housings & flooding

[Jazzcat24]

I have been reading on several sites & the comment keeps coming up...not if the housing will leak, but when. My question is: does the depth, thus the pressure on the seals, have more to do with the leaking than just being in the water? I ask because I am a serious snorkler, so my camera & housing is not going to be down but a few feet. (I have great bouyancy & can't free dive in salt water to save my soul! I bob like a cork!)
If it's going to leak, then why destroy my digital when I can get a point & shoot w/ flash system that won't cost as much to replace.
What experiences have you all had? Thanks.

 

[Dee]

If I understand your comment correctly...yes, the pressure plays a big part in how the housing keeps your camera dry. All housings have an o-ring as a barrier against the pressure and water. You can see and feel the pressure of the water in as little as 2-3 feet. There are a lot of use that trust our camera housings to keep our cameras dry, and we carry flood insurance just in case! So if you aren't prepared for the possibility of losing your camera to a flood, you better stick with the cheap disposables.

 

[James connell]

i have to disagree with Dee on this.

depth has very little effect on whether or not the housing leaks. pressure actualy Helps the rings seal. depth Will make a difference in how bad/quickly it floods however.
as long as the seals for the shafts are properly lubed so the they won't pull the seal lip as they turn there is no problem - you are far more likely to get a leak from the seal in the door/port.
what causes this is a small piece of dirt or a hair (often so small you can't really see it). be aware it is not the grease that seals the O ring it's the pressure on the ring.

wipe the mating surfaces well with a lint free "cloth" ( i like a chamois). use a Light coat of grease - just enough to make the O ring shine is a good rule. i like to use a piece of new carpet pad - it is easily cleaned and doesn't hold trash like a towel as a work pad.

i wish Ike would chime in here as he's likely to be The source for this!

 

[Epinephelus]

Probably the best piece of advice I ever got when I started assembling my underwater photography gear (I had quite a respectable collection of topside Nikons & lenses & accessories) was "never house anything you can't afford to flood."
That advice has served me well.
E.

 

[Dee]

James connell once bubbled...
i have to disagree with Dee on this.

depth has very little effect on whether or not the housing leaks. pressure actualy Helps the rings seal. depth Will make a difference in how bad/quickly it floods however.
as long as the seals for the shafts are properly lubed so the they won't pull the seal lip as they turn there is no problem - you are far more likely to get a leak from the seal in the door/port.
what causes this is a small piece of dirt or a hair (often so small you can't really see it). be aware it is not the grease that seals the O ring it's the pressure on the ring.

wipe the mating surfaces well with a lint free "cloth" ( i like a chamois). use a Light coat of grease - just enough to make the O ring shine is a good rule. i like to use a piece of new carpet pad - it is easily cleaned and doesn't hold trash like a towel as a work pad.

i wish Ike would chime in here as he's likely to be The source for this!

Depth = pressure. If you'll read my comment more closely, you'll see that I never said the depth would make it leak. I said the pressure had alot to do with keeping things dry. Which is basically the same thing you're saying....and I agree! The pressure is what makes the o-rings seal like they are supposed to.

 

[James connell]

Dee once bubbled...


Depth = pressure. If you'll read my comment more closely, you'll see that I never said the depth would make it leak. I said the pressure had alot to do with keeping things dry. Which is basically the same thing you're saying....and I agree! The pressure is what makes the o-rings seal like they are supposed to.

OK, diference in sematics