Olympus C-3020 w/PT-010 housing?

[Wreck Ranger]

I just purchased the C-3020 and was wondering if anyone has the PT-010 housing? Has anyone taken it deeper than the supposed 30m mark, and if so how far could I expect to go and be safe. Thanks for all the input on everything.
Thanks Guys!!

p.s. Can someone recommend a strobe for that housing (hopefully something inexpensive for now)

 

[Finesse]

WR......
While I dont have that housing (but I do have a C3040)....... I would have to say that is one of the most popular on this site......

The depth rating ....... you can do anything you want with your equipment ....... but If something goes wrong .....we'll I dont have to tell you about that !!!!! I think this came up once before and Allan @ U/W Digital recommended against going to far beyond the manufactures recommendation ..... Most people stay within the 100 foot rating anyway....( I dont think an occasional brief dip to 110-120 would kill the housing.....I think Dee has taken it past the limits.......)


Strobe..... if your buying anything that says Underwater or Marine .... its going to cost you ...A single Ikelite DS-50 would be around $400 , Sea&Sea has a 90 series strobe (more powerful and again many use that model) for I think around $500 and then Ikelite's DS-125 ..... $700-900

Depending on the clarity and depth of the waters (the clearer the water the better the pic) you will be diving ...a strobe isnt always necessary.....some pics were posted today without the use of strobes....

Scott

 

[clive francis]

i have the 3040, the pt-010 and the ds-50.

i have taken my pt-010 to 40m no problems and taken photo's.

can't remember how you do it, but a guy in the Red Sea workrd out the pressure difference and it was next to nothing.

 

[Finesse]

Clive

clive francis once bubbled...
can't remember how you do it, but a guy in the Red Sea workrd out the pressure difference and it was next to nothing.

Your adding 10m (33ft) or another atmosphere of pressure ...... That was considered next to nothing??? you are still continuing to compress the housing ...?? kind of like the straw that broke the camels back....insignificant alone but that in addition to the other force working on it ..:boom:... you get the idea!!!

What I dont understand is why Olympus has similar housings rated to 40 m (PT-012 ??) and they only rate this one to 30m...
I recall Allan at U/W digital once telling me why ...... to bad I cant remember his answer

 

[cmdasia]

33 meters is the furthest I ever went with mine and I was uncomfortable with the idea - my PT10 sometimes makes occasional "creaking" noises starting below 18 meters - I have always thought they were from the back of the housing moving slightly (if you try pushing the back slightly at 90 degrees to the front of the hosuing you will see there is quite a bit of play in the housing).

When all is said and done the PT10 is a bit plasticy and I would not have too much confidence in its deep abilities especially as the housing gets older and gunge starts to build up in the orifices around the black button o rings.

 

[Finesse]

Wreck Ranger......maybe you have seen this already.......but there is a lot of info regarding housings for this camera here. One thing to remember each housing has its pros and cons......and comes down to what you want to use it for.....hope this helps


Olympus Housings

 

[Dee]

As was mentioned in that old thread that Finese posted, I've had my PT-10 to around 130ft. It wasn't intentional...I was recovering a weightbelt. The housing groaned and creaked at around 110ft but all was OK. I've talked to other divers who have consistantly had it below 100ft. One reason the depth rating didn't bother me when I bought mine is I take most of my pictures above 70ft most of the time so it was a minor consideration.

I don't know of an inexpensive strobe! LOL Also in that old thread is some info on the various strobes we all use. I'm totally happy with my S&S YS90DX with the fiber optic cable.

 

[cmdasia]

Dee,

agree with you 100% - the premium to go for a 40 meter or plus housing is not worth it in 99.9% of normal diving - the bang/quality for the buck ratio still puts the PT series and OLY x0x0 cameras as the most sensible choice for digital - period - in my view

 

[Wreck Ranger]

Thank you all for the great information. Between my father the instructor/mentor extrordinaire and you nice folks I have decided to go with the Olympus housing. Depending on where UW photography takes me, a new housing will be later down the line!
Thanks again and will posting again soon!!!!!!

 

[clive francis]

Finesse once bubbled...
Clive

Your adding 10m (33ft) or another atmosphere of pressure ...... That was considered next to nothing??? you are still continuing to compress the housing ...?? kind of like the straw that broke the camels back....insignificant alone but that in addition to the other force working on it ..:boom:... you get the idea!!!

What I dont understand is why Olympus has similar housings rated to 40 m (PT-012 ??) and they only rate this one to 30m...
I recall Allan at U/W digital once telling me why ...... to bad I cant remember his answer

correct me if i am wrong, but the greatest rate of change is in the first 10m.

yes i took it to 40m, i took it empty first time, i pressed all the buttons, wiggled everything i could and it didn't leak, so i took the executive decision that it was ok, others may not feel the same.

the reason i tested this was so i could take it to Elphinstone reef, as it was it was rough as **** and we had 2m + surges, so i didn't get any decent photo's