Meikon - SeaFrogs A6xxx Salted Line Questions

[gstrek]

That's interesting, it appears there has been a slight redesign of the housing - I got mine in June 2018 and it has only one main o-ring, seated in a groove on the front part - the rear part is just flat and presses flush against the o-ring. It's difficult to tell from your photo, but it looks like they've added a protrusion to the back that extends into the front part, and has a second o-ring going around it - very similar to the older A6xxx housing with a fixed port. There is no mention of it on the website product pages, and I don't see it in their spare o-ring catalog either - must be a very new change.

Yes, the back has a protrusion that extends into the front part and has an o-ring. I like double o-rings similar to my first Olympus 5050 housing from 2003 time frame. I am very careful checking my o-rings each day for any stray hairs, lint, salt, etc. and so far all is good.

Do you use the Meikon silicone grease or something you can get locally? Seafrogs does not sell the grease but Meikon does. Meikon also charges nearly $20 US more than Seafrogs for the VPS-100, shipping is about the same.

 

[Barmaglot]

Both meikon.com.hk and seafrogs.com.hk websites belong to the same company, Digital Video Limited in Hong Kong. Main difference between sites is that on meikon.com.hk worldwide shipping is included into the price, whereas on seafrogs.com.hk it is billed separately.

I have half a dozen tubes of their grease lying around - got one with every item that I bought (two housings, four ports), so I haven't had a reason to try anything else.

 

[gstrek]

Both meikon.com.hk and seafrogs.com.hk websites belong to the same company, Digital Video Limited in Hong Kong. Main difference between sites is that on meikon.com.hk worldwide shipping is included into the price, whereas on seafrogs.com.hk it is billed separately.

I have half a dozen tubes of their grease lying around - got one with every item that I bought (two housings, four ports), so I haven't had a reason to try anything else.

Meikon now charges $7.99 for shipping. Seafrogs is $9.95 shipping. Even being the same company, some products are more expensive from Meikon versus Seafrogs.

I have silicone grease from previous Olympus housings but I don't think it is a good idea to use it on the A6xxx.

I will let you know what they tell me about the o-ring that went rogue.

Thanks,

 

[Hector1959]

Barmaglot,

Having had a recent flood in the housing I checked your list of o-ring.

1. Main o-ring between front and back halves
2. Port seal o-ring
3. Vacuum port o-ring 1 (inner, on the plug or vacuum valve)
4. Vacuum port o-ring 2 (outer, on top of the housing)
5. Pistol grip o-ring (on the plug or grip itself)

I clearly have number 1 (rectangular white) , 2 (circular white) , and 4( thin, on the top opening for vacuum as your first photo up here).
5. I have no pistol grip and I haven't touched the plug.
3. I do not understand where it is. Is it the o-ring on the VPS? Or it is one making part of the housing itself?

regards

 

[gstrek]

Barmaglot,

Having had a recent flood in the housing I checked your list of o-ring.

1. Main o-ring between front and back halves
2. Port seal o-ring
3. Vacuum port o-ring 1 (inner, on the plug or vacuum valve)
4. Vacuum port o-ring 2 (outer, on top of the housing)
5. Pistol grip o-ring (on the plug or grip itself)

I clearly have number 1 (rectangular white) , 2 (circular white) , and 4( thin, on the top opening for vacuum as your first photo up here).
5. I have no pistol grip and I haven't touched the plug.
3. I do not understand where it is. Is it the o-ring on the VPS? Or it is one making part of the housing itself?

regards

I am pretty sure Barmaglot is referring to the original port plug as well as the vacuum valve. I had asked about the port plug which has an o-ring on the base of it. I am about to order the VPS-100 and expect that will also have an o-ring in the same location.

The reason I asked the question in the first place was that I found a loose .5 inch o-ring in the housing when I first opened the package.

 

[gstrek]

The reason I asked the question in the first place was that I found a loose .5 inch o-ring in the housing when I first opened the package.

Follow-up from SeaFrogs support agrees with Barmaglot that this is most likely an extra o-ring that fell in during assembly. With all the o-rings, the VPS-100 Vacuum check system is good insurance.

 

[gstrek]

@Barmaglot - Do you find that you need to use a focus light to assist your camera's autofocus? It seems that with the A6000 at least, it doesn't focus-hunt nearly as much when I use a light. Haven't tested underwater.

 

[Barmaglot]

With 10-18mm and 16-50mm, I haven't had any trouble focusing. With 90mm macro, the focus can be sluggish at close range, but neither the focus limiter (set to 28-50cm) nor focus lights (Archon D36Vs on triple clamps with strobes, either in red or low-power white modes) seem to help any. I'm thinking about getting an Archon D15VP with a cold shoe mount, maybe that will work better.

 

[gstrek]

With 10-18mm and 16-50mm, I haven't had any trouble focusing. With 90mm macro, the focus can be sluggish at close range, but neither the focus limiter (set to 28-50cm) nor focus lights (Archon D36Vs on triple clamps with strobes, either in red or low-power white modes) seem to help any. I'm thinking about getting an Archon D15VP with a cold shoe mount, maybe that will work better.

I have an a6000 with the 16-50mm kit lens. I expect it is a bit slower than your a6300 but a step up from my Olympus Pen. I will have a light with me in case I need a focus light but it will be handheld rather than on the cold-shoe mount.

 

[gstrek]

For the most part, the housing has worked very well. The Vacuum pump system has given me confidence and have had zero water in the housing down to 100'. Focus with the a6000 and 16-50mm kit lens has been good even in lower visibility (25'). The times I have found my flash failed to fire, I was saved by the ability to pop up the internal flash with a button (my Oly housing didn't have that).

My only complaint is the fiddly nature of the on/off switch. I have found that it is important to latch the case with both latches simultaneously. However, the small on/off switch insert, I am using the one marked 6000/6500, does not stay in place and falls out inside the housing despite being firmly pushed in place. This is especially true after being jostled in the rinse tank. Fortunately, it has been while the camera is turned on so it is still usable for the second dive.

I am looking for suggestions on increasing the holding power of the insert. Something to give it stronger hold such as a tiny piece of tape? Has anyone else had this problem? I noticed a posting on dpreview.com where the issue was noted but no resolution posted.