OLY Housing HELP!

[Warmwater Wank]

So here I am pleasantly diving on Bonaire and my Olympus EP-08 housing for an EM-5 camera won't let the housing dial turn the camera on or off, it just slips when you twist the knob. Happened twice before on last trip but then worked. However after replacing the battery just now I can NOT get it to work.

Tried "roughing up" the rubber pad that engages the camera shutoff lever but no dice. Nor did a cleaning w/ alcohol etc, just spins and does not at all feel engaged at all. Unscrewed rubber pad, looks ok, put it back on, nope. I can turn the camera on externally and put it in the housing but whatta pain. Any ideas out there?
Thanx! // ww

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Hmmm, turned the camera on, put it in the housing and dove Bari. Coming back, out of habit, I switched the camera off. Switch worked fine. Turned it on and off quite positively UW a bunch of times as well as when I got back to the truck. So I'm wondering. A poly carb housing in an a/c room vs after being at depth. Guess I'll be playing with it more to figure it out but I'm thinking that the housing can flex or change shape enough to cause this? // ww

 

[anenomefishman]

i have had one where i can only control my camera under water. the mode select dial M, A, S, iAuto dial. it won't select modes on the surface. only works underwater.

 

[jlyle]

Duct tape can be useful. Put a small piece on the mode dial so it engages with the control.

 

[KeithG]

This is most likely a pressure vs no pressure issue due to a too sloppy control - not polycarb related. And it is easy to test in your hotel room: press in on the knob while you turn it.

When diving water pressure will push each of your controls in a bit. If you have a slightly too sloppy control, the pressure will help to make it work underwater, but not reliably above water or in very shallow water.

As indicated by jlye, shimming the dial with some tape (try to find something non-slippery) will work as a temporary fix to take up the slack. A blob of hot melt glue smeared on the dial also works.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Well of course after I wrote this the on/off switch has worked ok. Pressing in on the knob was tried and while there is a bit of play it didn't help. Since things have been working ok I won't mess with it now but the shim biz will be added for future trips.

As an aside, I hadn't been back on Bonaire in six years and (hate to say it) had become a bit of a South Pacific snob. Gotta say, Bonaire has held up quite well, almost seems like better diving than I had six years ago! Oh wait. Could be I got to be a better diver. Hmmm. Nah, Bonaire is still nice! // ww

 

[Buster1dog]

Are you removing the viewfinder eyecup?

 

[Warmwater Wank]

Oh yeah, the eye guard stays off. Also the on/off switch went back to working ok for the rest of my dives. Will still come up with some sort of shim idea for next trip. The other thing is I happened to grab the housing when it was slipping and in gripping it tighter to keep from falling out of my hand it almost seemed like the housing door just barely got pressed in and that's when it started to be ok. Yes, I had already closed trhe latch shut but still there felt like some very, very slight movement inwards close to where my thumb was pressing on the housing. Worked fine then. Oh well, just finished up my dcives so will check it again at home. Masha danki everyone! // ww

 

[Ardy]

I had the same issue on my second dive trip with the EP08 I seem to remember I levered the rubber connector on the housing out a bit and have not had the issue since.

Just got the housing out and had a look and one side is pryed out a bit more than the other. Hope this helps.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

One more possible trick to try, thanx Ardy. Since I didn't have the problem the rest of the trip I'm thinking the room a/c over an extended period might have been a factor. In any event I have several things to try now. I've used the setup a lot and this isn't a big deal thing, it's still a fun housing to use. // WW