
Ikelite is most interested in preforming 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 2-3weeks.
Ikelite Underwater Systems
50 W 33rd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208 USA
When returning products send “attn. Repair Dept.”
317-923-4523
“general questions” e-mail: [email protected]
Digital 6140.20-01-1008
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