Lockup at 15+ Meters PT-023 C-8080

[victor]

My Camera C-8080 has a very annoying problem.
First ever trip with my PT-023, 3rd dive I am trying to take a pic and the camera has switched off, I switch on and the lens seeks out but a few seconds later switches off again. Repeat the process, but every time it just switches off. No error message, nothing. When I return to the surface the camera works perfectly.
A few dives later I am trying to get a picture, I zoom in, and get a ZOOM ERROR message, the camera switches off. When I switch on it behaves like before, seek for a few secs then switch off.
When I get up to about 5 meteres it works properly again.
This was my last dive on this holiday so no chance to test again.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[Fish Wrangler]

I think the camera is not seated in the housing correctly, a problem which gets exacerbated at depth. I'm not sure about the setup with your 8080 and PT-023, but I started having a similar problem with my 5050 in the Ikelite housing. I couldn't turn the camera on at depth -- the lens would come out, hit the front of the port and then recede and turn off the camera. The difference was that my workaround was to remember to turn it on at the surface and the problem stayed solved.

I sent the housing into Ikelite for servicing, and mentioned the problem. They did two things to fix it -- first they replaced a small rubber block that is glued inside the front bulkhead and keeps the camera in place. Second, they put a couple of small thin strips of rubber on the baseplate that the camera screws into. I've had no problems turning it on at depth since.

As I said, I'm not familiar with the Oly housings, so I'm not sure what it would take to fix it.

HTH.

 

[rjsimp]

Another possibility (besides what Susan said) is that it could be a button is being pushed at depth (maybe the power button). Since this is a new housing, I would suspect that you may have one that is defective and maybe you should get a replacement. Since the Olympus housings are fit to the camera and they can only go in one way without any adjustment, that's what I would do.

 

[victor]

Another possibility (besides what Susan said) is that it could be a button is being pushed at depth (maybe the power button). Since this is a new housing, I would suspect that you may have one that is defective and maybe you should get a replacement. Since the Olympus housings are fit to the camera and they can only go in one way without any adjustment, that's what I would do.

Rich
This is what the resident photographer sugested, he also uses an olympus. On my second dive with the problem I checked very carefully. 1 button is sticky and I think I will try and get it changed, however I made sure it was withdrawn as were all the others. It is very difficult to see clearly but I think all of the buttons were clear.

Originally I thought the battery was flat, but definitly worked when back at the surface.

I think I was zooming the first time it occured but I am not sure.
I definitly was zooming the second time.

I hope I can get back in the water early next year to test these posibilities.

 

[blue_diver]

I have the 5060 and PT 020 housing and have experienced the same problem from time to time. The camera powers down due to being inactive and when I try to power it up no luck, usually happens at depths greater than 35 fsw. I suspect as well that it is a button that is getting partially depressed. I've sent the housing in twice to Oly for repair and still have the problem now and then, usually when I'm ready to frame a shot! What I have found works for me is to ascend normally to a depth just above 30 fsw and then the camera powers back up and I can return to depth. And as mentioned previously I try to always make sure the camera is powered up before starting my descent. I've been told that the polycarbonate bodies will flex a bit under pressure and that may be also contributing to the problem.

 

[rjsimp]

I have the 5060 and PT 020 housing and have experienced the same problem from time to time. The camera powers down due to being inactive and when I try to power it up no luck, usually happens at depths greater than 35 fsw. I suspect as well that it is a button that is getting partially depressed. I've sent the housing in twice to Oly for repair and still have the problem now and then, usually when I'm ready to frame a shot! What I have found works for me is to ascend normally to a depth just above 30 fsw and then the camera powers back up and I can return to depth. And as mentioned previously I try to always make sure the camera is powered up before starting my descent. I've been told that the polycarbonate bodies will flex a bit under pressure and that may be also contributing to the problem.

Wow, that's kind of a problem to have when you are 60fsw or maybe even 100fsw

You can't just come back up to 30fsw to get it on so you can take your picture. Sounds like maybe a defect. I know on the PT-030 housing for the SP-350, it has no issues with depth. I'll be interested on this one to see how many others have had this issue with their housing..

 

[victor]

I suspect my PT-203 is more likely to experience this problem.
At the front of the housing there is a very big flat port to accomodate the wide angle when the lens is fully retracted and to allow the lens to come out to its full zoom position.
This gives it a large flat port which I am sure must move slightly under preasure.

Well I have some things to try.

Does tha camera have an auto switch off after some time option and can it be switched off?
I tried looking through the menu's but did not spot it.

I will try and post some pics later this week when I have caught up.