O-rings on waterproof camera case and lint-free cloth

[2BCruising]

I'm curious, for those of you who own a waterproof camera case...how often do you apply grease to the O-ring (around the edges of the case)?

 

And also, do you have a suggestion for a lint-free cloth to use and where to purchase?

 

Thanks!

[bruce-r]

I'll clean the o-ring before each trip. I don't leave the o-ring in the housing for extended periods of time, like more than a couple of months. Take it out and store it in a ziplock bag.

 

Link free cloth? Camera store or optician would be where I'd start the search.

[Hilary]

I'll clean the o-ring before each trip. I don't leave the o-ring in the housing for extended periods of time, like more than a couple of months. Take it out and store it in a ziplock bag.

 

Link free cloth? Camera store or optician would be where I'd start the search.

 

I clean and "grease" my o-ring after every dive trip, and inspect and sometimes lightly grease it before a trip. On our recent liveaboard, we greased it mid-week since it was making 4 dives a day with us.

 

Just remember not to be too liberal with your silicone grease. Put a little on your thumb and forefinger, and gently run the o-ring through your fingers a couple of times. No pressure on the o-ring so you don't stretch it.

[2BCruising]

Thanks for the tips Bruce-R and Hilary.

 

Another question. How do you clean your o-rings? Should I use the dry eyeglass tissues?

[bruce-r]

Thanks for the tips Bruce-R and Hilary.

 

Another question. How do you clean your o-rings? Should I use the dry eyeglass tissues?

I take them out and wipe them off with my clean, dry fingers. Then I apply a light coat of the silicon lube supplied with the housing to the o-ring. I don't necessarily want to clean all the old lube off, I just want to make sure the o-ring feels clean and grit free.

 

I should also direct you to http://www.wetpixel.com and the Underwater Photography section of scubaboard.com for more advanced advice than I can provide concerning UW photography.

[Hilary]

Ditto on what Bruce said. The advantage to "cleaning" your o-ring with your clean, dry fingers is that you get to really feel the condition of the ring and if there was any grit on it.

[2BCruising]

Thanks to you both...again.

 

I finally got a chance to play with the housing last night (without camera), tested in a bucket of water. Checked the buttons, etc. Dunked the housing several times and left in water for few minutes at a time. Dried in between. I also played with the O-Ring and got used to removing it and putting it back on. The ring was lightly greased...that was good to feel.

 

I think I've gotten over the "scary part" of this new housing. I will test again when we're on the ship (this coming Sat!) and then test with the camera inside.

 

I think I got overwhelmed by the instruction manual. It didn't tell me how to "dry" or "clean" the ring. I'm glad I posted the question. Thanks to Bruce-R and Hilary for making me feel comfortable with my new toy...Susan

[Snorkelcat]

I put a bit of grease in a snack size ziplock bag, put the clean O-ring in it, seal it, and then rub it around inside the bag. That's wear I store it also.

[bruce-r]

Be sure to use ONLY the silicon supplied with the housing on the o-ring. Some manufacturers are pretty picky about this.

[2BCruising]

I'm back from our cruise. The underwater housing for my digicam was awesome! Of course, I didn't get a chance to use it as it was permanently strung around my DH's neck while we were snorkeling. :)

 

I did use the lubricant that came with the Nikon housing.

 

The hardest part of the maintenance was keeping the lint off the O-ring.

 

After our first use, it was relatively easy to maintain the housing and I did get over the fear of getting the camera wet. This has been a great investment.

 

Your suggestions on this thread were great! Thanks for your help! :)

[bruce-r]

I'm back from our cruise. The underwater housing for my digicam was awesome! Of course, I didn't get a chance to use it as it was permanently strung around my DH's neck while we were snorkeling. :)

Well, I hope we'll get to see some of the photos you took.