How many people flooded their cameras?

[Water Bug]

Flooded my Oly 8080 -PT023 housing.
I had just bought the external flash unit... did 3 dives and on the 3rd dive the bulkhead for the TTL cable snapped (nice big hole). It felt like the whole camera exploded.
Turned out to be a weak bulkhead - poorly designed and have replaced my camera and purchased a Heinrichs-Weikamp replacement part. Really is a solid bulkhead.
I would have purchased the Ike but it is discontinued - so if anyone has one for sale?

 

[Dave C]

Have used underwater cameras for 25 years, one or two trips/yr. Flooded a Sea & Sea film camera about 12 years ago, completely due to operator error. I didn't notice that I kinked the o-ring when I sealed the camera. A simple double-check would have revealed the problem.

 

[Dive-aholic]

First camera flood was my S&S. I did my usual checking of the clamp to make sure it was closed and opened it. I think I forgot to close it properly and flooded the camera. This was my most painful and expensive flooding. It was the first and I had to replace the camera, which being a Ricoh, was almost impossible to do. I got lucky.

Second flood was a small one. This happened on the first dive with this camera. I managed to catch it early enough and surfaced to save the camera. I sent the housing back for a replacement, which did fine. This was a Canon.

Third flood was another Canon, but my own fault. I didn't check the o-ring after closing it. I got a hair caught in it. I did an hour long dive to 97' depth and it didn't start to flood until the end of the dive. The camera started acting up and shutting itself off. I turned it back on and it did the same thing. I finally noticed the puddle of water at the bottom of the housing. I was able to keep the housing oriented to keep the camera dry even through my 15 minute deco!

I think the karma bus has gotten me enough times already. I guess I just have to christen every UW camera I get!

 

[TheDavil]

I closed the housing on a fruit fly wing, as it turned out.

I'm reasonably sure that I've never heard this cause before...

I haven't flooded my PT030 yet, but I still keep an eye out for a cheap used Oly SP350, cuz I know it'll happen sooner or later.

David

 

[glovepuppet]

I have not had either of my camera’s flooded yet, I have a Fuji F30 and a Sea & Sea DX1g.

However I have a friend who had his fuji f30 flooded twice, the supplier replaced the camera and housing for him the first time, 2 dives later he had another flooded camera – this has to be user error.

Another diver I know managed to flood his cannon camera because the thin string that hold the flash diffuser on the camera was stuck through the o ring

a 3rd diver I know had a fuji flood, but wouldn't show anyone the camera, I think that was one user error as well.

 

[cudachaser]

Flooded my Olympus 8080 (West Palm - 60ft). I failed to notice one of the dome latches was unlocked...Picked up a damaged Olympus on e-bay as a replacement real cheap....just sent the camera off to Olympus for repair...Waiting for the estimate

Joe

 

[Cecil]

Well flooded a Sony last Tursday in Bonaire, pinched o-ring.

 

[alcina]

I was wondering what is the percentage of people flood there cameras and if ikelite case are less prone to flooding.

Short answer, no, Ikelite cases are not more prone to floods. I love Ikelite housings - think they are awesome value for money, robust, versatile and have excellent customer support.

Floods are very rarely caused by faulty housings (there are a couple of exceptions and those are easily avoided by asking some questions here first , but if you stick with the manufacturer housings or those by reputable third parties, you should be fine).

I've flooded my Subal (not a cheapie) housing. The housing got a nice hard kick by another person while we were snorkelling with whale sharks. Glug glug. It happens.

I've never had a housing flood that was a manufacturer fault. Canon, Olympus, Subal, Ikelite, Amphibico. 1000's of submersions, nary a problem on that score knock wood.

As others have said, it's almost all about the maintenance and attention to detail when you are setting up and getting in.

 

[mstevens]

I'm not sure whether my housing is cheaper than an Ikelite or not. I'm also pretty certain there are housings that are much more expensive than Ikelite.

In any event, I've never flooded anything, including a nearly indescribably lousy "Pixtreme" digital camera and housing. I really don't think I'd mind if that one flooded.