Flooded my new SP-350

[LavaSurfer]

on the third dive. Really bites. I was able to get a new camera quickly but I now have no trust for the OLY PT-030 housing. No clue why it flooded. Was working fine through 1/2 hour of the dive and them swoosh, it was full of water. It’s new so I assume I can get it replaced. The lever for the zoom was broke when I received it so it needed to be replaced anyway but I was headed to Roatan and needed it for the trip. The lever wouldn't return to center after going to wide angle. Wasn't what caused the flood but two things wrong in one housing has me wondering about this housing.

The pictures were freeking awesome up until the flood.
Here are a couple

 

[grumpymedic]

Wow that sux..I was thinking of buying that same setup..guess I will go with the Ikelite housing instead. Awesome pics though..I love that first one of the octopus. Hope you have better luck.

 

[fishguts]

I hate to hear about the flood. What strobe are you using with your camera?

 

[AUTiger]

I couldn't tell from your message if you opened the camera between dives two and three in the same day, or was dive three the first dive of the second day? It would seem very unusual for the housing to be fine for the first few dives and fail on the third one without having been opened, unless it was dropped or jarred.

Sorry to hear about your loss. The housing should be fine with a fresh water rinse and drying. Luckily that camera is so inexpensive as to almost be disposable (not that $200 isn't a few bucks). I would be most upset with the missed opportunities to take photos.

The camera itself won't be worth repairing. Its now a salty corroded paperweight.

I don't think that the Oly housings are inherently bad, but you do get what you pay for. Of my two friends who flooded their Oly housings (which are all basically the same design), both were due to user error. One caught the dessicant pack in the seal and the other caught the tail of the lens cap string in the seal. Both of which should have been caught in a post closing inspection.

Better luck on the rest of your trip

David

 

[justleesa]

Hate to say it but when you take your camera UW it is not the question of if, but when. Sorry to hear that it happened to you.

 

[LavaSurfer]

I couldn't tell from your message if you opened the camera between dives two and three in the same day, or was dive three the first dive of the second day? It would seem very unusual for the housing to be fine for the first few dives and fail on the third one without having been opened, unless it was dropped or jarred.

Sorry to hear about your loss. The housing should be fine with a fresh water rinse and drying. Luckily that camera is so inexpensive as to almost be disposable (not that $200 isn't a few bucks). I would be most upset with the missed opportunities to take photos.

The camera itself won't be worth repairing. Its now a salty corroded paperweight.

I don't think that the Oly housings are inherently bad, but you do get what you pay for. Of my two friends who flooded their Oly housings (which are all basically the same design), both were due to user error. One caught the dessicant pack in the seal and the other caught the tail of the lens cap string in the seal. Both of which should have been caught in a post closing inspection.

Better luck on the rest of your trip

David

When I realized it was flooding, I was at 50 feet, there was nothing I could do and the choice was to finish the dive. The camera had been opened to replace the battery. I did a quick inspection but did not let it sit in the rinse tank. It flooded wile doing lights out looking for string of pearls and a few of the newer divers were flailing a bit. One thought I had is the camera might have been bumped hard or even stepped on. Although it was still attached to me I was lying on my back and bumped several times.

I also noticed that little tail from the lens cap string and thought that could get caught. I still need to replace the case due to the broken zoom lever, it came that way, but I do have a new camera now.

Next time I will be more diligent in my inspections. I also have a DC500 and its so bulletproof that I have become nonchalant about checking the seals.

 

[LavaSurfer]

I hate to hear about the flood. What strobe are you using with your camera?

The strobe on the camera, the difuser on the case and a UK Light Cannon 100 HID lamp.

What really bites is the next day I found a huge green moray and a Large grouper in the same cleaning station only inches away from each other. Both had shrimp and cleaner wrasse working overtime and were obliviouse to my presence. It was a perfect photo op!

 

[rjsimp]

I am sorry to hear about your flood. That's too bad when it happens on a trip like that.

My wife and I have a couple of the SP-350 and PT-030 setups (one for backup ) and have done several dives with them without any incident. I will say though, we got rid of the lense cap because of the hazzard it presents (including floating around in your frame while trying to shoot). Also, opening a housing between dives without doing a very close inspection of the o-ring and in many cases a full cleaning of the o-ring is risky at best.

I can't tell you how many times I have opened my camera thinking it should be clean only to see (after very close inspection) fine grains of sand on the o-ring. Even though in theory they shouldn't cause a problem if I didn't dislodge any, the o-ring moves and they do dislodge easily.. I have a little magnifying glass I use to inspect the o-ring. Anything like sand or any other spec on the o-ring, and it comes out for a cleaning and re-lube before it goes back in. Also, the o-ring channel needs to be cleaned. Use a lint free cloth with a little silocone grease on it to clean the channel.

I know what I described above may seem anal to some, but I haven't had any floods with my cameras so I will continue to be anal if I can reduce the risk of a flood. Also, you could get DEPP insurance for your equipment which will give you some piece of mind.

Good luck next time and watch the o-rings like a hawk!

 

[LavaSurfer]

I am sorry to hear about your flood. That's too bad when it happens on a trip like that.

My wife and I have a couple of the SP-350 and PT-030 setups (one for backup ) and have done several dives with them without any incident. I will say though, we got rid of the lense cap because of the hazzard it presents (including floating around in your frame while trying to shoot). Also, opening a housing between dives without doing a very close inspection of the o-ring and in many cases a full cleaning of the o-ring is risky at best.

I can't tell you how many times I have opened my camera thinking it should be clean only to see (after very close inspection) fine grains of sand on the o-ring. Even though in theory they shouldn't cause a problem if I didn't dislodge any, the o-ring moves and they do dislodge easily.. I have a little magnifying glass I use to inspect the o-ring. Anything like sand or any other spec on the o-ring, and it comes out for a cleaning and re-lube before it goes back in. Also, the o-ring channel needs to be cleaned. Use a lint free cloth with a little silocone grease on it to clean the channel.

I know what I described above may seem anal to some, but I haven't had any floods with my cameras so I will continue to be anal if I can reduce the risk of a flood. Also, you could get DEPP insurance for your equipment which will give you some piece of mind.

Good luck next time and watch the o-rings like a hawk!

Silicone lube is cheap. I think I will clean it every time I open it and just hope for the best. I do like the case and yes, I did get a fgew shots of the lens cover floating in front. Its gone except for storage now.

 

[rjsimp]

That's what I would do.. I have a lint free cloth I use where I can actually clean the "old" grease from the o-ring and any debris when on a boat and I have to open the camera.. I really try not to open the camera except in an A/C room where the air is dryer and I don't have the risk of water being splashed in or debris getting on the oring. Even better in the room when you have running water.. That works perfect to clean the o-rings. When it is perfectly clean, then I put the o-ring grease on.

When you do have sand on the o-ring, it is near impossible to get off without cleaning any grease you have on the o-ring off first.

If you keep the case well maintained and are careful, there is really no reason to get a flood. Most floods are because we screw up and since we are human, that is bound to happen A few are caused from malfunction, but not that many..