FIX and S-90 Rear Wheel Issue

[abernat]

This might just be me ... but ...

With a foam insert on the front half of the housing (apparently needed on some housings), the rear wheel on the housing reliably turns the rear wheel on the camera but only until I am 10-15 feet under - at which point the housing rear wheel turns without moving the camera rear wheel. The package has gone back to Reef Photo where they've checked things out and tried to reproduce the problem. Due to the weather, they've only been able to take it to 23 feet at which point they had no issues. They think it might be grease on the camera wheel (they cleaned it with alcohol), or me not getting the camera into the housing straight, or ...

This behavior doesn't make sense to any of us since depth should not matter.

Anyone else had this issue? Or an explanation?

Thanks!
Andy

 

[Nemrod]

Several people have mentioned similar issues. I would think depth would IMPROVE the engagement to the wheel because of compression on the housing. If you squeeze the housing at the right hand upper and lower corners, even after the door is closed and locked, you will see a tiny bit of movement which I am sure will occur once the housing is submerged significantly.

When this issue first came up I thought people were simply expecting to much, the rotary knob, the rear one in particular does not move the engaged camera wheels smoothly but more of a click, click, click requiring more rotation of the knob to get the desired effect than of that control when operated directly. This is NORMAL. My camera and housing function exactly this way and I have no issues setting either control and have been impressed with the feel and operation of these controls as being beyond my expectations, however, I now realize that some people do seem to have a problem of engagement with the rear rotary knob. I suspect it may be a tolerance build between both Canon and FIX and some few people get the most of one and the least of the other resulting in a mismatch and poor engagement. I, fortunately, do not have this problem.

I would avoid "foam" inserts or any other easily compressed fix regardless of who said and who installed--period. I would shim with either hard rubber, plastic or even vinyl tape, something with very little compression. If you look into the housing you will see two small rubber pads and you will also note that the front ring has a rubber insert that must be part of the camera retention system. If the camera is not inserted squarely into the front ring control but instead somewhat askew it may be possible that once the case is closed the camera is not centered. I don't know, if this is the case, shimming is not the issue but proper installation. Make sure the mode control dial is pushed firmly down once the camera is installed, this seems to help lock the camera into position.

My two S90s and my housing, it is a simple drop-in and go dive proceedure but for those who seem challenged here, I do believe there is a fit problem now, as I said, foam is not the answer.

I hate to suggest this, but, if it were me, I would probably pop the rear wheel off the camera and see if I could shim that or using any of various materials, increase the thickness/grip of the dial on the camera to improve engagement with the FIX housing control gland.

See this discussion:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1010&thread=34800360&page=1

Fixed the loose dial in the back of the S90 [Page 3]: Canon Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

http://boardreader.com/thread/Fixed_the_loose_dial_in_the_back_of_the_9j9Xkpw4o.html

Take a look at this, this material and or even the front pieces might make better shimming material than "foam" and are more permanent or clear vinyl tape which is available in various thickness as is Mylar film.

http://www.zagg.com/invisibleshield...es-screen-protectors-covers-skins-shields.php

N

 

[ozziworld]

In terms of replicating the slippage you described:

I did the shim to add resistance to the rear wheel before I got the FIX Housing. It worked great to add resistance but when I placed in the the FIX housing I did experience some slippage with some 'clicking' on the rear wheel. It wasn't so bad if the rear wheel was operated slowly. I only used a post-it as shim as most of the tweakers on the forum did. I added very little but just enough resistance.

I recall no clicking when there was no slippage. Since there are gears involved and the Housing wheel needs to be turned more than normal to make adjustments, I thought turning it slowly to avoid the slippage was not practical. Also, I felt the clicking and slippage might rub or otherwise score the finish where it is supposed engage so I just removed the shim. Have not had any problems since. Just got used to the loose wheel and avoiding it when used outside the housing. My s90 is practically dedicated to UW use anyway.

In short, I had the slippage problem when I added the resistance to the rear wheel. Was wondering if you had the same and perhaps forgot to not mention it.

I agree with Nemrod in the sense any compression should just add pressure where the parts engage. Seems what your describing is the opposite.

 

[Nemrod]

In terms of replicating the slippage you described:

I did the shim to add resistance to the rear wheel before I got the FIX Housing. It worked great to add resistance but when I placed in the the FIX housing I did experience some slippage with some 'clicking' on the rear wheel. It wasn't so bad if the rear wheel was operated slowly. I only used a post-it as shim as most of the tweakers on the forum did. I added very little but just enough resistance.

I recall no clicking when there was no slippage. Since there are gears involved and the Housing wheel needs to be turned more than normal to make adjustments, I thought turning it slowly to avoid the slippage was not practical. Also, I felt the clicking and slippage might rub or otherwise score the finish where it is supposed engage so I just removed the shim. Have not had any problems since. Just got used to the loose wheel and avoiding it when used outside the housing. My s90 is practically dedicated to UW use anyway.

In short, I had the slippage problem when I added the resistance to the rear wheel. Was wondering if you had the same and perhaps forgot to not mention it.

I agree with Nemrod in the sense any compression should just add pressure where the parts engage. Seems what your describing is the opposite.

When I said "click, click" I regret that was a poor word choice, I meant that my housing turns the inner camera wheel as if there were a click, click. There is no noise, the movement is such that more turning of the outer knob than the inner wheel if not installed in the housing is required to effect a change. I believe this to be normal.

I have a small Mylar shim, installed similar to the paper shim, it does not appreciably change operation. yes, we are talking ab out two separate issues here, sorry for that.

I am thinking the engagement might be made better by using a paper, Mylar, or similar shim placed on the front of the camera to engage the rubber bumpers in the housing.

N

 

[abernat]

Thank you both for replying. I know it sounds counter-intuitive. If it works on the surface, it should work at depth due to (if any) increased pressure. But that's not what I found. It worked on the surface and down to 10-15 feet and then would simply slip and not move the camera wheel at all.

When I got the housing, the rear wheel slipped above water as well so I returned it to Reef who added foam pads inside the wheel side of the housing (to push the camera back). This stopped the above water slipping. And lead to the above. However, I tried removing the pads and had the same result. I thought I was very careful putting the camera into the housing (including lifting the mode dial and pushing it back down after inserting the camera) without any change.

I know this makes no sense. That's why Reef thinks it has to be related to either grease on the wheel or misaligned camera. They're sending it back and I'll try it next month in Saba.

 

[abernat]

Success! After another trip back home to Reef where thinner denser foam was inserted on the latch side, the S90+FIX continued to show the same symptoms - rear wheel worked fine above water and down to 20 feet or so but then no turning of the S90 wheel. I inserted a pad (well, 3 layers of thick paper) on the hinge side between the camera front and the housing and total success - the FIX rear wheel turns the S90 rear wheel down to 120 feet. Upon returning home, I measured the paper pad thickness as 0.03", which is close to the thickness of the inserted foam pads when squished.