Lost faith in Company

[divingpyrate]

Let me preface this by saying I work for an Authorized Service Provider for about 60 major CE manufacturers. I am well versed in warranty claims processing

As such I have seen a lot of abuse of warranty by customers. We had purchased a DC1400 for our first underwater stills camera. I use a gopro fo video and love it.
We read everything in the user manual for this camera We properly cared for it, even opening the housing on flights to handle pressure variances. We inspected the O Ring on every dive.

The camera lasted only two trips before it leaked on a 50 foot dive.
The housing did not flood it just leaked enough to ruin the camera. I suspect from around one of the buttons. Since I was sure this was not due to user error, had it been we would have just accepted it, we sent it back to SeaLife

They refused to repair it under warranty saying the housing did not have a leak. So I assume they are saying we got the camera wet outside the housing. That does not explain the camera housing having water in it after a dive. Since we never use the camera out of the housing, even on shore I thought this claim to be particularly curious.

At any rate, please be aware if you are buying this product. We bought because of all the rave reviews about their customer service.
Our experience did not live up to the raves

Why is the rum always gone

 

[SeaLife Cameras]

Morning divingpyrate,

Please contact us directly at techservice@sealife-cameras.com .

 

[ScubaSteve]

The housing did not flood it just leaked enough to ruin the camera. I suspect from around one of the buttons. Since I was sure this was not due to user error, had it been we would have just accepted it, we sent it back to SeaLife

They refused to repair it under warranty saying the housing did not have a leak. So I assume they are saying we got the camera wet outside the housing. That does not explain the camera housing having water in it after a dive. Since we never use the camera out of the housing, even on shore I thought this claim to be particularly curious.

Devil's advocate.......

How do they know that you closed the housing properly? Maybe they properly sealed the housing, took it to depth and had no leak, therefore, rightly assuming that you made an error which was outside of their control (and warranty coverage). Maybe it was a cat hair that got wedged in there but taken out after the fateful dive. It sucks that this happened and I would be mad as a hatter as well, BUT there is nothing that guarantees this is a Sealife issue.

A camera is like a drysuit........It is not a matter of IF it will flood, but WHEN it will flood. Maybe you got yours out of the way early and with extra care and caution going forward you will have a great underwater photography career.

 

[digdug87]

Your experience with SeaLife so far has been the exact opposite of mine. I purchased a DC1400 Maxx Duo kit, and on my fourth day of using it in Cozumel, it flooded. I noticed water in the housing at round 20 feet. It was more like water was seeping into the housing. There no obvious cause of the flooding. Once we returned home, I sent the camera back via the local dealer. I fully expected to have to buy a new camera. Less than 2 weeks later my local dealer called and told me that I had a new camera ready to pick up. I was shocked, and oh so pleasantly surprised.

I totally agree with ScubaSteve "IT is not a matter of IF it will flood, but WHEN it will flood." when it comes to any type of housing.

I hope that everything works out well for you. Keep us posted.

 

[divingpyrate]

Your experience on the leakage sounds exactly like ours but the results were different.

I have seen floods from not latching properly. There was not enough water in the camera case for that. Like you said, it looked like a small amount seeped in.
This is why I am guessing from around one of the buttons. But I guess Sealife took the devils approach. We dont own a cat, and while there is nothing to prove it was not a warranty issue, there is also no proof it was user error. That is where customers and manufacturers have to work together. If I felt this were our fault I would have eaten it and not said a word.

There is nothing to prove it one way or another, and we live and learn.
We did not abuse the camera, and did everything by the instructions. It failed. And Sealife made a call. Just reporting my experience.

---------- Post added August 26th, 2013 at 06:00 PM ----------

I just emailed the tech support above. Our local Shop was also going to see what they could do.

---------- Post added August 27th, 2013 at 02:54 PM ----------

If a mod can change the original post, faith restored.
I do not have the details yet, but Donna just called and Sealife is replacing the camera under warranty.
she was so happy, and we can now go back to loving this little camera..

Not sure who we have to think at SeaLife but THANK YOU

 

[ComputerJoe]

I have a dive shop and was looking at carring these inexpensive cameras until this year. I have seen two DC1400's this summer and they both flooded. The first customer said it was his second, the first being replaced under warranty. This first camera flooded on their very first dive IN A POOL. The second while on one of my charters. Last weekend I saw my second 1400 and guess what, it flooded too. They have a serious problem and had better take care of it before their entire product lline is being questioned.