Anyone have any care tips for digital camera underwater housing?

[2BCruising]

Finally, after a year of contemplating, researching, and waiting...I've ordered a Nikon underwater housing for my digital camera. It's sold in the US and has a lot of the external buttons on the underwater housing to control the camera.

 

I was wondering if there's anyone out there who has any experience and/or suggestions/tips on the care and maintenance for an underwater housing? Any comments would be appreciated.

[Jerry_G]

I'm sure you'll get plenty of replies from people with more experience than me. You will receive instruction with the housing. Follow them religiously. Most boats have dip tanks expressly for cameras. Before you take off any of your equipment drop the camera in the tank, of course the housing should be on it(lol). The most damaging thing to the housing and the buttons is a build up of salt crystal, so rinse it thoroughly. I will leave mine in the dip tank until the boat returns to shore, then rinse in real fresh water on the shore. Remember that people are dipping things into the tank that have salt on them, so even the dip tank will become salty. The other thing I've learned is NOT to store the housing in a closed position. That tends to form the O ring seals to the housing and create flat spots that may leak over time. This is my two cents and I'm sure you'll get a lot more. You also might want to check out scubaboard.com. They have an entire section on their site devoted to photography, and it is the largest scuba related web site that I have ever come across. Good Luk

[NM_Eman]

The website that Jerry mentioned is http://www.scubaboard.com/forums.phpAnother thing to consider is that the most vulnerable components of the housing are the o-rings. I'm assuming the buttons are essentially shafts that slide through an 0-ring. Don't use them more than you need to. Another small thing to watch is the o-ring for the main opening. Human and cat hairs seem to magically appear on the 0-ring and can be just enough to cause a leak. Hopefully someone will have experience with the exact model you bought.

Kent

[missjean]

Finally, after a year of contemplating, researching, and waiting...I've ordered a Nikon underwater housing for my digital camera. It's sold in the US and has a lot of the external buttons on the underwater housing to control the camera.

 

I was wondering if there's anyone out there who has any experience and/or suggestions/tips on the care and maintenance for an underwater housing? Any comments would be appreciated.

 

I just thought about buying one for my camera also. I have a Coolpix 3100 (about 2 yrs old), and I found a couple of brands that fit my camera, Fantasea and Ikelite. Which do you have? And how much did you buy it for? And where did you buy it?

 

Thanks!

[starsjohn]

I use the Ikelite camera housings for my Nikon gear and they are maintenance intensive.

 

All the push buttons need to be checked and lubricated regularly.

 

O rings need to be checked for cracks and lubricated. O ring seats on the case need to be cleaned frequently.

 

Wash down with fresh water after each use.

 

Have the housing serviced professionally once a year by the manufacturer. They will essentially replace every O ring in the housing and test all screws and set screws.

 

Very Important is to check the set screws on the shafts of the controls on the case to the camera as they really like to loosen up. Worst case sceneraro is that a loose set screw allows the control shaft to completely pull free from the case leaving a hole for the water to flood in.

 

This year lost a very nice Nikon D70 camera, 4 gig compact flash card, and Nikor 12-24mm lens, when the eyepice section of the underwater housing had an O ring seal blow out. The manufacturer covered it as the case was new.

[Woodsmaster]

Follow the MFG's instructions.

[bruce-r]

I just thought about buying one for my camera also. I have a Coolpix 3100 (about 2 yrs old), and I found a couple of brands that fit my camera, Fantasea and Ikelite.

In my opinion, the Ikelite product is far superior to the Fantasea housing.

 

I agree with what Jerry_G said. I would also like to add that many people recommend NOT jumping in while holding your camera, but instead have someone on the boat hand it to you once in the water. Also, if there isn't a camera rinse bucket on the boat, just keep your housing wet until you get ashore and can rinse it properly to remove the salt. A good way to do this is just to cover the housing with a small wet towel.

[2BCruising]

I just thought about buying one for my camera also. I have a Coolpix 3100 (about 2 yrs old), and I found a couple of brands that fit my camera, Fantasea and Ikelite. Which do you have? And how much did you buy it for? And where did you buy it?

 

Thanks!

 

I bought a Nikon WP-CP3 underwater housing for my future CP5600. The housing will be arriving this week. Bought it at PCMall. You could call them and find out if Nikon makes one for your CP3100. In my research (originally for my CP3200), I did look at the Fantasea and the Ikelite. The Fantasea didn't have enough controls, but relatively inexpensive. I considered the Ikelite. Nikon made a housing for my 3200, but it wasn't available for US market. I'm in the process of upgrading my CP3200 to the CP5600. That's when I came across a Nikon housing for the 5600 (and for US market). You can tell I'm a Nikon person. :)

 

A big thank you for the folks who have answered my thread. A lot of valuable tips you have provided. I'm ready to take on the care and handling of the housing. I'm thrilled at the idea of taking wonderful beach and snorkeling pictures. No more disposable cameras! Yipeeeee! :)

[2BCruising]

Once I know the housing (with camera inside) is sealed correctly at the start of our cruise, can I assume I can leave it sealed for the duration of the 7 day cruise? I won't have a need to open the housing until the 6th day (sea day). I will definitely rinse after each excursion or atleast have a bottle of water and towel available to keep it wet...until I can get it rinsed.

[Seapup]

2B:

 

My husband purchased the same brand housing this past winter. He took it to the Key's and got some great shots snokeling. We are taking it on a Bermuda cruise this August for scuba. We will be at 30feet or less. I will have him shoot you a post if he has any special advice.:D

[NM_Eman]

Once I know the housing (with camera inside) is sealed correctly at the start of our cruise, can I assume I can leave it sealed for the duration of the 7 day cruise? I won't have a need to open the housing until the 6th day (sea day). I will definitely rinse after each excursion or atleast have a bottle of water and towel available to keep it wet...until I can get it rinsed.

 

That would depend entirely on your battery life and how many pictures you take vs the size of your memory card. Also the housing needs to soak not just a quick rinse.

[2BCruising]

Kent...how long do you recommend that I soak the housing?

[bruce-r]

Once I know the housing (with camera inside) is sealed correctly at the start of our cruise, can I assume I can leave it sealed for the duration of the 7 day cruise?

Nope, don't think so. Batteries seldom last more than 2 dives (at least for me). You will want to put freshly charged batteries in the camera before each time you go out on the dive boat. You will also want to see the images after the dive, so you will need to take the camera out of the housing when you get back to the ship. I take my iBook with me when I travel so I can view the photos and back up the photos to the hard drive. In the very least you will want to view them on the TV. Also, unless you have a 2 gig memory card, or take photos at lower resolution, you will need to empty the memory card or put in a new one.

 

You will be fine opening the housing when you are on the ship after each dive trip.

[Jerry_G]

Just a little more info on housing. I put my camera in the housing anytime I might be going near water, such as the beach. It works great to protect is from water and sand. Also I like to go white water rafting. I put it in the housing and take it with me. So don't think that the housing need only be used for diving. You can take great pictures on dry land with the housing on the camera.

[2BCruising]

Hey Jerry G...good ideas for using the housing other than diving. On the last cruise when we went on a beach excursion, I left my digicam in the room's safe. I was worried I would get sand on the digicam. Missed some wonderful photo opportunities. You are right, I can take the camera anywhere...now.

 

BTW, just received my housing. It came with 3 O-rings, O-ring grease, and several packets of desiccant. Nice housing. Well, I'm off to read the instructions. :)

[2BCruising]

2B:

 

My husband purchased the same brand housing this past winter. He took it to the Key's and got some great shots snokeling. We are taking it on a Bermuda cruise this August for scuba. We will be at 30feet or less. I will have him shoot you a post if he has any special advice.:D

 

Seapup...Did your husband use the special "scene mode" for underwater photography on his digicam or did he use the normal auto mode?

[Snorkelcat]

I use an Olympus C750 with the P-18 housing. I keep the outfit in a soft sided cooler to protect somewhat from heat and always try to make sure it is not in the direct sunlight. I rinse it soon as I can. When back in the cabin, I rinse it really well. I dry the outside, then open it and remove the camera. I inspect for water inside the housing.

What I do in getting ready for the next outing, is to inspect the O-ring in the light of a lamp, up close and personal. I use that extra light to get really close to look for hairs, sand, etc. When statisfied, I load the camera, making sure fresh batteries and card are loaded in it, and there it stays until I get back to the cabin. I take above water shots with it still in the housing. I always have the small plastic bag with lubricant should I need it. I keep a dry soft clean non fiber rag in the bag too.

Have you guessed, we all have our routines!!!!:D