G10 housing issues

[dolesorchard]

I have a G10 with the Canon housing with about 150 dives on it. I have just returned from Roatan and had problems at depth with some of the controls. This has never happened before. The biggest problem was I could not go into or out of the macro setting at more than 30 ft. It worked great for the first week, then I could no longer make the change except in shallow water. Is this a common problem? Fatigued plastic? Any comments or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

D--What sort of maintenance do you do on your housing? Here is an excellent article by Jeff Mullins (who spends way to much time on Bali!) that could help:
Underwater Camera Maintenance

The springs on Canon housings are on the weak side and pressure at depth does affect the ability of the spring to pop back and lift the end of the shaft off the camera controls. I've had the same issues and the liquid silicone treatment on the button shafts can help. Every now and then I have "saved" a shooting situation UW by working a fingernail under a button and lifting it a bit.

Doing a "lube job" before trips has avoided the sticking problem--as long as I rinse and work the buttons in freshwater between dives! Rinsing is critical, salt deposits around the shafts can be pretty invisible and still cause sticking. Canon repair will do a complete housing maintenance but not sure of the price. Jeff's article should set you straight though.

Oh. McNett markets a 4oz spray bottle of silicone (several lifetimes supply!). Your LDS , ScubaToys etc. will have it. Apply as Jeff suggests, don't just spray it all over. // ww

 

[dolesorchard]

The buttons are working fine, it seems like the housing is flexing at depth. I did have one button stick, but working it freed it up and a little lube seems to keep it functioning. What is happening is the button is hitting the wrong part of the dial only below 30-40 ft.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Yipes, well the first thing I think of is if it flexes enough to change the shaft position, when would it be likely to flex and spring a leak? Gilligan ran a thread a ways back about seeing latch fatigue stress cracks on WP-DC28 housings but I hadn't heard of flexing on the housing affecting button alignment.

I take it you can look and see the mis-alignment as you go below 40'? Is it just the Macro button or others? You might contact Canon Repair, ask if their housing service would fix things. I dunno, I'd be leery of taking things under again without knowing what's up--I'm just sayin' ... // ww

 

[Gilligan]

As mentioned the liquid silicone is the solution to the sticking plunger controls. I have used it for several years.

I have never heard of the housing flexing but I suppose anything is possible.

My hindsight can save you from cracking the housing locking latch as well as damaging or destroying the tripod mount. That info is HERE