I am at my wits end with sealife products

[streetjudge79]

I must be the king of flooding Sealife equipment. I've about had it with their products. Today I did a beach dive and after 1.5 years of no problems with my dc1000, it flooded about a 1/4 inch,instantly killing the camera. I've flooded a brand new video light and this is the 3rd camera. I changed out the O ring 6 months ago so that wasn't the issue. I'm completetly frustrated and very close to giving up u/w photography all together. I cannot get a replacement dc1000 which is their best camera to date because they don't carry them any longer. I won't buy a dc1200 because I had one and it was horrible. I Sent it back. I assume the dc1400 will be just as bad as the 1200 with the short battery life and longer auto focus times.
I really want another dc1000, if anyone has a spare or one they no longer use, I just need the camera, not the housing. If you can help me , my email addy is caspid@aol.com.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[beaverdivers]

Steve,

It's not if any U/W camera, stobe, light is going to Flood,

it is WHEN!

It is not just you, we all have this problem.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

For what it is worth, I find every Canon housing I've used has started leaking after a year or so. Fortunately I've only lost one camera. Insurance is your friend

 

[streetjudge79]

I wish sealife would just make the internal camera watertight.. It's a simple fix but they just won't do it. I guess they make more money that way so you buy their newer products.

 

[DandyDon]

Different views, different experiences, different luck. I've had 4 different SL cameras over 300+ dives plus snorkeling with whale sharks, swimming, kayaking with many spills, etc. - never flooded one. I dropped one in a rinse bucket while still on the boat once, but never had one flood. My bud flooded one of my old ones, and we found the hair that caused it.

I know you only want the camera replaced, but no one sells used dive cameras without housings. There are always more housings available than cameras. Here is a DC1000 for sale: SEALIFE DIGITAL CAMERA 10MP, UNDERWATER CASE & ACCESSORIES -GREAT CONDITION! | eBay

Or here is a new camera only: http://www.scuba.com/scuba-gear-540/069902/Sealife-Replacement---Spare-Camera-Only-No-Housing.html

You can call SL for an RA even if it is out of warranty and send it in. They are amazingly nice.

For what it is worth, I find every Canon housing I've used has started leaking after a year or so. Fortunately I've only lost one camera. Insurance is your friend

State Farm has an excellent Personal Articles Policy, and they were very nice about paying claims with no hassles. I had so many other claims that they dropped me, but I was way ahead! Homeowners & renters policies can be used too. Call you agent about riders. DEPP sucks, and DAN is only good for dive insurance.

I wish sealife would just make the internal camera watertight.. It's a simple fix but they just won't do it. I guess they make more money that way so you buy their newer products.

Mini II | Sealife Cameras

 

[streetjudge79]

The last time I called Sealife for my flooded brand new video light, the lady that I spoke with kinda blew me off. Since I had sent in two prior cameras, she didn't want to help me and wanted me to pay for a brand new one. She wasn't going to replace it. So I don't think Sealife will help me with this. Plus they won't have a replacement camera for the 1000. Only the newer ones. I saw that one on ebay however the owner doesn't want to separate the camera. Oh well, I guess I'm screwed.

 

[DandyDon]

The last time I called Sealife for my flooded brand new video light, the lady that I spoke with kinda blew me off. Since I had sent in two prior cameras, she didn't want to help me and wanted me to pay for a brand new one. She wasn't going to replace it. So I don't think Sealife will help me with this. Plus they won't have a replacement camera for the 1000. Only the newer ones. I saw that one on ebay however the owner doesn't want to separate the camera. Oh well, I guess I'm screwed.

You have flooded 4 cameras and lights?! :shocked2: Wonder why all this is happening to you?

Anyway, you can get a replacement. As I explained, no one is going to sell a used DC1000 without housing, but you can bid on the ebay kit or just buy a new camera for $300 here: Sealife Replacement / Spare Camera Only (No Housing) SL10001 with reviews at scuba.com (I think my link above was wrong - now corrected)

Have you looked into insurance? Or with your luck, maybe cheaper dive cameras?

 

[Arubandi07]

You have flooded 4 cameras and lights?! :shocked2: Wonder why all this is happening to you?....

With that record, I'd definitely be taking a good, hard look at my equipment maintenance/handling routines ... Reefmaster Mini, 6 years, 2nd O-ring, changing batteries/ SDcards between stints, blahblah, no flooding ...

 

[streetjudge79]

I take very good care of my equipment. The first time was my fault as I did not know there was a certain way of closing the housing. The video light apparently had a small hair that got into the cap which I did not see. I checked it several times before using it and the sealife repair guy supposedly found it. I clean my housings very good after each dive and I test them before each dive in freshwater. I also keep moisture munchers in them and change out the O ring every year. I do everything I'm supposed to. I'm not careless with this. I even wrap the whole thing in dry towels after each dives on the boat. I change the batteries after completely drying my arms, hands and casing. I'm a stickler for maintaining my stuff. But one freakin hair or one granule of dirt should NOT flood a camera. Sealife should have made the camera water resistant or any company that has U/w cameras should do that. That would save this headache. 3 cameras, 1 light arubandi. Over a 4 or 5 year period. I dive pretty much every weekend so I've gotten a lot of practice with these things. I'm not a novice.

 

[Arubandi07]

I take very good care of my equipment. The first time was not my fault as I did not know there was a certain way of closing the housing. The video light apparently had a small hair that got into the cap which I did not see. I checked it several times before using it and the sealife repair guy supposedly found it. I clean my housings very good after each dive and I test them before each dive in freshwater. I also keep moisture munchers in them and change out the O ring every year. I do everything I'm supposed to. I'm not careless with this. I even wrap the whole thing in dry towels after each dives on the boat. I change the batteries after completely drying my arms, hands and casing. I'm a stickler for maintaining my stuff. But one freakin hair or one granule of dirt should NOT flood a camera. Sealife should have made the camera water resistant or any company that has U/w cameras should do that. That would save this headache. 3 cameras, 1 light arubandi. Over a 4 or 5 year period. I dive pretty much every weekend so I've gotten a lot of practice with these things. I'm not a novice.

Unfortunately, 'one freakin hair or granule of sand' does ...