Canon Underwater Housing Proven Loser/Leaker

[gulfdiver]

I received a Canon digital camera, the A40 in the WP-DC200 underwater housing. After but 75 dives, the housing leaked. Fortunately, the camera was not ruined.

I called the dive shop where I bought it and they said they no longer sold them because most of them failed. I then wrote Canon and just heard back from them. The housing is unrepairable, making it a $200 disposable piece of junk. They said the unit has NO warranty and actually told me where I can buy another one.

If you are about to get a digital camera or know someone who is, please don't make this mistake. Canon is still marketing this proven leaker and will continue to screw the consumers.

Good luck with a better choice.

 

[jonnythan]

These things need maintenance... that huge O-ring needs to be spic and span and lubed up perfectly every time you close the case..

 

[Gno]

Gulfdiver,

i'm curious if you had changed the O ring after so many dives?

I reckon it must have been at least 2 years old??

Maybe that's why the casing leaked?

 

[pdoege]

I have the WDC-300, maybe 70 dives. I have never heard of one failing until now.

Peter

 

[Wally_lamma]

gulfdiver once bubbled...
I received a Canon digital camera, the A40 in the WP-DC200 underwater housing. After but 75 dives, the housing leaked. Fortunately, the camera was not ruined.

I called the dive shop where I bought it and they said they no longer sold them because most of them failed. I then wrote Canon and just heard back from them. The housing is unrepairable, making it a $200 disposable piece of junk. They said the unit has NO warranty and actually told me where I can buy another one.

If you are about to get a digital camera or know someone who is, please don't make this mistake. Canon is still marketing this proven leaker and will continue to screw the consumers.

Good luck with a better choice.

Sorry to hear this. I have made about 25 Dives with my olympus housing so far.
DEE have you heard anything about our PT-XX issues. Can't imagine what would go wrong other than warping due to heat or poor storage. Other than the normal issues )bad or poorly kept gasket..

CR

 

[Gilligan]

gulfdiver please share with us your maintenance routines with your housing , if you don't mind. I have approx. 175 dives on my Oly PT-010 so far. :shades:

 

[Gno]

Yeah Gulfdiver,

I've used the WP-DC300 for 70+ dives wih no problems so far (touch wood)!!!!.

My instructor's motto is if you don't spend at least 15 minutes cleaning/greasing your housing's O Ring, DON'T bring it underwater coz chances are that you may not have greased/over greased the O Ring in your hurry to dive or forgot to do other stuff.

Let us know what really happened.

 

[Dee]

After hearing these stories about the Canon and PT-XXX housing suddenly leaking after 70+ dives, I can only think it's a maintainence error rather than a product defect. Unless the housing was dropped or knocked around in some way.

Before anyone gets upset, I'm not saying no one is telling the truth. It's just that manufacturers defects will usually show up with the first few dives..if not the first. Floods have so many causes, it's hard to pinpoint any one thing that can cause it. Dust in the o-ring channel, hair/fibers on the o-rings, too much grease attracting sand/debris, cracked or depressed o-rings.

I'd want to know exactly what steps were taken to prep the camera, how long it had been since the o-rings have been cleaned. In those 70+ dives, when was the last time the o-ring was replaced?

One of the first things you learn when you take electronic equipment underwater is....It's not IF it's going to flood, it's WHEN. That's also why I have flood insurance on anything, photo related or not, that can get water in it.

 

[Ruu]

Is there currently any wisdom on how many dives one of the Olympus o-rings can do before it should be replaced? Doubtless this has come up before, but I'm going to bed and I don't want to start searching now,

Dave

 

[Dee]

I don't know about everyone else but to me it depends on number of dives and the condition of the o-ring. I replace it every 50-75 dives or when it just doesn't feel right. I don't know how to explain that. A $10 dollar o-ring is a deal for my peace of mind!

The old O-ring is marked with a permanent marker and is then used when storing the housing.