Ikelite 6183.30 User manual

Digital Housing
i n s t r u c t i o n m a n u a l
6183.30 for Nikon 300
Lens
Port
Thank you for your purchase of Ikelite equipment. Please read this
instruction manual completely before attempting to operate or dive with this
product.

Table of Contents
Product Registration ........................................................P. 3
ackage Contents ......................................................P. 3
reparation ..................................................................P. 3
Initial Camera Setup........................................................P. 4
Housing Controls - Front View ........................................P. 5
Housing Controls - Back View ........................................P. 6
Opening the Housing ......................................................P. 7
Installing the Camera ......................................................P. 7
Closing the Housing ........................................................P. 8
Usage ..........................................................................P. 9
Turn Camera On..............................................................P. 9
Zoom Control ..................................................................P. 9
Using the Camera’s Built-in Flash ..................................P. 9
Diffuser and Deflector Use ..............................................P. 10
Entering the Water ..........................................................P. 11
Maintenance ................................................................P. 11
Lens Port ........................................................................P. 11
Lubricant..........................................................................P. 11
Housing Maintenance......................................................P. 12
Control Maintenance ......................................................P. 13
Specifications ............................................................P. 15
hoto Tips ..................................................................P. 15
Troubleshooting ........................................................P. 17
Replacement arts ....................................................P. 19
Recommended Accessories ....................................P. 19
Technical Support ....................................................P. 21
Limited Warranty ........................................................P. 22
Returning Products for Service ......................................P. 23
2

- Ikelite Digital Housing
- Housing Lanyard (attached)
- Silicone Lubricant
- Vinyl Port Cover
ackage Contents
- Diffuser
- Deflector
- Extra Control Tips
roduct Registration
Please take a moment to fill out the online Ikelite roduct Registration
form at http://www.ikelite.com/forms/regForm.htm.
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 17.
We suggest that you read this instruction booklet thoroughly before use
to have a full understanding of where each camera control is located,
and what function each control provides. Please read your 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.
Due to the power required to operate the camera and LCD screen start
each dive with a fully charged camera battery.
reparation
3

Initial Camera Setup
1. Insert a fully charged battery.
2. Insert and format a memory card.
3. Set camera date and time.
4. Set Mode Dial to “M” Manual. Set Shutter speed to 1/60th second or
faster. Set Aperture to F2.8. These settings are a good starting point for
most underwater shooting situations.
5. RAISE camera flash. Set Flash Mode to “Flash Always Fires” (lightning
bolt in LCD).
6. Set White Balance to “Auto.”
7. Set Image Mode to “12m.”
8. Set AF-assist beam to “Off.”
9. Set ISO sensitivity to “160.”
10. Set AF area mode to “Center.”
11. Set Metering to “Center-weighted.”
11. Set Autofocus mode to “Single AF.”
12. Set Macro mode to “ON” (flower icon) to shoot close-up pictures.
4

5
Housing Controls - Front View
Zoom
Control
Shutter
Release
Lens
Port
Power Switch
Lens ort
External Tray Mounts
Mode Dial
Command
Dial
Lid Snap

3
2
1
4
10 9
8
7
6
5
Ikelite
DIGITAL
Housing Controls
1. Movie Record Button
2. Playback Button
3. Flash Mode
4. Rotary multi-selector
5. Self-timer
Housing Controls - Back View
6. Ok (apply selection) Button
7. Exposure Compensation
8. Macro Mode
9. Menu Button
10. Delete Button
6

7
CAUTION:
Some camera tripod
socket threads are
plastic. The mounting
bolt is metal. Do not
cross thread or over
tighten as you may
damage the camera
tripod socket threads.
Nikon
HD
Full
Installing the Camera
1. RAISE the camera flash before installing camera in housing.
2. Pull out on each housing control until it stops. This will get the controls
out of the way for installation of the camera.
3. Remove the back from the housing.
4. The mounting tray for the camera is secured to the housing back.
Position the camera on the tray.
5. Using a coin or screwdriver (preferred), secure the camera with the tray
mounting bolt which threads into the camera’s tripod socket - diagram A.
Opening the Housing
Lid Snaps have a Lock.
To open housing, push Lid Snap
Lock forward and lift as shown.
eep pressure on the Lid Snap so
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.
Push Forward
Lid Snap Lock
Lift
Diagram A
Tray Mounting Bolt

8
Closing the Housing
1. Place housing face down in your 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 housing
all the way around. There should be
an even gap all the way around
between the housing and the housing
back.
4. Lift the lid snaps so they are extended
and place each lid snap into the
corresponding hook on the 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.
Double check - 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.
Housing Back
O-ring
Housing Back
O-ring
Even gap on
all four sides

9
Using the Camera’s Built-in Flash
If you are shooting with the camera’s built-in flash and the camera lens
is set to the widest angle setting, 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 10.
For the best results, we recommend using an external Ikelite Substrobe.
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
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
“Engaged”
Zoom Control
“Disengaged”
(Center Position)
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.
You are now ready to shoot underwater photos!
Usage
The camera’s built-in flash CANNOT be used with optional Wide-Angle or
Accessory lenses.
Note: To shoot photographs closer than 2 feet (0.6m), we recommend using
an external strobe which can be positioned so nothing blocks the light
path between the strobe and the subject.

10
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 the shadow (You
can test this above water).
Deflector Use
The deflector should be installed when using an Ikelite external strobe.
The deflector will block and redirect the camera’s flash to the AF35 slave
unit or EV-controller which controls the external strobe’s output.
Remove the diffuser before attempting to install the deflector.
Diffuser/Deflector material
Small hole
Cut-out
Section
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,
push the “Cut-out” Section into the
port groove until it stops.
Note the Small Hole. To avoid
losing the diffuser or deflector, you
can attach a fishing line or string
that is secured around the back of
the housing port, to this hole.
Diffuser and Deflector Installation
Lens Port
Diffuser/Deflector properly
installed in port groove