A6XXX Salted Line. Zoom Knob

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Hector1959

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Messages
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Location
Cuba
# of dives
200 - 499
After a few uses I have been finding the zoom knob to hard to turn. I think it was not so hard in first uses.
Maybe it has to be in the way the zoom ring is acommodated but I have put it in and out several times and it still is hard (harder or softer at times).
Does anyone has had this problem?
regards
 
No, I've had my Salted Line housing for almost a year now and never had this problem. The zoom ring is a bit fiddly to set up correctly, so that it doesn't rub against the housing front and still engages the gear teeth, but spinning the knob is never a problem. I would suggest you contact SeaFrogs support, they're generally pretty responsive. It's also possible that something small got stuck in the rotating seal - this can be dangerous, as it can cause a flood.
 
Thanks, I'll contact Seafrogs.
 
I have been in contact with Seafrogs support. They have been very attentive but so far I have not a solution. I am waiting now for reply to a detailed message that I sent them with the results of exhaustive observation and tests with the housing above water.
The problem is identified to happen when using the macro short port, not with the standard or or the dome port.
I observed that the teeth of the zoom gear travels to close to the plastic pole where the camera rest and that the zoom gear tends to offset the place where the camera rests compared to when no Zoom gear is used. This explain why the camera is easely inserted and the On/OFF switch matches correctly with the housing ON/OFF lever when camera is inserted turned off (as manual recommends), and it is difficult (practically impossible) to do it with the Zoon gear in place, and it is necessary to insert the camera turned ON.
Something also happens when the back cover is put and latched. Most of the times, not always, the zoom Knob spins easily without the back cover of the housing, but when the back cover is put and latched the knob becomes hard to spin and even gets stucked.
I don't know if my sets is lacking some Fixing or adjusting piece in the housing.
I would appreciate if someone posts a photo of the opened A6XXX salted line housing (no camera) with the A6300 configuration.

I am very frustrated with this.

regards
 
Seafrogs support has not reply to my latest mail but I have found a solution and now zoom knob spins smoothly.
This is my first housing for an ILC. I have not previous experience so maybe I was not doing correctly.
Problem seems solved after I lubricated with silicone the surface of the Zoom Gear that frictions with the inner wall of the port.
Is this lubrication normally needed for zoom rings to work properly?

I am still somewhat frustrated with the fact that when using the zoom gear the camera On/OFF switch does not engage with the housing lever and I have to insert the camera turned ON. Seafrogs suggest to do it in OFF position but it only works that way without the zoom gear. The zoom gear seems to slightly displace the camera to the left avoiding proper engament in OFF position. Also, when taking the camera OUT (turned OFF) it turns the camera ON.
This does not seem normal.
 
I regard the on/off lever as a standard operating procedure - turn on, insert, align the zoom ring, turn off, close the housing, turn on and verify that it's working, turn off, pump out the air.
The 10-18mm zoom ring is quite fiddly - needs to sit just right in order to not rub against the housing which stops it from turning, yet engage the gear teeth; that's an interesting suggestion you have regarding the silicone grease on its surface. The 16-50mm ring has never given me any issues.
 
I regard the on/off lever as a standard operating procedure - turn on, insert, align the zoom ring, turn off, close the housing, turn on and verify that it's working, turn off, pump out the air.
The 10-18mm zoom ring is quite fiddly - needs to sit just right in order to not rub against the housing which stops it from turning, yet engage the gear teeth; that's an interesting suggestion you have regarding the silicone grease on its surface. The 16-50mm ring has never given me any issues.

I 've been inserting the camera turned ON following a previous suggestion from you, but it does not seem normal than in can be inserted OFF without zoom gear and OFF when using a Zoom gear. Evidently the zoom gear forces the camera to sit in a different place.

Currently my usual procedure is: Put the zoom gear in place, turn the camera ON, put the housing lever in ON position, insert, verify is working, close housing, check again if working (due to fact that when closing knob made ressitance to spinning), turn OFF, Pump out the air, wait (and now having the problem of VPS-100 turning itself OFF), replace the cap.

It is esentially similar but most of the times I do not need to align the zoom gear. Once in its place, the lens passes thru without changing its position.

I see you are having the same problem I had with the 10-18 gear, but not with the 16-50mm.
Which port do you use with the 16-50? . I ask because, even as it makes no sense, I had the problem with the threaded macro short port, not with the 6" dome nor with the standard port.

Try the silicone solution with the 10-18 and tell me if it improved.

regards
 
well, that could be the difference. I do not have any issue with the zoom gear when using the 6"inch dome or the standard port (this only tested above water).
 
No problems with the zoom gear above water with the standard port, 16-50 lens with the a6000 swap kit. As to the on/off switch, my housing had 2 different on/off switch inserts. I tried them both and used the one that worked best with my camera and with the switch in the off position. Perhaps this is something new as my housing also has a dual o-ring on the housing.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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