Do I need to use the Vacuum Pump on my Camera Housing?

[RozRamsden]

I'm totally new to underwater photography. I have bought an Olympus TG-4 camera and Waterproof housing (obviously both used). I did not realise there is a vacuum pump system on the housing. Do I need to use this to be able to use the camera for scuba? The seal appears intact and working fine. I did not get the 'pump' with the housing but didn't realise it could come with one.

 

[happy-diver]

you know I looked at your post and opened a few websites, only for cameras and housings
shuddered at the prices and price increases closed the sites and my pocket is smiling again

 

[BoltSnap]

Get the pump and use it. It is a good thing to make sure that the housing is keeping the seal and there is much less chance of flooding the housing (and serves as an alarm that there is an issue if the indicator shows it is losing seal). It is a very good thing to have and use.

 

[hedonist222]

I'm totally new to underwater photography. I have bought an Olympus TG-4 camera and Waterproof housing (obviously both used). I did not realise there is a vacuum pump system on the housing. Do I need to use this to be able to use the camera for scuba? The seal appears intact and working fine. I did not get the 'pump' with the housing but didn't realise it could come with one.

You can but tge tg4 itself is waterproof - so the added cost of the pump over the waterproof features of the tg4 may not be worth it.

 

[Searcaigh]

I did not realise there is a vacuum pump system on the housing. Do I need to use this to be able to use the camera for scuba?

In short no.

Vacuum systems also introduce another failure point to a housing, if you forget to cover the vacuum port you can accidentally flood your housing. Never happened with me, but I did know a professional photographer who did flood his because he forgot the cover and somehow bumped the button and the housing with SLR and lens filled with seawater.

One of my buddies freaked out twice when she forgot to replace the vacuum cover on her housing. For a TG series camera though, probably not worth it unless you are doing very deep dives.

 

[Barmaglot]

I wouldn't dive my camera (Sony a6700) without a vacuum, period, but with TG-4 being waterproof by itself, you can skip the extra cost. Yeah, you might flood the housing at some point, but it will be an exceptional stroke of bad luck to flood the camera at the same time - and even if that does happen, a used TG-4 can be found for about as much as the vacuum system itself.

 

[David Haas]

Just had a new friend on my Bali trip with her Olympus TG-4 and Olympus housing flood it. She fully admitted she rushed and didn't close the latch totally.

Housing flooded but the camera kept working for awhile then went to sleep (maybe past depth the camera itself was / is rated for.)

She took it out and rinsed it, then rinsed out the housing and dried using my hair dryer trick (low and gently.) She was shooting the next day with all working

For macro shooting those Olympus TG-6 and now TG-7 and housing are hard to beat!

DH

 

[umbert]

my 2 cents:
Nauticam with Sony a6000. Checked at home many times, vacuum system worked great, pumped the air out, green light. I'm in Roatan now (5/25-6/1). Unpacked my gear, set it up, turned the sensor and right away flashing red (moisture indication), without even closing the housing. Few Google minutes and I found a solution = blow hot hair dryer air a distance away towards the sensor and it works, pumped the air, green light happy now.
NOW, 1st dive, jumped in, minute after red light with beeping all over (now I'm F... I thought). Well finished the dive fine, with bunch of pictures. Brought the camera to hotel room, opened the housing and the hissing was there, meaning vacuum and seal was present all the time.
I dont bother to use it now. I pump the air, check for vacuum by opening just after, close it and pump the air again. Gotta go, 17 more dives!

P.S.
I figured, either my sensor is bad or battery low, I guess I'll play with this at home.

 

[MidOH]

No.

When my Kraken kills it's pump battery, I go without.

I wonder why the housings aren't designed to hold pressure. I'd rather push air out, then suck water in (in a minor leak).

 

[Nemrod]

No.

When my Kraken kills it's pump battery, I go without.

I wonder why the housings aren't designed to hold pressure. I'd rather push air out, then suck water in (in a minor leak).

A slight vacuum loads the O-rings in the correct direction, a positive pressure in the housing at the surface would result in the O-ring load reversing at some depth. Camera housings are meant to operate with less pressure inside than outside as is the case as soon as the system is submerged. The reduction in internal pressure with a vacuum system of a couple of psi is minuscule compared to the ambient conditions the housing must resist at depth.

I would not dive an expensive system without a working vacuum indicator. My Nauticam NA6400 system has worked without issue now for four years. A TG is so inexpensive and the camera being somewhat water proof, I would not worry over a vacuum system, just about anything else, yes.

There have been attempts to use regulated air to keep a camera housing at ambient pressure. But that also requires a means of venting as depth is reduced.