New diver flooded camera

[fingershooter]

I just got my advanced open water PADI certification last month. I have done a total of 11 dives. This is my first post on this site. I went to Bermuda last week. I first went snorkeling and got 50 great picture with my Sealife reefmater mini. I charged the batteries at night and got ready for my dive. When I got in the water the camera flooded right away. After the dive I checked out the camera and a lot of orange came out from the camera. The seal looked ok so I dont know why it happened. I took the camera apart and saw that the camera was pretty much junk now. I am looking for a cheap camera that will work with my sealife strobe. Any suggestions.

 

[gypsyjim]

Have you tried returning it to SeaLife, to see if it can be salvaged? My SeaLife DC600 is there right now, for a similar problem. Not actual flooding, but damaged by apparent minor seepage, after several years of use. I am still waiting for their diagnosis, but I figured that the worst they can say is RIP/NC, but maybe they can save it.

 

[diver 85]

It's maybe called 'an average'? between he & I.....I've got about a thousand dives with 2 different cameras since 1995 & ZERO floods...lol, some people are just luckier than others, ---I guess....

(& I realize, I'm living on borrowed time with a camera UW, every dive I make I think this is the one)....

 

[dburg30]

to the OP: I've read where you should check your housing before diving to check for leaks, did you do that? I'm going to get a camera within the next year, and of course everytime I hit the water with it I'll be wondering if 'this is the time'

 

[fairybasslet]

I just got my advanced open water PADI certification last month. I have done a total of 11 dives. This is my first post on this site. I went to Bermuda last week. I first went snorkeling and got 50 great picture with my Sealife reefmater mini. I charged the batteries at night and got ready for my dive. When I got in the water the camera flooded right away. After the dive I checked out the camera and a lot of orange came out from the camera. The seal looked ok so I dont know why it happened. I took the camera apart and saw that the camera was pretty much junk now. I am looking for a cheap camera that will work with my sealife strobe. Any suggestions.

After opening my camera housing for whatever reason, I always check it in the rinse tank before diving. But that is not a guarantee. I check it for leaks while I'm descending. I've caught some slow leaks that way before total damage was done. I flooded a camera on my first dive on the Coral Sea even with these precautions. My camera was fried. And the fish knew because they posed for me the entire trip.

 

[gypsyjim]

After opening my camera housing for whatever reason, I always check it in the rinse tank before diving. But that is not a guarantee. I check it for leaks while I'm descending. I've caught some slow leaks that way before total damage was done. I flooded a camera on my first dive on the Coral Sea even with these precautions. My camera was fried. And the fish knew because they posed for me the entire trip.

They know. They ALWAYS know just when to do that perfect pose, they you know you will never see again!

 

[fairybasslet]

Sometimes I pretend that I'm not interested in them. I'll look the other way and look at something else. But as soon as I turn around, they swim away. They know. They sense the hunting vibe even though my weapon is just a camera. Fish are not stupid.

 

[fingershooter]

I called sealife and they have no parts for my camera. They would give me a $50 rebate of the new dc1200 camera if you spend over $449 for it. Seems like a lot of people like the canon cameras. I will look into them.

 

[Doc]

Stop, take a breath.

Do some more diving first. Before you obstruct your underwater vision by holding a camera in front of you, let your eyes and mind adjust to this new activity. At 11 dives and completing your AOW, you might not know it, but you really have a full plate right now. Before adding to the multi-tasking list, know that "picture taking" uses up a lot of processing power in a diver's brain !

We are all eager to retain memories by taking pictures, we are all eager to share this new vista with our families, friends and work associates.

After maybe 50 more dives, you will likely look back upon the images that (at first) interested you and find them to be quite everyday and ordinary. There are a number of Squirrel Fish pictures on everyone's first photo outing

Take this time to learn to dive, learn to see and observe. It is also an excellent opportunity to window shop, ask questions, and learn about possible camera choices. Ask the photographers around you to demonstrate their cameras. Understand that they are quite likely to be in love with them, but try to remove yourself from their fondness and be analytical- this will only be possible as you talk to more and more users.

I like the Canon line very much (I have a G10), but some such models are designed for very specific niche uses. It will take you some time to figure out where you want to go with your u/w photography, and to a very large extent this will be tempered and dictated by your travel budget. Will it be 99% macro, or will there really be a need for extensive wider flash coverage? If you are strictly macro, you don't even need one with an adjustable white balance, so for a starter camera you can go cheaper with good result. Here's how:

After you have done some research, look on eBay. Quite often you can find a serviceable used u/w housing. Even if the needed camera is obsolete, you can still find them on eBay for cheap as well. Olympus and Canon brand housing show up all the time, they go for little as the 5meg camera they house is a few years out-of-date. So much the better, as it makes them a disposable item if/when you do flood again.

If you haveta gotta have 12megs and lots of strobes, by all means, have them. Just understand what will work for you before you buy a Ferrari.

 

[dburg30]

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Take this time to learn to dive, learn to see and observe.
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I do agree with this. I LOVE photography. But I need to do exactly this. I look back at it as my first trip to Disney World (it was only 2 years ago when I was 40). I KNEW there were sooo many 'picture perfect' spots to really have fun with photography. The only problem, I wound up seeing Disney thru my viewfinder and not SEEING it, if you know what I mean. I REALLY want to get an U/W camera. I know that will keep me interested. But being brand new, I realize I REALLY should just learn and ENJOY diving, and not burn out trying to do too much at one time.