About the time I was starting to experiment with underwater photography, Julie had a Canon G12, one of their higher end compact cameras (at the time). When she expressed interest in shooting some photos while diving, some quick research showed the G12 had good reviews, and was well regarded as a solid starter camera for folks looking to take their first foray into underwater photography.
As I mentioned in my Underwater Gear summary, our time with the G12 was short lived. For reasons unknown, we experienced a partial flood when entering the water for a dive in Maui. A benefit of the clear Ikelite housing is how fast we noticed the problem. This saved the housing’s strobe electronics, but unfortunately the camera didn’t make it.
To complete this system you would need to purchase a used or refurbished G11 or G12. And I would highly recommend you have the housing serviced and leak tested by Ikelite. They recently quoted me $150-200 for the service.
Photos take with our Canon G12:
This table summarizes the equipment, and includes some links for specifications and current buying options.
| Component | Canon PowerShot G12 | Ikelite 6146.12 Housing for Canon G11/G12 | Ikelite DS 160 Strobe | Ikelite 4103.51 TTL/Digital Sync Cord | Ikelite Compact Ball Arm |
| Purchase date | N/A | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Condition | N/A | Good – Needs service | Like New | Like New | Very good |
| MSRP | N/A | $750.00 | $800.00 | $100.00 | $200.00 |
| Specifications | Canon PowerShot G12 | Ikelite 6146.12 Canon G11/G12 Housing | Ikelite 4060 DS 160 Strobe | Ikelite 4103.51 TTL/Digital Sync Cord | Ikelite Compact Ball Handle |
| Availability | Discontinued – Used | Discontinued – New/Used | New | New | New |
| Where to Buy | Amazon | Backscatter | B & H | B & H | B & H |
| Current price range | $200-650 | $400 (ebay) – $750 (new) | $800.00 | $100.00 | $180.00 |
| Asking Price | N/A | $0.00 | $400.00 | $50.00 | $50.00 |
