new underwater housing for X-mas! opinions!

[JackSpearo]

i have a canon sd600 i think, with the canon underwater housing for it...

should this be a good cam to take normal scuba pics with?

thanks

Jack

 

[JackSpearo]

also, should i put silicone grease that came with the underwater housing on the seal before i use it?

 

[txdano]

I had the Canon housing with a S500 (camera died last year) with an Ikelite strobe and manual controller. The UW pics in my gallery were with that rig.

Personally, I clean and lube the O-Ring every time I load the camera in it for a dive, and put it in the rinse tank to check for bubbles before entering the water.

 

[Willar]

txdano is correct. It is critical to carefully clean and grease the oring each day. I do not grease it every time the case is opened, that would be overkill. It takes a very small amount of grease dabbed on your finger and run around the oring. Do not leave any glob of grease. Use a lint-free cloth to wipe the oring seat clean and ensure there is no hair or other foreign dirt. Close and test in bathtub or rinse tank.

After every dive, leave the camera in the case and leave in a good freshwater rinse tank for 20+ minutes. Dry well to ensure there are no water drops to fall on the camera before opening. Do not leave camera inside the case in sunlight as overheating will occur very quickly.

Store case open slightly to keep pressure off the oring to prevent it from flattening over time. Grease oring before storing. A small snack-size zip-lock bag is good for storing the oring.

Have fun!