Flooded Canon Camera & proper care

[scottfiji]

My canon A70 with the canon housing just got flooded, I need a new camera. Used it on 20 dives, since April. I use it mainly on sandy beach dives (yes, I know that's risky!). I just used it on 2 dives, was fine the 1st dive, it flooded the 2nd dive (40ft depth). It's flooded before and still worked. Now it won't work. I have some questions to try to prevent it from happening again after I get another camera:

1) How often does the o-ring need replaced? (I had never replaced mine).

2) Do people who take the camera on sandy beach dives grease the o-ring? How often? I don't grease it because I find the sand sticks to the grease, causing a leak.

3) If you use it for 2 dives in a row, do you open the case and clean the o-ring between those 2 dives? I hadn't cleaned it between those 2 dives. But I always clean it when I get home.

4) How do people test their housing? I just put it under 12 inches of water for about 10 minutes, do you think this a valid test?

fyi, since all my dives are sandy beach dives, and I love taking pictures underwater, I'll probably still continue to take the housing with me, I'm willing to take the risk.

Also, before I dive with a camera again, I think I'll take just the housing on a few dives to see if it leaks again, after implementing whatever advice I get here.

thanks for your advice in advance,

Scott

(here are some pictures I've taken, with the built-in flash)
http://www.scubapost.net/gallery/album06

 

[Tom Winters]

Welcome to the Flooded A70 Club. As you can see, the price of membership is not pleasant. The o-ring should have been fine - properly lubricated, it should last a couple of years as long as you don't leave it out in the sun. A spare might be a good idea though in case you stretch it out too much removing it for service.
I thought I had sealed my camera in Provo, but somehow the o-ring got squeezed out of the housing a little while I sealed it. I'm not at all thrilled with the Canon o-ring arrangement.
Maybe you had a little sand or something that wicked in a little water. You have to grease the o-ring for it to work, by the way - but do so at home or someplace clean. Don't overgrease it either.
And don't open the housing until you have to - once you have a good seal, leave well enough alone.
As for testing the housing - it worked fine for one dive, so it's probably ok. You just have to work on your o-ring technique. 12" is a little shallow - the deep end of a pool would be a little better.
I have to look at the way that Olympus seats their o-rings - on the A70 housing, that open lip on top just does not inspire confidence.
Of course, when you dive with the empty housing the next few times, it will be totally dry. You may want to get the DEPP insurance on your rig, although you have to insure the rest of your gear with them first. Do a google search for them.

 

[alcina]

Sorry to hear about the flood!!

1) How often does the o-ring need replaced? (I had never replaced mine).
I haven't yet replaced the o-ring on my A70 and it has done some hard work. If it isn't stretched or nicked or otherwise damaged, I leave it alone.

2) Do people who take the camera on sandy beach dives grease the o-ring? How often? I don't grease it because I find the sand sticks to the grease, causing a leak.
You shouldn't have to really grease these o-rings. Put the camera together before you get to the beach and try to set it down on a towel or in its case while at the beach.

For "greasing" I usually run a little spit on a finger around the o-ring and most carefully check for any debris. The clear plastic housing makes this easy to do. If there is debris, then I remove the o-ring and maybe run the tiniest bit of grease on it...very tiny!

As long as the o-ring is moist it should be fine.

3) If you use it for 2 dives in a row, do you open the case and clean the o-ring between those 2 dives? I hadn't cleaned it between those 2 dives. But I always clean it when I get home.
I leave the case sealed unless I have to change cards or batteries. I can usually get two long dives on one set.

For cleaning, see above...you may be overdoing things and this can cause the oring to stretch and then not seat properly.

4) How do people test their housing? I just put it under 12 inches of water for about 10 minutes, do you think this a valid test?
I don't. If it leaks, it leaks. A successful "test" will only assure you that there are no major manufacturer defects. Since the vast majority of floods are user error, seems to me the more times you "test" the closer you get to that magic number!

I am vigilant when sealing the housing and checking the oring and groove. I check it when I set it up, I check it before entering the water and I check it on descent. Now and again I have a look underwater, but by that time it would be too late mostly so I don't worry about it!


fyi, since all my dives are sandy beach dives, and I love taking pictures underwater, I'll probably still continue to take the housing with me, I'm willing to take the risk.
i can't imagine getting into the water without a camera now!

Also, before I dive with a camera again, I think I'll take just the housing on a few dives to see if it leaks again, after implementing whatever advice I get here.
Test away if you want to, but do take a moment to consider exactly what it is you are testing for. I personally never take a housing empty...again, if it floods, it floods. The flood being caused by a manufacturer's fault that you couldn't see is going to be rare, though it can happen. My personal theory is even one of those won't happen on the first couple of dives usually.

And remember, if you go empty, the mating whale sharks will be right there in your face

As for the Canon system...I have had zero problems with the two (A20 & A70) I own. Third system will be here next week after the A70 got stolen much to my disgust. I love that set-up!! I've known far more Oly users who have had floods despite their double o-ring system...but I love my Oly, too. I still believe, at least with these two companies, that it is user error, not the design.

Good luck with the replacement and have a great time!

 

[Tom Winters]

So I guess Olympus doesn't fare any better.
Where in Western OZ? Last time I was there in 1987, I went prawn diving in the Swan River with some guys from Myaree Dive Centre. We wound up catching half-a-big mesh bag full of the best critters I ever ate from the sea.

 

[alcina]

So I guess Olympus doesn't fare any better.
Actually, I think it is the users, not the product. All housing brands can flood. There are one or two out there that I wouldn't buy at all, but Canon & Olympus are certainly not on that list and I use mine all the time. Just something we all have to deal with eventually - you know, it's not if, but when.

Where in Western OZ? Last time I was there in 1987, I went prawn diving in the Swan River with some guys from Myaree Dive Centre. We wound up catching half-a-big mesh bag full of the best critters I ever ate from the sea.

I loved prawning in the River! Yummo. Haven't done that in years...I'm up north now where it's warm all year!

 

[scottfiji]

I am vigilant when sealing the housing and checking the oring and groove. I check it when I set it up, I check it before entering the water and I check it on descent. Now and again I have a look underwater, but by that time it would be too late mostly so I don't worry about it!

Alcina (& Tom), thanks for all the information...Alcina, could you give me a little more detail how you check the oring and groove. When you say "check it" before entering and "check it" before entering the water, what exactly do you do? I assume you are not opening the housing, are you just looking at the o-ring through the clear plastic? Also, how do you check it on descent, isn't that the same as checking underwater? Or do you mean you check it while descending, before reaching final depth, so you can re-surface if you see sand/dirt stuck to the o-ring....

Scott

 

[MSP Rescue Diver]

Go here to get housing maintenance information.

Marc

 

[alcina]

When you say "check it" before entering and "check it" before entering the water, what exactly do you do? I assume you are not opening the housing, are you just looking at the o-ring through the clear plastic?
As soon as the camera is handed to me BEFORE it gets wet, I have a look at the seal - the crew may have knocked it or something though this has never happened to me, knock wood. I check the oring isn't squooshing out anywhere and that the lock is locked. I guess I look for missed debris, but that would be more an unconscious thing as it gets well checked before I hit the water anyway.

Also, how do you check it on descent, isn't that the same as checking underwater? Or do you mean you check it while descending, before reaching final depth, so you can re-surface if you see sand/dirt stuck to the o-ring....
Yes, I check it as I am heading down to my depth. Usually there are little bubbles on the housing and I wave them off with my hand and make sure the lens is clear. I also turn it all on & start setting where I want things if it is different than what pops on Any seepage will hopefully be noticed here so it is easier to head back to the boat/exit and ditch the camera and go back down without it.

During the dive I might have a little look at the housing now and again for any condensation or leaking...only happened once and it was so minor that it was a non-issue on return to the boat. That was the ONLY time I have sent a photo case down without camera.

After surfacing I opened the case, dried everything out (no water at all on the camera) and changed out the card and batteries. I closed the housing sans camera with a small weight inside (cushioned), hooked it up to the descent rope and lowered her down. Left it at 25m for about 30 minutes, pulled it back up and all was dry.

The benefit for me doing this is that I could not see where the water was coming in. The test would have shown if there was a leaky o-ring or flaw in the housing. There wasn't so I go with undetected user error (big surprise) :11: . I put the camera back in and jumped in for the second dive with no problems. Camera and housing are still going strong today.
Scott

HTH

 

[scottfiji]

Go here to get housing maintenance information.

Marc

Thanks, that linked helped a lot. Alcina, thanks for the info. I think a little sand got on the o-ring on my first dive. I should have checked it before my second dive. I just looked and noticed it now.

Everyone, when you soak your housing after a dive, do you soak it closed or open? With the o-ring in or out?

Scott

 

[alcina]

Thanks, that linked helped a lot. Alcina, thanks for the info. I think a little sand got on the o-ring on my first dive. I should have checked it before my second dive. I just looked and noticed it now.

Everyone, when you soak your housing after a dive, do you soak it closed or open? With the o-ring in or out?

Scott

CLOSED! With oring in. Warm water. Some days if I am feeling really kind I throw in a very little bit of dishwashing liquid, soak, rinse, soak in fresh warm water again. This doesn't happen often, maybe every 20th dive or so...but I dive several days a week. If you are leaving the housing for a while between dives, give it a really really good soaking each time.