spoolin01
Contributor
I recently took a Sony RX100 in Meikon polycarbonate housing on a couple dozen dives in Hawaii. This was the first use of the new housing, and first time U/W with that camera as well.
After the first few dives, I began putting a single Moisture Muncher tube inside the housing each day. I never noticed any fogging or moisture in the housing, before or after that point. After a few days, I began to notice a few crystals inside the housing, thinking at first they were sand particles that somehow found their way in, and just brushed them out as best I could access them.
The presence became more noticeable over time, so I looked closer. The crystals are concentrated on and around the barrel ring control at the front lower left of the port, and between the rubber shade inside the port barrel and the barrel itself, mostly on the lower half proximal to the ring control.
The reasons it seems a little mysterious are
1- the crystal formation is not obviously associated with moisture or fogging inside the case - which I've seen in other cases used in Hawaii and is why I began using the Moisture Munchers years ago (could it be less heat from newer generation cameras?)
2- the Moisture Muncher tube does not seem to change color any faster than when used with other cases, in fact it seems to last a little longer. A single tube inserted the night before a dive, then checked at the end of the next day following one or two dives would still have traces of blue showing. I previously used two tubes per case, which would be distinctly pink by the end of a day.
3- and the crystals do not taste nearly so salty as table salt.
I suppose the source must be moisture intrusion, likely at the ring control knob, it's just that the formation of crystals is a new phenomenon to me, and the lack of other signs of significant intrusion seems odd.
Anyone know how to disassemble that ring control? It's not obvious yet how it's installed in the housing.
For the record, the housing went straight into the bathtub for 30+ minutes upon return from diving, and then would sit open for several hours before being set up again in the evening for the following day's use.
ETA: I see there is a screw in the exterior knob, guess I'll start there. I've also emailed Meikon to see if they have any thoughts.
After the first few dives, I began putting a single Moisture Muncher tube inside the housing each day. I never noticed any fogging or moisture in the housing, before or after that point. After a few days, I began to notice a few crystals inside the housing, thinking at first they were sand particles that somehow found their way in, and just brushed them out as best I could access them.
The presence became more noticeable over time, so I looked closer. The crystals are concentrated on and around the barrel ring control at the front lower left of the port, and between the rubber shade inside the port barrel and the barrel itself, mostly on the lower half proximal to the ring control.
The reasons it seems a little mysterious are
1- the crystal formation is not obviously associated with moisture or fogging inside the case - which I've seen in other cases used in Hawaii and is why I began using the Moisture Munchers years ago (could it be less heat from newer generation cameras?)
2- the Moisture Muncher tube does not seem to change color any faster than when used with other cases, in fact it seems to last a little longer. A single tube inserted the night before a dive, then checked at the end of the next day following one or two dives would still have traces of blue showing. I previously used two tubes per case, which would be distinctly pink by the end of a day.
3- and the crystals do not taste nearly so salty as table salt.
I suppose the source must be moisture intrusion, likely at the ring control knob, it's just that the formation of crystals is a new phenomenon to me, and the lack of other signs of significant intrusion seems odd.
Anyone know how to disassemble that ring control? It's not obvious yet how it's installed in the housing.
For the record, the housing went straight into the bathtub for 30+ minutes upon return from diving, and then would sit open for several hours before being set up again in the evening for the following day's use.
ETA: I see there is a screw in the exterior knob, guess I'll start there. I've also emailed Meikon to see if they have any thoughts.
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