Another trip with no pictures, thanks Sea Life

[Nemrod]

Once upon a time when Nikon was the best 35MM camera on the planet, bodies made of brass and aluminum and titanium with titanium etched honeycomb shutters and stainless steel mounts and manual focus lens made out of brass, stainless, aluminum and glass you could be sure that when you pushed the button the camera would function even with no batteries and it was built to take thousands of pictures over a lifetimes of rugged outdoor use. Now cameras at all levels are made out of plastic with plastic gears and plastic bodies and plastic frames and are meant to be obsolete in two years, welcome to the 21st century.

Sorry to hear of your problem, it would be upsetting to me also. I expect stuff to work without being babied and fussed over. I am often disappointed, more so today than ever before.

N

 

[uspap]

True. It seems you don't even get what you pay for anymore. Without buying the extended warranty.

 

[DandyDon]

True. It seems you don't even get what you pay for anymore. Without buying the extended warranty.

Oh, that's not been my experience with Sealife at all. I have been amazed at how nice the Tech guy has been at helping me with out-of-warranty fixes - on camera and strobe.

Of course, you can spend much more on other cameras, an Ikelight housing, high tech strobe, etc.

 

[uspap]

I guess I should send it in but I don't want to put another dime into this rig. I just got a Canon G10 for $450 brand new. I'm amazed at what it can do. I can get the Canon housing for $200. I'm saving for the sea tool fix housing. For $650 I have a lot better rig for close to what a DC... costs. Right now I'm shooting ambient light with the DC500 because of an on going strobe issue.

I must say when the Dc worked and so did the strobe I got some pretty good shots. It's the unreliability that kills me. I might have just gotten a lemon. (the strobe has already been replaced once)

 

[gNats]

I know this advice is too late, but are there dive shops on Roatan where you could have rented a camera, even for just a few dives of dive memories?

I am just back from Bonaire and after the first dive day, I worried my Intova I600 was not capturing photos to my expectations. I met with a camera shop on the island, looked at my photos on their pc (I didn't have a laptop) and decided not to rent afterall. I was prepared to take a camera right then and there if my Intova was not getting the job done.

I'm just putting this out there as a future what if for anyone traveling with a camera that acts up. It's an unexpected expense, but at least you would have had your memories.

N

 

[DandyDon]

I guess I should send it in but I don't want to put another dime into this rig. I just got a Canon G10 for $450 brand new. I'm amazed at what it can do. I can get the Canon housing for $200. I'm saving for the sea tool fix housing. For $650 I have a lot better rig for close to what a DC... costs. Right now I'm shooting ambient light with the DC500 because of an on going strobe issue.

I must say when the Dc worked and so did the strobe I got some pretty good shots. It's the unreliability that kills me. I might have just gotten a lemon. (the strobe has already been replaced once)

Phone calls are cheap nowadays, free for many of us. Call and talk to the tech guy. Can't think of his name but he has a very helpful attitude. He had never dived when I first spoke with him but has since certified and shot their cameras in the water so has a better understanding of our feelings. Anyway, call him, plead your case, get an RA#, and then send it...!!

 

[peteytheweasel]

I have a Mini 320 that seems to eat batteries underwater....10-15 pics but will last through 100 pics on land. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[FrankPro1]

I have a Mini 320 that seems to eat batteries underwater....10-15 pics but will last through 100 pics on land. Any ideas or suggestions?

I don't have any experience with the 320 but I can tell you what I do to conserve shots with my Olympus 530zoom. First try to minimize the use of the LCD screen. The screen eats up TONS of battery power and in colder water its drainage amplifies even more. Try to estimate where the camera is taking the image v.s. always relying on the LCD. Also don't use basic no name batteries, try to buy Duracell or Energizer batteries that a geared specifically for high energy drain devices. Or better yet ones that are for camera use. Minimizing the use of the flash also conserves tons of energy.

 

[DandyDon]

I have a Mini 320 that seems to eat batteries underwater....10-15 pics but will last through 100 pics on land. Any ideas or suggestions?

This one? SeaLife Cameras - Underwater Digital Camera - Reefmaster Mini

I don't think I'd ever want to shoot underwater without the flash, which may well be programmed to flasher brighter and use more battery than on land, and I like my screen on.

What batteries are you using? On one land trip I used 3/$1 AA batteries as I could change them quickly when they got low. Underwater, use the best.

Then change often, yielding a large supply of used batteries with a lot of power left for other devices; or

Try a meter to test them before reuse.​

I like rechargeable NiMH batteries, like the ones Sealife sells with the strobes - but those require extra discipline. They must be recharged often as well as shortly before use even if not used at they're not great at storage, but not left charging too long as they can be damaged. For my every day cameras (and I carry a few just in case)...

I recharge all Lithiums weekly;

Drain & recharge the NiMH batteries weekly with a conditioning charger from Thomas Distributing and I like their batteries better;

On a dive trip, I recharge everything every night​

For the NiMH and Lithium batteries I don't charge and carry weekly, I drain & recharge monthly. Eh, Lithium batteries can last longer if you drain them monthly, even cell phone batteries - but it's not as critical nor as rewarding. I charge my cell every night.

 

[SeaLife Joe]

As you have heard already, don't use just regular batteries in any high drain device. For the Mini, I would recommend Energizer E2 Lithiums. Yes they are a little pricier but we use those in our demo cameras and they do last a real long time in comparison to anythign else out there.

Dandy Don is right about rechargeables as they end up saving you a lot more money. Have two sets ready at all times and swap out between dives.