Customer Reviews

Canon WP-DC31 Waterproof Case for SD780IS Digital Elph Camera

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the second underwater housing unit for a canon digital camera that I've had. I bought this just in time for a 1 week cruise to the caribbean and got a lot of use out of it. It does pretty much what it says it does, nothing to surprising, but a couple of improvements since the last one I had (for my Powershot S50):

- size. Obviously the camera is smaller, so the housing is going to be smaller, but still, I give credit to Canon for making the housing no bigger than it has to be so you can still enjoy the relative small size you bought the camera for

- Clarity. This is an improvement of both the case and the camera itself, but w/ my old one, the LCD screen could very hard to see even in clear Caribbean waters. The plastic on this case seems a bit more trnaslucent, possibly thinner due to it's overall size. The improved LCD on the SD 780IS (which is fantastic by the way, along w/ the camera itself) also helps. Either way, it's much easier to see what you're about to shoot. I was able to get some great shots w/ it. If I can remember, I'll try to post some examples.

- Flash Diffuser. I recently took a course in photography and have learned a lot about lighting , including the benefits of a diffuser, so was very happy to see that this housing has one, which the old one did not. It's amazing how much difference it makes!! All the shots which required a flash look naturally lit, none of the harsh defined shadows I would get before. This can be the difference between a beautiful shot and one that gets deleted. Also, keep in mind that this camera housing is also useful above water too, for times when you take it to the beach and just want to protect the camera - I took a lot of land shots where the diffuser really helped the flash as well.

Overall, if you like to SCUBA dive, snorkel, or any other activity needing protection from the water, this is a must have!! Do not waste your time and money on cheap disposable underwater cameras that can't come close to the quality the SD 780 can deliver. By the time you do that a couple of times, and get your film developed, your well on your way to buying this case and having MUCH better pictures (not to mention video) to show for it.

I really can't say enough about this case. It's the perfect way to take pictures underwater.

As a serious photographer, I always want to have my best cameras with me wherever I go. And that's fine, except that I'm also an avid kayaker. And as much as I love bringing my Canon EOS 5D Mark II and lenses with me, the waterproof camera bag I have for it is difficult to maneuver, unwieldy, and using the buttons through the PVC is nigh impossible. So the 5D2 can come with me in calm waters where I can stuff it under a towel and be reasonably sure that its safe, but in harsher conditions I needed a better option. The closest thing you can get to a case like the WP-DC31 for a full-size DSLR is the Ikelite housing, which runs a whopping $1500 plus several hundred more for the lens ports!

So here we are. I picked up an SD780 IS and this waterproof case. Why not just an underwater camera? A couple of reasons: Underwater cameras can't even come close to the image quality of a decent normal camera. Also, as of this review there is no underwater camera that supports HD video.

This case is better than I ever would have imagined. It is SOLID. High quality materials throughout, and absolutely no flex. The hinges are strong, and the seals are tight. Every single button and switch on the camera can be used through the case. The clear areas of the case are VERY clear, and you can see every detail through it. There is zero loss of detail when viewing the LCD. It's truly amazing.

The camera fits with absolute perfect precision. Once in the case, its position is absolutely fixed, and a soft piece at the rear of the case protects the camera from any jarring movements that the case might experience while under normal operating conditions. A similar soft rubbery ring surrounds the lens port on the front of the camera.

The glass that the lens looks through is a high quality coated photographic glass, which is extremely important to maintain the level of detail that the camera would be capable of outside the case.

The diffuser is a nice touch, as the case can sometimes cast a shadow in your image when using the naked flash. The diffuser corrects this, and also creates a more subtle, even light on the subject.

When it comes to video, sound can still travel through the case, but it's at an understandably lower intensity above water. In the water, on the other hand, the sound travels much better. You really have to try it!

The case comes with a wrist strap, a reflective neck strap, and a small bottle of lubricant for the seal. I haven't used the neck strap, because the wrist strap has been fine for me.

This is easily THE best accessory I have ever bought for any of my point & shoot cameras. Now, if Canon would only make them for their DSLR's at a similar price point! :-)

I got this case so I could try taking photos in wet conditions and while scuba diving.
For scuba diving I found this case to be ideal. Easy to seal up, all controls functioned nicely though the case. Very good picture quality.
However I can't give this case five stars because how how quickly I scratched up the back of the case. Just against a shirt using the neck strap I got some significant scratches that made the screen very difficult to see though the case. I don't know if they can be removed, but many more scratches and I'll have to declare the case unusable because the screen would be too obscured to see what your photographing clearly.
Canon needs to provide a method to prevent scratches perhaps with a protection film or something that can be applied to the back of the case.

I hesitated for quite some time about buying this case. It was mostly because of the steep price (as much as what I paid just for the camera!). After going back and forth about it I decided to give it a shot since we will be going to Hawaii next week. I can honestly say that I understand why it costs so much for this case. You literally get a second camera out of your existing one.

The case is very well made, feels solid, latches very securely and tight. The external buttons and switches overlay the camera perfectly, and the camera fits in the case snuggly like a glove. Case is crystal clear and so is the lens. The included diffuser makes a HUGE difference in pictures...without it you get a dark shadow in the lower right hand corner of pictures because the case has a tubelike extension to accomodate for your lens zooming in and out in the case..this blocks some of the flash from getting to the other corner of your picture.

Also the case seems to magnify the flash giving it a pics a harsh appearance. The diffuser not only addresses that giving it a more natural light but also completely solves the problem with the shadows in the bottom right hand corner. I will upload some pictures of the case since there aren't any right now. Hopefully it will be equally impressive when we are actually in Hawaii!

I got this water proof camera case for my birthday and just returned from a dive trip to Turks and Caicos. I used this case everyday and couldn't be happier with it. The controls work flawlessly (once you quickly get used to them; I should have practiced a little using this camera one handed and without looking, which was how I used it while diving). Viewing the screen through the case was great and of course the picture quality is excellent, even the HD video. To my suprise, the audio recorded really well, both above and below water! I had expected the audio to be useless while in the case, it was only slightly muffled.

The underwater features of this case work equally as well above water in splashing conditions, like on the dive boat or by the pool. Just watch out for drops of water on the lens cover and you'll never know the pictures/video was taken from inside a case. It also comes with a removeable flash difuser to tone down the sharp hits of light on your subject.

Dropping the camera into place inside the case is easy, but a little tricky to get back out since it is such a close fit. The clamp that closes the case makes a tight seal. It even has a little extra piece to the press/lock lever to help "pop" the sealed case open again. The bottom of the case has a metal bracket for mounting on a tripod or mounting a light/flash bar. The whole case also fit inside the BC pocket, so I didn't have to worry about it while getting suited up and then just take it out when I was already under water.

I have used this case many time with my Canon SD780 IS. It has worked flawlessly. I have used it on 12+ dives now descending to 35+ meters several times. It allows me to take great photos and video to share the memories with friends and family.

Bought this before my SCUBA course. It's pretty small, took it to 18m (60ft) on three dives and never had a leak or any issues. Flash diffuser works great and there are no light leaks from the flash. The screen is easy to see. I wish it came with a cloth bag for storage, but I'm very happy with the case. My instructor said he's seen a lot of Canon cases and has never seen one fail.

The case has not leaked on me yet. I went to Egypt and scuba dove in the red sea for 9 days. We went as deep as 30 meters so the camera case works as directed. It comes with some silicon grease and suggest getting some type of cleaning cloth just so that your pictures come out clear. It is after all a plastic shield so you'll need to clean the area around the lens. You can access all the buttons pretty easily while diving, I did it a bunch and so did my girlfriend. Getting your filtering just right has little to do with the case. The plastic is quite clear so make sure to play with this at different depths. I think that's pretty much it. Great case that's well worth the price considering how deep you can go with the case.

I'm not an expert in photography, or even close, but decided on this option after reviewing and researching the various waterproof cameras currently available. This seemed like the safer option, and it worked great. Took it on vacation, and used it snorkeling and on the beach. No leaks, the pictures turned out well (almost as good as the professional's who also took pics while on a snorkeling tour), and the peace of mind was well worth it.

It was great taking the camera to the beach and into the ocean to get shots that wouldn't have been possible with a regular camera.

Also, the benefit of using the camera outside the case for other visits on vacation is a big plus, as the camera is so small it's easy to pop into a small case or pocket while out sightseeing.

Very glad I chose this option over the waterproof cameras; the extra costs were worth it. Definitely plan to use again.

Kudos to Canon to coming out with these relatively inexpensive camera housing. I have been diving for over 30 years and camera housings were costing a minimum of $700 - $1500. This housings combined with the digital camera allows us to to have fun taking underwater snapshots. The picture quality will not qualify for National Geographic but I am having a bunch of fun without shelling out several thousand dollars.