I recently loaned my TG-4 to someone who isn't all that careful with cameras. I figured - it's a Tough model, so I should be OK. We did several dives to about 20ft over a couple days. I soaked it in fresh water each night. When I got home, it still looked a little salty and sandy, so I thoroughly cleaned and soaked it. To really get everything out, I had to remove the thin, black circular ring that surrounds the lens. Not sure exactly how to describe this part, but it seemed removable/replaceable. With the ring removed, I was able to clean more thoroughly, though it seems like there is some permanent corrosion on a few of the metal screws.
Fast forward to the next trip - lots of snorkeling, and now this (removable?) ring has fallen off to the depths and is no more. I used the camera for the rest of the trip and it works fine, but it doesn't seem right to keep using it like this. There is a piece of exposed, bent metal under where the ring was. Not sure what this does - my guess is power or communication for one of the front-lens accessories, like the ring light or wa lens. Now it's just sticking out and bent. I'm a little disappointed. I really like the camera and I'm having fun with the GPS. Attached are some shots of the current state of the front of the camera - you can also see some corrosion around the screws. And a cool TG-4 lightning shot taken while snorkeling in the Bahamas. Thoughts? Suggestions?
Fast forward to the next trip - lots of snorkeling, and now this (removable?) ring has fallen off to the depths and is no more. I used the camera for the rest of the trip and it works fine, but it doesn't seem right to keep using it like this. There is a piece of exposed, bent metal under where the ring was. Not sure what this does - my guess is power or communication for one of the front-lens accessories, like the ring light or wa lens. Now it's just sticking out and bent. I'm a little disappointed. I really like the camera and I'm having fun with the GPS. Attached are some shots of the current state of the front of the camera - you can also see some corrosion around the screws. And a cool TG-4 lightning shot taken while snorkeling in the Bahamas. Thoughts? Suggestions?