The Cure For Flooding?

[Chaseh]

Disclaimer: I'm not an underwater photographer, yet.

It was recently explained to me that normal consumer cameras (ie: Oly, Canon) are not protected from the pressure of the deep by the underwater housing, but rather that the underwater housing only protects the camera from flooding, and that these cameras are on their own off the shelf able to withstand the pressure.

I was also told that sooner or later, you're gonna get a flood (but lets not debate that here).

Recently a friend bought an Olympus digital camera that although appears to be the typical consumer camera, it can actually withstand some expossure to water. So much so that it may be used underwater in a situation like a swimming pool.

My question is, if this camera had a properly matched housing, would it be able to not only be used for diving, but also could survive a floor.

Or, is it obvious that since the maker said do not use below 15ft, that it will not opperate at depth no matter what.

Beyond that, couldn't olympus, canon, et al make a camera that has these qualities, so that it could be taken to depth with a housing and also still survive a flooding incident?

 

[ChrisA]

First off with a housing that works correctly the camera remains in one atmosphere in air. Just like if you were standing in air. Divig does not presurize the air in the housing. If it did it would compress the air and reduce it's volume. Or to put it another way. If ever the volume of air inside a housing is reducd you havea big problem with the equipment

If a housing "floods" completely the camera is in the same enviromnet it would be in if the housing were open. Any camera would be "toast" and not salvageable

However many housing problems are not complete floods but more like "leaks" were a bit of water comes in. with most camera even a smal mount of saltware will destroy the camera but a water resistant camera would likely survive a minor leak. At least you could end the dive surface before the leak becomes a flood.

With most camera if I saw a small amount of water in the housing I'd quickly turn the housing "port down" and head for the surface and hope the saltwater did not touch the camera. With a waterresistant camera inside I'd not have to worry as much and the camera could be use around the dive site topside too around sand and spay without need for a housing.

 

[Gilligan]

Beyond that, couldn't olympus, canon, et al make a camera that has these qualities, so that it could be taken to depth with a housing and also still survive a flooding incident?

First off I'll second what ChrisA posted.

Olympus does make a waterproof camera. The 720SW is waterproof to 3 meters so in theory it should survive a small leak in a housing. However, is the 720SW a good choice for an underwater camera? Olympus does make a housing for it, the PT-033.

 

[Chaseh]

First off I'll second what ChrisA posted.

Olympus does make a waterproof camera. The 720SW is waterproof to 3 meters so in theory it should survive a small leak in a housing. However, is the 720SW a good choice for an underwater camera? Olympus does make a housing for it, the PT-033.

ok, thanks to you both. My original conclusions may have been confirmed.

It's the housing not the camera that withstands the pressure.

The olympus waterproof camera would be better at surviving a flood.

I have no idea if it would be a good underwater camera, but the technology could be spread to more Olympus options. So, if you're favorite camera was waterproof to 10ft, then flooding wouldn't be such a problem when using a housing.

Perhaps this is the near future.

 

[Mariozi]

Agreed!!!
But lets look at one thing:

"...these cameras are on their own off the shelf able to withstand the pressure."

It is a bit of an overstatement, the correct concept is that they "dont care" for pressure. There is (almost) absolutely no component in them that suffer from normal atmosphere pressure variation (DRY). But they dont "withstand" pressure, as they are not NOT "airproof"! The air pressure inside the camera is always the same as outside, or the same as air pressure inside the housing.

Best!

 

[Mariozi]

For instance, those plastic bags that are sold as underwater photographic equipment (personally I call them rain protection bags) are know to be responsible for several problems on cameras zoom lenses, buttons and even the body itself. For they do (do?) hold the water outside, but they transmit the pressure to the body!

Best!

 

[ChrisA]

Beyond that, couldn't olympus, canon, et al make a camera that has these qualities, so that it could be taken to depth with a housing and also still survive a flooding incident?

Yes Absolutly.

Nikon has made the Nikonos for many years. This is a 35mm film camera that requires no housing and is rated for depth below depth limit for recreational scuba divers. It is a very high quality camera and has interchanable lenses (can only be changed in dry environment) and a set of stobes available. nikon had an underwater SLR too with autofocus. very expensive and discontinued but still available. So certainly it is possible to make a camera like that but I don't know of any non-housed digital cameras.

The Nikonos is still the best wide angle UW camera available. Yes a housed SLR with dome port comes close but those are huge, complex and expensive while the Nikonos with 20mm lens is small and easy to use and nothing beats the image quality of a "wet lens" that does not have to shoot through a port.


http://www.nikonimaging.com/global/products/filmcamera/underwater/5/index.htm

 

[Gilligan]

Yes Absolutly.

Nikon has made the Nikonos for many years. This is a 35mm film camera that requires no housing and is rated for depth below depth limit for recreational scuba divers. It is a very high quality camera and has interchanable lenses (can only be changed in dry environment) and a set of stobes available. nikon had an underwater SLR too with autofocus. very expensive and discontinued but still available. So certainly it is possible to make a camera like that but I don't know of any non-housed digital cameras.

The Nikonos is still the best wide angle UW camera available. Yes a housed SLR with dome port comes close but those are huge, complex and expensive while the Nikonos with 20mm lens is small and easy to use and nothing beats the image quality of a "wet lens" that does not have to shoot through a port.


http://www.nikonimaging.com/global/products/filmcamera/underwater/5/index.htm

But ChrisA no one uses film anymore

 

[Mariozi]

Its true, its also a pity, beacuse since the actual sensors (esp. those of compact cameras) cannot reproduce all details of film, the discussion shifted from lens quality to sensor capacity/quality... and will be a long time since we see some optics like the Nikonos 15mm or the Nikon 20mm, the good news ins the Nikkor 10.5mm/2.8... GREAT OPTICS!

 

[havnmonkey]

Imagine a digital camera that didn't mind water; i.e. it could be submerged without being sealed and it didn't fry!?! Maybe it's not powered by electricity! Too bad there won't be much to take a pic of when the machines take over in AD 2510 !!!!!