Hi all,
I've earlier designed a housing for an older semi-SLR camera (Olympus C-5060WZ). I would now like to design a housing for a DSLR. Which one I don't know yet. What would like is to get some overall advice from you who already have DSLR housings.

Which controlles are the most important and needed for a DSLR housing?

Most commercial housing have all controlles but I don't think that is necessary, or?

Thanks in advance!

I probably use my camera less times than some in here ... and .. am less technical than most .. yet I think I have used every button on my camera underwater, I would even like to add a few like .. a switch for the manual or auto focus switch on lenses !!!!!

I am a canon user .. and there aren't many button you would find never using .. but I am sure if you wanted to you could "do without" a couple .. mostly on the top for the shot type .. but why miss it when ther eis a WB button there ?

My opinion is cover all of them if you can.

Hi Krija,

It would probably help if we knew which DSLR you were tending towards. If not a particular body, at least a brand. Each brand tends to have a different logic to their control layouts that heavily influences which buttons are most useful.

Martyn

I'll break this down for the Nikon D200

Essential - can't do without
Shutter release

Almost Essential - cant function effectively without
Main comand dial
Sub command dial
Playback
Delete
Multi Selector
Power switch
Focus mode seletor

Very useful
Mode
ISO
AF area selector
Exposure Compensation
Flash compensation - only if you had a ttl strobe
AF-on

Buttons I have never used underwater
WB
Qual
Menu
Thumbnail
Protect
Enter
BKT
Metering selector
AE/AF lock

Using Lionfish list I would say:
Essential - can't do without
Shutter release

Almost Essential - cant function effectively without
Main comand dial
Sub command dial
Playback
Delete (with a big enough card I wouldn´t need to use it)
Multi Selector
Power switch (If you remind to turn it on before diving is not that necessary)
Focus mode seletor or AF LOCK (I think I could live without focus mode selector)
Zoom knob if you want to use zoom lenses ( this is a complicated thing)

Very useful
Mode (I always shoot Manual)
ISO
AF area selector
Exposure Compensation (only if you don´t shoot manual)
Flash compensation - only if you had a ttl strobe
AF-on (I don´t have nor I miss it)

Buttons I have never used underwater
WB
Qual
Menu ( this and Enter could give some options like ISO,QUAL,WB...)
Thumbnail
Protect
Enter
BKT
Metering selector
AE/AF lock

Just a little clarification
Power switch (If you remind to turn it on before diving is not that necessary)
I really use the power switch to turn the LCD illuminator on
Focus mode seletor or AF LOCK (I think I could live without focus mode selector)
The focus mode selector isn't he same as the AF Lock. It's the button on the front that's sometimes refered to as the MSC switch. I do switch between Manual, Single-servo, and Continuos.

But I agree that both of these buttons are grey area and could be moved to the Useful category

I agree except that:

Power switch is necessary. Even though you might turn it on prior to the dive I have had camera hangups occasionally (more often with TTL) that required cycling the power on the camera. This is pretty nice to have.

WB is essential. If you want to use filters (and they are amazing) then it is best if you can pre-set your WB.

The best advice .. is to buy the camera .. use the camera ... and get used to the controls ... and thendecide for yourself which ones you think are essential.

I still say that if you don't put the button in you will probably find a use for it underwater sometime.

Thanks alot for your answers! Sorry for my late reply but I thought I checked the e-mail notifaction box and when I didn't recieve any mail I assumed there were no answers.

Hmm... maybe you're right Giles about the use of all controlles. But I also think that Lionfish43 (and the others with useful comments) have presented the useful controlles in a easy way. I will check into that. It would save time not have to make all of them...

And you're right, it will be a lot easier when I know what camera to buy.

Giles is on to it. Make sure the controls that suit your shooting style are available. For the critical ones, remember that their placement is important.

When shooting available light (which I do in aperture priority auto) I like to be able to compose, zoom, select aperture and exposure compensate without taking my eye from the viewfinder, so for me having those controls within reach is critical.

About 4 posts into this thread is a pic of placement that is working for me.
http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showt...418&hl=d200

But if you shoot some other way, adapt the positioning to suit where possible.