Canon WP DC31 Waterproof Case for SD780IS Digital Elph Camera
Installing your camera into this waterproof case WP-DC31 lets you take underwater shots at depths down to 40 meters (130 feet), or take worry-free pictures in the rain, at the beach, or on the ski slopes.otential of digital photography.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Near Perfect
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.
4 Stars Near perfect but scraches way to easily.
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.
4 Stars Good product but I was double billed
The underwater case is great and so is the little Canon camera. The problem is I was billed twice for the same product. I am trying to get it resolved.
4 Stars Great except for one teeny weeny detail…
This is an outstanding camera housing, but I have one complaint (and I do realize that I am to blame, but still) – with the teeny string that attaches the diffuser to the case (to prevent it from being lost if it should come off), I accidentally managed to get that caught in the seal while preparing for a night dive, and at 45 feet the seal popped and flooded the case.
Don’t get me wrong, this is an outstanding case (see other reviews) but I would rather have a piece of rubber several mm thick to make a strap to hold it, to ensure that if it does get caught, it is noticeable before the point of no return… I can’t be the only person that this has happened to! :S
5 Stars Wow. Perfection.
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! 
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