You can capture sharp, detailed photos and brilliant 4K video at depths as great as 200' beneath the surface, thanks to Ikelite's dedicated Underwater Housingfor your Olympus Tough TG-5 digital camera. Dual fiber-optic ports enable the connection of optional, external strobes for illumination and color correction. Ergonomic mechanical controls, including push-buttons, knurled knobs/dials, and levers, afford access to virtually all camera functions.
Built for durability, the enclosure is made in the USA from a corrosion-resistant polycarbonate and ABS plastic blend. It is white/light gray on the front, top, sides, and bottom, but clear in the back to allow you to monitor the O-ring seal and maintain your view of the camera's rear controls. The built-in, flat glass lens port features a 3.0" diameter, and accepts optional wide-angle and macro conversion lenses to increase your field of view and enable extremely clear, detailed close-up shots, respectively. Optional color-correction filters can also be added to restore hues that get absorbed by the water.
- Construction Details
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- Depth rating of 200'
- Made by hand in the USA from a corrosion-resistant polycarbonate and ABS plastic blend
- White/light gray on front, top, sides, and bottom to reflect sunlight and keep camera cool when shooting on or above water's surface
- Clear in back to allow you to monitor O-ring seal and maintain view of camera's rear controls
- Controls are crafted from durable, hard-anodized aluminum and acetyl, which, like the ABS and PC of the body, are corrosion-resistant
- Controls and Handling
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- Large, ergonomic mechanical controls, including push-buttons, knurled knobs/dials, and levers, provide access to all camera functions except for the Log Switch
- Side-mounted shutter lever and a redesigned zoom control make shooting easy
- Optional tray with a quick-release grip provides comfort and improves overall balance and handling beneath the surface
- Housing has slightly positive buoyancy in fresh water
- Lens Port
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- Built-in, flat glass lens port with a 3.0" diameter
- Features 67mm threads designed to accept optional wide-angle and macro conversion lenses, a.k.a. "wet lenses"
- Wide-angles increase your field of view, allowing you to get closer to your subject while fitting more in the frame; macros allow for extreme close-ups with great clarity and detail
- Both types of lenses reduce the amount of water between you and your subjects to minimize distortion and improve color, exposure, and clarity
- Recommended Ikelite WD-3 Wide-Angle Dome provides a mid-range field of view and does not result in any vignetting
- Ikelite W-30 Wide-Angle Lens, INON UWL-H100, and other 67mm wide lenses offer greater coverage, but some vignetting and edge distortion will occur. However, these effects can be minimized or eliminated via smaller apertures, zooming in, and/or cropping in post-production
- Macro lenses with 67mm threads are available from INON, Epoque, and other brands
- External color-correction filters with 3.0" diameters can be pressed directly onto the port, while those with 3.6" diameters can be attached to many wide-angle wet lenses
- Strobe Connection and Operation
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- Built-in flash is not suitable for illuminating photos underwater, but can trigger optional, external strobes via fiber-optic cables
- Use of an optional, external strobe will be extremely helpful once you descend farther than 15-20' underwater, except when shooting with color filters on very clear days with bright sunlight
- Strobe restores hues that get absorbed by the water, so your images are vibrant and accurate
- Try to stay no more than 3-4' away from the subject to preserve natural colors in images
- Housing is equipped with two fiber-optic ports
- Any Ikelite DS strobe can be connected via the #4401.1 Fiber-Optic Converter and #4501 Fiber Optic Cord
- F.O. Converter effectively turns the sync cord bulkhead of the DS strobe into a fiber-optic port, and allows for manual exposure
- Compatible fiber-optic cords: Ikelite #4501 Fiber-Optic Coiled Cord, INON "Non-Wireless" L-Type Optical D Cable, Sea & Sea #50107 L-Type Fiber-Optic Cable, Sea & Sea #50128 Fiber Optic Cable II, Olympus PTCB-E02 UW Fiber-Optic Cable, Nauticam-to-INON #26211 Optical Fiber Cable, Nauticam-to-Sea & Sea #26212 Optical Fiber Cable